Navy Service Medal

Navy Service Medal
Navy Service Medal - Honour class - Third type
Awarded for	Service for a prescribed number of years with the Republic of Vietnam Navy
Presented by	South Vietnam
Eligibility	Officers, NCOs, and seamen
Status	No longer awarded
Established	May 12, 1964
First award	1964
Final award	1974
First class ribbon Second class ribbon Third class ribbon Honour class ribbon
Precedence
Next (higher)	Air Service Medal
Next (lower)	none

The Navy Service Medal was a decoration of the Republic of Vietnam. established by Decree No. 154 of 12 May 1964, it was intended to recognise members of the South Vietnamese Navy who had completed a set number of years of service.

Classes

The medal was divided into four classes indicated by a device on the ribbon bar:

• First Class: This class recognised sailors who had served more than fifteen years in the navy. This class was indicated by two silver depictions of three waves and a silver compass rose.
• Second Class: This class recognised sailors who had served more than ten years in the navy. This class was indicated by two silver depictions of three waves.
• Third Class: This class recognised sailors who had served more than five years in the navy. This class was indicated by a silver depiction of three waves.
• Honour Class: this class recognised members of other branches of the ARVN.

Description

During its existence, the medal went through three designs:

Type 1: This design features a light blue disc depicting a silver whale swimming in light blue waves beneath a light blue sky. The disc surmounted a golden compass rose, which in turn surmounted a silver anchor. The reverse was plain. The suspension device was a standard trapezoid device.

Type 2: This design was a golden anchor surmounted by a six-spoked ship's wheel; the reverse was either plain or had the words "VIỆT-NAM" surrounded by the words "HẢI-VỤ BỘI-TINH". The suspension device was a standard trapezoid device.

Type 3: This design features a light blue disc depicting a silver whale swimming in light blue waves beneath a light blue sky. The disc surmounted a golden compass rose, which in turn was surrounded by a silver wreath. The reverse was inscribed "VIỆT-NAM". The suspension device was a fouled anchor.

References