Vietnam Gallantry Cross

Infobox Military Award
name=Vietnam Gallantry Cross


caption=Gallantry Cross Medal and Unit Citation
awarded_by=flag|South Vietnam
type=Four-degree military award. The four degrees are:
Gallantry Cross with Palm
Gallantry Cross with Gold Star
Gallantry Cross with Silver Star
Gallantry Cross with Bronze Star
eligibility=Awarded to military individuals, corps, divisions, regiments, and brigades
for=accomplishing deeds of valor or displayed heroic conduct while fighting an enemy force.
campaign=
status=No longer awarded
description=
clasps=
established=August 1950
first_award=
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caption2=Unit award ribbon

The Vietnam Gallantry Cross is a military decoration of South Vietnam which wasestablished in August 1950. Also known as the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry, the Gallantry Cross is awarded to any military personnel who have accomplished deeds of valor or displayed heroic conduct while fighting an enemy force.

Medal degrees

The Gallantry Cross is issued in four degrees, with a basic medal followed by higher degrees which are the equivalent of personal citations on an organizational level (also known as having been "mentioned in dispatches"). The degrees of the Gallantry Cross are as follows:

* Gallantry Cross with Palm (Individual Award) ["cited before the Army"]
* Gallantry Cross with Gold Star (Corps citation) ["cited before the Corps"]
* Gallantry Cross with Silver Star (Division citation) ["cited before the Division"]
* Gallantry Cross with Bronze Star (Regiment or Brigade citation) ["cited before the Regiment"]

The devices to the Gallantry Cross are not worn simultaneously but instead are upgradeable to the next higher device which would replace the previous device for wear on the decoration.

For U.S. Navy personnel, uniform regulations state the recipient should wear only one Gallantry Cross award (medal or ribbon bar) regardless of the number received. For multiple awards, wear as many authorized devices as will fit on one medal or ribbon bar. Wear the devices for subsequent awards in order of seniority from the wearer's right.

ervice Versions

The Vietnam Gallantry Cross was also issued in three versions, the first of which was the standard Gallantry Cross which was issued to members of all military branches, as well as service members of foreign and allied militaries.

The other versions of the Gallantry Cross were the Air Gallantry Cross and Navy Gallantry Cross. These decorations were awarded under a different authority than the standard Gallantry Cross and were considered separate decorations.

Unit Award

The Vietnam Gallantry Cross also is issued as a unit award which is an entirely separatedecoration from the full sized medal. Known as the "Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation with Palm," the unit citation award was created in 1968 and was issued as the Gallantry Cross ribbon, with a metal palm device, enclosed within a gold frame. The unit citation was issued in the name of South Vietnam to any military unit which distinguished itself to the same level as would be required for the individual award. Regulations for the issuance of the Vietnam Gallantry Cross permit the wearing of both the individual and unit award simultaneously, since they both are considered separate decorations.

The Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation with Palm was issued to every Allied nation which provided military support to Vietnam between 1 March, 1961 and the fall of Saigon in April 1975. The unit decoration thus became the most commonly awarded Vietnamese decoration to foreigners, second only to the Vietnam Campaign Medal.

United States Issuance

The United States military began authorizing the Vietnam Gallantry Cross in March 1968 with retroactive presentation of the decoration to 1961. In 1974, Army General Order Number 8 authorized the Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation to every military unit of the United States Army which had served under the Military Assistance Command from 1961 to 1974. This effectively granted the unit version of the award to any member of the U.S. Army who had served for any period of time in the Republic of Vietnam. Members of other services were not affected by the Army General Order and still required individual or unit orders for the Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation to be awarded.

The National Personnel Records Center is the agency which responds to retroactive award requests, from U.S. Army veterans, updating military records to show the Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation per Army General Order 8. The decoration itself, both full medal and unit citation, are considered foreign military decorations and are not provided to Vietnam veterans by any of the United States military services. The decoration is available for purchase at most Military Installations military clothing sales. But if they are unable to access a military installation, private military insignia dealers have them on hand. The decoration may also be found for sale on the Internet.

ee also

* National Order of Vietnam
* Vietnam Military Merit Medal
* Vietnam Civil Actions Medal
* Vietnam Campaign Medal
* Vietnam Service Medal

External links

* [http://www.saintjohn.nbcc.nb.ca/host/vietnam/ Military Orders, Decorations, and Medals of the Republic of Vietnam]

References

*cite web
last =
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Vietnam Gallantry Cross
work =
publisher = gruntsmilitary.com
date =
url = http://www.gruntsmilitary.com/galcross.shtml
format =
doi =
accessdate = 2007-03-28
*cite web
last =
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry
work =
publisher = The Institute of Heraldry
date =
url = http://www.tioh.hqda.pentagon.mil/Awards/VIETNAM%20GALLANTRY%20CROSS1.html
format =
doi =
accessdate = 2007-03-28