Copies of Vietnamese Medals

John Sylvester

Most of the medals of the Republic of Vietnam manufactured locally were somewhat shoddy. American servicemen awarded medals by the Army of the Republic of Vietnam often wanted better made ones to match their United States awards. Wolfe-Brown and other Ameri- can companies over the years have produced medals of the Republic of Vietnam distinguished mainly by their better quality and their ribbon with the American bound edges. Japanese companies produced some Vietnamese, as well as American, medals to be sold mainly in the Ship’s Service Stores for sets to be worn by sailors and Marines for dress ceremonies. The Vietnam Campaign Medal was also made elsewhere in Asia for servicemen of our Allies in Vietnam. Some of the early Vietnamese medals, notably the National Order, were handsomely produced in France.

The American manufacturers also, of course, supply Viet- namese medals for the collector market. One example is the rare Vietnamese Air Force Northern Expeditionary Figure 7: Fake Gold Star Medal with short arms. Medal, almost all of the examples on the market being the American made copies. National Orders, made both here and now again in Saigon, are quite similar to the originals. The expensive Star of the National Order is currently being manufactured in Thailand for sale as a copy to collectors. It is well made and very close to the original.

Most of the medals of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam are plentiful on the market both here and in Vietnam. Hanoi tailor shops still sell them cheaply to Peoples Army of Vietnam recipients. Saigon militaria vendors have produced fakes, however, of the rarer communist Vietnam- ese medals. The copy of the highest award, The Socialist Republic of Vietnam Gold Star, is smaller and even cruder than the slightly-crude original, as described in the pre- vious article. It is currently being sold on eBay as original. Figure 8: Reverse of the fake GoM Star Order in Figure 7. A Saigon shop is also selling fakes of the early Resis- fake (Figure 8), while no masterpiece on the original, tance Order (Figure 1), a cross flory design, which is are incredibly and obviously flawed. smaller, edge -to-edge, 32ram, than the originals which are 37mm across. Four of the small Viet Cong medals Fakes are an unfortunate part of collecting. They with the metal suspension pieces have been copied. The denigrate the passion often associated with the pursuit Order for Heroes Determined for the Victory with its of prized medals. They also underscore the phrase, "buyer image of a male and female soldier, has been faked in beware." Saigon in a thin, flat, stamped manner, as have many olf Vieg Cong badges.

38 JOMSA awards or symbols of rank or position, but were, and are still, bought by Vietnamese with different inscriptions for good fortune. Imitation khanh can be well made in gilt, or quite crude as hill tribe jewelry or decorations. One example of a nicely made bai in ivory (not real but hard to tell) with a design of a goddess, selling for a high price at an American auction, was available recently at an aquarium gift shop in Nha Trang for less than a dollar.

Caveat emptor.

Figure 1: Original (left) and copy (right) of the first version of the Resistance Order.

The Order for Heroes Who Destroy Mechanized Equip- ment, with its picture of a soldier throwing a grenade at a United States tank. exists with an American style pin on the back of the suspension. An obvious copy of the ear- Figure 3: Original (left) and copy (right) of the Order lier version of the Order for Heroes Who Destroy Ameri- for Heroes Who Destroy Aircraft. cans (Figure 2), with its image of a charging soldier, is distinguished by a bright, coppery color. Copies of the rare Order for Heroes Who Destroy Aircraft (Figure 3) mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm~mmmmmmmm have a black figure on gold instead of the proper gold figure on light blue.

2004 OMSA Convention Research Workshop

The British and Commonwealth Seminars for the 2004 OMSA Convention in Sacramento cordially invite those convention attendees wanting to learn more about how to begin researching your British and Commonwealth medals to participate in a special extension of our program. This will be a hands-on workshop where individual attention will be given; so bring your medals and challenge us! Figure 2: Original (left) and copy (right) of the early version of the Order for Heroes Who Destroy Amercans. When: Saturday, August 14, 2004, 2:00-4:00 PM. Where: At the designated tables within the Bourse. Purchasers of the early Annamese awards, the kim khanh, Who: Chris Cawthorne (Seminar Host) - the coin-like tien, and the plaque-like bai, must be care- Napoleonic Army. ful to ensure that they are not unknowingly buying vo- Dick Flory - WWI, WW2, Royal Artillery. tive and good-luck pieces instead. All of these awards Peter Lomdahl - Napoleonic Navy. have Chinese characters. Their shapes are auspicious and Irv Mortenson - Victorian campaigns. they were not presented by the court and government as Mike Shaw - Indian Army

Vol. 55, No. 3 39 The Official List of Decorations and the Caribbean through World War Two and Korea, he Medals Earned by Lieutenant General only earned the Purple Heart once.) Here, then, is the list that I established: Lewis B. (Chesty) Puller Navy Cross (Nicaragua, 1930); Gold Star in lieu of Mike Minnich second Navy Cross (Nicaragua, 1932); Gold Star in lieu of third Navy Cross (Guadalcanal, October 24-25, 1942); Lieutenant General Lewis Burwell "Chesty" Puller Gold Star in lieu of fourth Navy Cross (New Britain, (Figure 1) was, and remains, one of the outstanding December 1943 - March 1944); Gold Star in lieu of fifth heroes - and, indeed, icons - of the United States Marine Navy Cross (Korea, December 5-10, 1950) Corps. The five Navy Crosses he earned in an illustrious 37-year (July 25, 1918 - October 30, 1955) career will Distinguished Service Cross [Army] (Korea, November certainly never be equaled or surpassed. 29 - December 4, 1950)

Silver Star [Army] (Korea, September 15, 1950)

Legion of Merit with Combat "V" (Palau Island Group, September 15 - October 2, 1944); Gold Star in lieu of second Legion of Merit with Combat "V" Device (Korea, September 15 - November 2, 1950)

Bronze Star with Combat "V" Device (Guadalcanal, November 8-9, 1942)

Air Medal (Korea, January 15 - March 1, 1951); Gold Star in lieu of second Air Medal (Korea, March 3 - April 5, 1951); Gold Star in lieu of third Air Medal (Korea, April 7- May 17, 1951);

Purple Heart (Wounded in action, Guadalcanal, November 8, 1942)

Presidential Unit Citation with four bronze stars (representing five awards to the First Marine Division: Solomon Islands, 1942; Pelelieu, 1944; Korea, 1950 [twice: Inchon and Chosin Reservoir]; Korea, 1951.)

USMC Good Conduct Medal (First enlistment, 1918- 1919); Bar for Good Conduct Medal (Second enlistment, Figure 1: Lieutenant General Lewis B. Puller, USMC. 1919-1923)

World War I Victory Medal with "West Indies" clasp One thing that had nagged at this author for years, however, was to confirm just exactly what were all the (1918-1919) awards - down to the most routine service medal and including foreign orders and decorations - that this Haitian Campaign Medal (1919-1920) incredible Marine earned. About 18 months ago, thanks to a contact at the Marine Corps Historical Center, Second Nicaraguan Campaign Medal (1928-1933) Washington, D.C., copies of not one, but two lists of Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal with 1 bronze star Puller’s awards were uncovered, including such interesting details as the exact dates referenced in the (Haiti, t929; Tientsin, China, 1933) citations for many of his decorations. (Another fact that many people may not know is that, despite all his personal China Service Medal (Marine Detachment aboard USS Augusta, 1939) exposure to intense combat from the "Banana Wars" of

40 JOMSA