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AWARDED RIBBONS,
MEDALS AND COMBAT STARS
FOR ACTIVITY IN THE
FOLLOWING OPERATIONS
FOR OPERATIONS IN 1944 & 1945 THE
USS BENNINGTON CV-20 RECEIVED THE FOLLOWING AWARDS:
- American Area Campaign Service Medal
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- Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Service Medal with 3 Bronze Stars
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The three bronze stars represent :
(1) Iwo Jima Operation-
For the assault and operation of Iwo Jima
- For period 15 February - 16 March 1945
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For the assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto
- For period 24 March - 30 June 1945
- For 3rd Fleet operations for period 10 July - 15 August 1945
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For the assault and operation of Iwo Jima
- World War II Victory Medal
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- Navy Occupation Service Medal
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- China Service Medal
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- Combat Action Ribbon
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AFTER BEING RECOMMISSIONED November 13, 1952
USS BENNINGTON CVA-20/CVS-20 RECEIVED THE FOLLOWING AWARDS:
- ARMED FORCES EXPEDITIONARY MEDAL
WITH TWO BRONZE STARS FOR PERIODS
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12 October - 2 November 1958
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24 November - 3 December 1958
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15 December - 23 December 1960 (TAIWAN)
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2 January - 7 January 1961
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23 March - 2 April 1961
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28 April - 29 April 1962
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15 May - 18 May 1962
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16 May - 27 May 1965 (VIETNAM)
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12 October - 2 November 1958
- NATIONAL DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL
WITH ONE BRONZE STAR
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- Instituted: 1953
- Dates: 1950-54, 1961-74, 1990-95
- Criteria: Any honorable active duty service during any of the above periods.
- Devices: (Bronze Star, Bronze Oak Leaf)
- Notes: Reinstituted in 1966 and 1991 for Vietnam and Southwest Asia (Gulf War) actions
respectively.
Gold and Silver Star attachments apply only to USN, USMC and USCG.
Bronze and Silver Oak Leaf attachments apply only to Army and USAF.
- VIETNAM SERVICE MEDAL WITH SILVER STAR FOR PERIODS
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28 July - 19 August 1965
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26 August - 11 September 1965
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21 December 1966 - 23 January 1967
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10 February - 8 March 1967
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30 March - 15 April 1967
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25 June - 18 July 1968
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23 August - 2 September 1968
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4 September 1968
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6 September - 19 September 1968
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7 October - 20 October 1968
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28 July - 19 August 1965
- REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM CAMPAIGN MEDAL
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- For ANY six month period between 1 March 1961 and 28 March 1973.
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MERITORIOUS UNIT COMMENDATION RIBBON with Bronze Star
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21 October - 12 November 1967 for recovery of APOLLO 4
- 21 June - 27 October 1968 for Direct Combat/Support Ops.
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21 October - 12 November 1967 for recovery of APOLLO 4
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REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM GALLANTRY CROSS
UNIT AWARD
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- 1 June - 30 November 1968
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Ribbon:
The ribbon is 1 3/8 inches wide and consists of the following stripes: 3/8 inch Old Glory Red 67156; center 5/8 inch Golden Yellow 67104 with 16 strands of Old Glory Red; and 3/8 inch Old Glory Red -
Criteria:
U.S. Military units were individually cited for award of the Republic of Vietnam (RVN) Gallantry Cross; however, the Vietnamese Government issued the award to all units subordinate to Military Assistance Command (MACV) during the period 8 February 1962 and 28 March 1973 and to U.S. Army Vietnam and its subordinate units for the period 20 July 1965 to 28 March 1973. This permits all personnel who served in Vietnam to wear the RVN Gallantry Cross unit citation. - Ribbon: MIL-R-11589/173. Not issued. Commercially available.
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Background:
- a. The RVN Gallantry Cross was established by the Vietnam Government by Decree No. 74-b/Qt, dated 15 August 1950 and Decree No. 96/DQT/HC, dated 2 May 1952. Authorization for all U.S. Army personnel was confirmed in HDQA General Orders No. 8, dated 19 March 1974.
- b. Only one emblem (with palm) will be worn regardless of the number of times the unit was awarded the RVN Gallantry Cross. The Army initially authorized the wear of a fourragere by letter AGPB-AC, Subject: Wear of Vietnamese Unit Awards by U.S. Army Personnel, dated 11 February 1969, for units which had been awarded the RVN Gallantry Cross with palm on two or more occasions. Department of the Army message 111030Z April 1974, established the policy that only one emblem was authorized, thus precluding the wear of the Vietnamese fourrageres which represented multiple awards.
