Establishing Authority
The Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross was established by Decree 74-b/QT of August 15, 1950; Decree 96/DQT/HC of May 2, 1952; Ordinance 10-b of August 15, 1950; Ordinance 1 of February 2, 1956; and Decree 200-b/QP of December 30, 1956.
Acceptance by the United States
Acceptance and wear of this medal is authorized by Public Law 89-257, which authorized the acceptance of awards and decorations during the inclusive dates of March 1, 1961 and March 28, 1974 for service the Vietnam War.
Effective Dates
The Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross was in effect from January 20, 1968 to the fall of South Vietnam in April of 1975.
Criteria
The Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross was authorized to be worn by individuals cited for service in military operations in support of the government of South Vietnam.
Reflecting its French Colonial heritage, Vietnam's Gallantry Cross was thei direct equivalent of the French Croix de Guerre and rewarded acts of valor or heroic conduct during a conflict with an armed enemy. Although awarded sparingly during the early years of the Vietnam War, the Gallantry Cross was widely bestowed upon RVN troops as a reward for much heroism and peril. Many American service men received the award as a personal decoratino.
Description and Symbolism
Obverse
The medal is a bronze cross patte with the four arms interconnected by engravings representing two dragons with two crossed sabers between the arms, handles down. In the center is a disk showing the map of Vietnam with a laurel branch on either side and the ribbon across the map inscribed, REWARD OF THE STATE (in Vietnamese characters). The suspension is rectangular in shape and depicts two stylized dragons facing one another.
Reverse
The reveerse contans the same design except the disk in the center is plain.
Devices
The medal is not worn without an attachment. The system of attachments is as follows:
- Palm: to a unit cited at the Armed Forces level
- Gold Star: to a unit cited at the corps level
- Silver Star: to a unit cited at the division level
- Bronze Star: to a unit cited at the regimental or brigade (or similar) level.
Ribbon
The Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross ribbon consists of a gold center stripe eleven-sixteenths of an inch wide containing eight sets of parallel red stripes one thirty-seconds of an inch wide, each separtated in the center by gold and edged by gold. The remaining width of the ribbon is scarlet. The ribbon is encased in a gilt frame decorated with laurel leaves, and is not worn without a device.