OTHER MEDALS


	OTHER MEDALS FOREIGN & PURCHASED AUSTRALIAN ORDER OF PRECEDENCE
	THIS PAGES SHOWS SOME OF THE OTHER MEDALS THAT ARE WORN BY RETURNED SERVICE PERSONNEL. SOME ARE GAZETTED (LEGAL), THESE WILL BE INDICATED WHILE OTHERS THAT ARE NOT GAZETTED AND SHOULD NOT BE INCLUDED WITH THE OFFICIAL SET OF MEDALS. THESE PROTOCOLS ARE OBSERVED BY MOST EX-SERVICE PERSONNEL. HOWEVER HAVING SAID THAT, GOVERNMENT HAS ISSUED NO GUIDELINES OR RULES OR PROTOCOLS OTHER THAN WHAT WILL ABIDED BY WHILST IN SERVICE OF THE GOVERNMENT. PEOPLE THAT DO NOT OBSERVE SERVICE PROTOCOLS COULD BE IGNORANT OF THE PROTOCOLS OR IMPOSTERS.
	IDENTIFYING THE CORRECT MEDALS AND ADJUDGING THE WEARER'S ENTITLEMENT TO THE SET OF MEDALS HE/SHE IS WEARING TAKES A KEEN EYE AND THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE SIGNIFICANCE OF EACH INDIVIDUALS SITUATION. MANY LONG SERVING MEMBERS ARE CONFUSED WHILE THOSE WHO SERVED FOR A SHORT PERIOD IS NOT EXPECTED TO HAVE THE SAME KNOWLEDGE ON THIS SUBJECT. IT IS HOPED THAT THESE PAGES WILL ASSIST IN THE IDENTIFICATION OF DECORATIONS, CAMPAIGN AND SERVICE MEDALS.
	US Navy USN Meritorious Unit Citation USN Unit Citation US Army PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION Awarded to units of the United States and cobelligerent nations for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enemy occurring on or after 7 DEC 41. The unit must display such gallantry, determination, and esprit de corps in accomplishing its mission under extremely difficult and hazardous conditions as to set it apart from and above other units participating in the same campaign. The degree of heroism required is the same as that which would warrant award of a Distinguished Service Cross to an individual. Extended periods of combat duty or participation in a large number of operational missions, either ground or air, is not sufficient. MERITORIOUS UNIT COMMENDATION Awarded for at least six months of exceptionally meritorious conduct in support of military operations to service and support units of the US Armed Forces and cobelligerent nations during the period 1 JAN 44 through 15 SEP 46, during the Korean War, and after 1 MAR 61. The degree of achievement is that which would merit the award of the Legion of Merit to an individual. Left Distinguisshed Flying Cross Right Air Medal Bottom Purple Heart	USA HONOURS AND AWARDS Navy During the Vietnam war Australian warships were attached to the US Navy in what was termed "Gun Line Duty". This involved offshore fire support to ground troops and bombardment of North Vietnamese emplacements. HMA Ships HOBART and PERTH were awarded the US Navy Meritorious Unit Citation and PERTH also being awarded the US Navy Unit Citation. The emblems are displayed within the medal set, not on the right side as with army citations. Army Unit Citations like the Presidential Distinguished Unit Citation (Army) has been awarded to the Third Battalion Royal Australian Regiment (Kapyong, Korea) and D Company The Sixth Battalion Royal Australian Regiment (Long Tan, Vietnam). Those on posted strength of each unit are entitled to wear the emblem whenever they wear medals. Those posted to the unit wear the emblem while on posted strength only to that unit. The USPUC (Air Force) is similar but slightly longer and narrower than the Army emblem shown on this page. 2 Sqn RAAF was awarded the USPUC (Air Force) for its exploits during WWII and can only be worn as indicated above. There is a number of United States [above left] and Vietnamese Meritorious Unit Commendations (MUC) awarded to RAN Ships, the Australian Army Training Team Vietnam (AATTV), the 1RAR battalion group attached to the US Army 173 Airborne Brigade (Ind) and 8RAR.
	KOREAN MEDALS AND AWARDS The Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation was awarded to some Australian ships and RAAF unit for service in the Korean Conflict. The medals, left The Korean War medal, on the right is the Korean Freedom Medal awarded during the 1990s to those Australian involved in the memorial parade.
	Gallantry Cross Unit Citation Emblem	VIETNAMESE AWARDS The Vietnamese Gallantry Cross has four levels, similar to the Commonwealth, Australian, and USA honours and awards system. These are, Palm, Gold Star, Silver Star and Bronze Star. This, an individual award for gallantry that is not to be confused with the South Vietnamese Gallantry Cross Unit Citation. The Gallantry Cross Unit Citations is an award to a unit, not the individual. The unit award entitles those unit members, posted to and encompassing the period stated in the citation, to wear the emblem when wearing medals. Other Vietnamese Awards Military Life Saving Medal Armed Forces Honour Medal 1st & 2nd Class Staff Service Medal Technical Service Medal Training Service Medal Civil Actions Medal, and a number of Civil Awards.
	Australians became involved with training Cambodian soldiers from about 1969 through Military Assistance Training Teams. For this service the Cambodian Authorities awarded various medal, namely the; The National Defence Medal, Silver or Bronze Star	CAMBODIAN AWARDS

	The two medals opposite are commemorative medals originally commissioned by a naval association associated with HMAS SYDNEY, "The Vung Tau Ferry". The reason being that before the early 1990s there was no medals for those Navy personnel who crewed the support ships serving Australians in Vietnam. This was rectified when the Vietnam Logistic Support Medal was issued to the crews. The medal on the left is authorised only for those who served on SYDNEY. The other is the Australian Logistic Support Medal. Both are purchased and should be worn on the right when authorised medals are worn on the left breast.
	Look carefully at the medals opposite as there are many veterans from the Viet Nam conflict who have purchased them whilst attending a reunion at Launceston, Tasmania. Known by cynics as The Battle of Launceston Medal the ribbon resembles the a similar medal available to veterans in the USA. When there is a cost of $10:00 to mount each medal every time another added one needs to ask if there is a price on ego. The medals shown in this group are not gazetted and therefore are not official medals. There are some that march wearing these medals, to impress others of the 'chest full of service'. *They are shunned by those who know what they are.*	Examples of non-official medals purchased from shops with a commercial interest in military During the mid 1990s a Committee of Inquiry into Defence Awards (CIDA) was undertaken as many ex-service personnel were aggrieved by the lack of recognition for their service during the period of 1945, the end of WW II, up to and including the Viet Nam war 1975. The findings adopted from this and other inquiries saw the issuing of Service Medals and other entitlements. Some submissions were not adopted or recommended to the government. This has caused a plethora of non-official medals, some included on this page. There is, at the time of compiling this site, a submission to the Australian government to approve a medal for National Service was being prepared. This service was conscription, see opposite, that varied from the scheme during the 1950s that involved all males and the 1960s scheme of birthday ballot determining who served. CIDA Report commends the duty performed but did not believe it warranted a separate award. There are some who were conscripted now wearing a non-official National Service Medal that is similar to a USA medal.