// Workers AI · dad joke modeWhy was the Navy Service Medal anchors away? It was medal-ly exhausted.
| 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[1] |
| First award | 1964 |
| Final award | 1974 |
 First class ribbon  Second class ribbon  Third class ribbon  Honour class ribbon | |
| Precedence | |
| Next (higher) | Air Service Medal[1] |
| Next (lower) | none[1] |
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.[1]
Classes
[edit]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.[2]
- 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.[2]
- 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.[2]
- Honour Class: this class recognised members of other branches of the ARVN.[2]
Description
[edit]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.[2]
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.[2]
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.[2]
References
[edit]- 1 2 3 4 HUY CHUONG AN THUONG TRONG QUAN-LU'C VlET-NAM CONG-HOA (Medals and Decorations of the Republic of Vietnam Armed Forces). Government of the Republic of Vietnam. 1967. Retrieved 30 August 2016.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 The Decorations and Medals of the Republic of Vietnam and her Allies, 1950-1975. Medals of America. 1995. Retrieved 26 March 2026.