CORRECT ORDER OF PRECEDENCE
- USN MERITORIOUS UNIT CITATION RIBBON with 1 BRONZE STAR
- 21 October 1967 - 12 November 1967
(APOLLO 4 Recovery)
- 21 June 1968 - 27 October 1968
(Direct combat/support operations - Southeast Asia)
- a. 23 August 1968 - 2 September 1968
- b. 4 September 1968
- c. 6 September 1968 - 19 September 1968
- d. 7 October 1968 - 20 October 1968
- a. 23 August 1968 - 2 September 1968
- 21 October 1967 - 12 November 1967
- CHINA SERVICE RIBBON/MEDAL
- For service performed in the Asiatic-Pacific area between 2 September 1945 - 2 March 1946
- For service performed in the Asiatic-Pacific area between 2 September 1945 - 2 March 1946
- AMERICAN CAMPAIGN RIBBON/MEDAL
- USS BENNINGTON CV-20 received this on her commissioning day, 6 August 1944
- USS BENNINGTON CV-20 received this on her commissioning day, 6 August 1944
- ASIATIC-PACIFIC RIBBON/MEDAL with 3 BRONZE STARS
- 15 February 1945 - 16 February 1945
(Assault & Occupation of Iwo Jima)
- 15 February 1945 - 4 March 1945
(Raids against Honshu & Nansai Shoto)
25 February 1945
1 March 1945
- 17 March 1945 - 11 June 1945
(3rd and 5th Fleet raids in support of Okinawa Gunto Ops.)
- 10 July 1945 - 15 August 1945
(3rd Fleet Operations against Japan)
- 15 February 1945 - 16 February 1945
- WORLD WAR II VICTORY RIBBON/MEDAL
- For Military Service during World War II
- For Military Service during World War II
- WORLD WAR II NAVY OCCUPATION RIBBON/MEDAL with ASIA clasp
- 12 October 1945 - 21 October 1945
(Occupation Duty in the Asiatic-Pacific area)
- 2 September 1945 - 22 September 1945
(Occupation Duty in the Asiatic-Pacific area)
- 12 October 1945 - 21 October 1945
- NATIONAL DEFENSE RIBBON/MEDAL with 1 BRONZE STAR
- For any service during these periods:
(1950-1954) and (1961-1974)
- For any service during these periods:
- ARMED FORCES EXPEDITIONARY RIBBON/MEDAL with 2 BRONZE STARS
- 12 October 1958 - 2 November 1958
- 24 November 1958 - 3 December 1958
- 15 December 1960 - 23 December 1960
(TAIWAN)
- 2 January 1961 - 7 January 1961
- 28 April 1962 - 29 April 1962
(Vietnam Advisory Campaign)
- 15 May 1962 - 18 May 1962
(Vietnam Advisory Campaign)
- 16 May 1965 - 27 May 1965
(Vietnam Defense Campaign)
- 12 October 1958 - 2 November 1958
- VIETNAM SERVICE RIBBON/MEDAL with 1 SILVER STAR
- 28 July 1965 - 19 August 1965
(Vietnam Defense Campaign)
- 26 August 1965 - 11 September 1965
(Vietnam Defense Campaign)
- 21 December 1966 - 23 January 1967
(Vietnam Counter-Offensive PHASE II)
- 10 February 1967 - 8 March 1967
(Vietnam Counter-Offensive PHASE II)
- 30 March 1967 - 15 April 1967
(Vietnam Counter-Offensive PHASE II)
- 25 June 1968 - 18 July 1968
(Vietnam Counter-Offensive PHASE IV)
- 28 July 1965 - 19 August 1965
- REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM GALLANTRY CROSS UNIT CITATION RIBBON with PALM
- 1 June 1968 - 30 November 1968
- 1 June 1968 - 30 November 1968
- REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM CAMPAIGN RIBBON/MEDAL with DATE BAR
- For any six month period between 1 March 1961 - 28 March 1973
- For any six month period between 1 March 1961 - 28 March 1973
The above information came directly from the
Chief of Naval Operations at the Pentagon.
Sources for order of precedence and other information include
the Navy & Marine Corps Awards Manual
of 1953 and from my "many" requests to the
Navy Department's (F.O.I.A.) Freedom of Information Act Office
at the Pentagon. I'm hopeful that this information
will assist those who'd like to update their military
ribbons and medals.
(Information for availability of ribbons is
available on the LINKS Page of this site.)
Also, as the "historian", I want to
make sure that the Bennington's efforts in World War II
and Vietnam are remembered always....
Respectfully submitted,
Joseph L. Pires
USS BENNINGTON HISTORIAN
"Working at keeping the past - present"
Navy Overseas Service Ribbon or the Navy Sea Service Ribbon
Good Afternoon Shipmates,
Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas with family and friends and that Santa was good to all...........
Now, we await the New Year to see just what it has in store for all of us!
With regard to those individuals asking about our "ribbons" and in particular,
why are we not entitled to wear the Navy Overseas Service Ribbon or the Navy Sea Service Ribbon;
please click on the link below and read the requirements for yourselves.
For those NOT interested - this ribbon was requested in 1968,
but NEVER came about until June of 1987. (after Bennington was Decommissioned)
Thus, if you were aboard BENNINGTON, you WERE NOT entitled to wear this ribbon.
http://www.medalsofamerica.com/Item--i-R859 - (opens in a new window)
As it can be time consuming responding to those who inquired and for those who may be thinking about asking -
its best that I submit it to the membership in this way (makes my job a great deal easier).
Again, my apologies if this has in inconvenienced you in any way........
With My Best Wishes for a Joyous New Year,
12/28/2011
Shipmate
Joe
WEB SITE LAUNCHED
1 September 1999
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