Known Awards
Part A
Part B
Part C
Part D
Part E
Part F
Part A
National Defense Service Medal issued beginning 1967
Vietnam Campaign Medal with device issued beginning 1967
Vietnam Service Medal issued beginning 1967
Note: Vietnam Campaign Medal “device” varies depending on year of service. In 1967, the device was a blank followed by the two digit number sixty “ _60”. All personnel who served in USARV from January 1967 forward received these three ribbons and medals.
Part B
Meritorious Unit Commendation:
aka:..“MUC” is awarded to units for exceptionally meritorious conduct in performance of outstanding services for at least six continuous months during the period of military operations against an armed enemy occurring on or after 1 January 1944. Service in a combat zone is not required, but must be directly related to the combat effort. CONUS based units are excluded from this award as are other units outside the area of operation.
The unit must display such outstanding devotion and superior performance of exceptionally difficult tasks as to set it apart and above other units with similar missions. The degree of achievement required is the same as that which would warrant award of the Legion of Merit to an individual. Only in rare cases will a unit larger than a Battalion qualify for this decoration. For services performed during WWII awards will be made only to service units and only for services performed between 1 January 1944 and 15 September 1946.
Effective 1 March 1961, the MUC was authorized for units and/or detachments of the Armed Forces of the United States for exceptionally meritorious conduct in performance of outstanding services for at least six continuous months in support of military operations. Such service is interpreted to relate to combat service support type activities and not to the type of activities performed by senior headquarters, combat, or combat support units.
Per Paragraph “e” (below) the following applies:
“The emblem is worn by all members of the cited organization and is considered an individual decoration for persons in connection with the cited acts and may be worn whether or not they continue as members of the organization. Other personnel may wear this decoration while serving with an organization to indicate the unit has been awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation.”
Army Meritorious Unit Award
Description
The Meritorious Unit Commendation emblem worn to represent award of the Meritorious Unit Commendation is 1 7/16 inches wide and 9/16 inch in height. The emblem consists of a 1/16 inch wide Gold frame with laurel leaves which encloses a Scarlet 67111 ribbon. The previously authorized emblem was a Gold color embroidered laurel wreath, 1 5/8 inches in diameter on a 2 inches square of Olive Drab cloth.
Criteria
See Army Regulation 600-8-22, Military Awards.
Components
The current components of the Meritorious Unit Commendation are the emblems awarded to members of the unit and the streamer for display on the unit flag/guidon.
1. Meritorious Unit Commendation Emblem: MIL-D-3943/32 (frame) and MIL-R-11589/92 (ribbon). NSN 8455-00-964-4210.
2. Streamer: MIL-S-14650/5. Manual requisition in accordance with Chapter 9, AR 840-10.
Background
1. The Meritorious Service Unit Plaque was established by War Department Circular No. 345, dated 23 August 1944. The circular provided that military personnel assigned or attached to an organization were entitled to wear the Meritorious Service Unit Insignia on the outside half of the right sleeve of the service coat and shirt, four inches above the end of the sleeve. Additional awards were to be indicated by a gold star to be placed on the plaque. War Department Circular No. 54, 1946, provided that additional awards would be indicated by placing a golden numeral inside the wreath.
2. DF, D/PA, Subject: Proposed AR 260-15, Unit Awards, dated 12 December 1946, stated “In order to enhance the prestige of an award to a meritorious service unit, the present Meritorious Service Unit Plaque has been eliminated, and in lieu thereof a Meritorious Service Unit Commendation has been established on a plane comparable to the Navy Unit Commendation and may be awarded to any type of unit for meritorious service during military operations which, if performed by an individual would warrant the award of a Legion of Merit.
3. In April 1947, D/PA approved a new design of the Meritorious Service Unit emblem that replaced the sleeve insignia to be effective 1 January 1949. On 11 April 1949, TAG advised D/PA that the stock position was such that it would not be exhausted prior to 1959. By Comment 2, 1 March 1960, DCSPER stated that for planning purposes the new Meritorious Service Unit emblem would be authorized for wear on or after 1 January 1961, with wear of the old one prohibited for wear after 30 June 1962. However, the stock level was still so high that it was not introduced into the supply system until 14 July 1966.
4. AR 260-15, dated 16 May 1947, announced the Meritorious Unit Commendation, provided for wearing of the Meritorious Unit Commendation emblem, and provided for the display of the Meritorious Unit Commendation streamer, which was scarlet with the name of the applicable theater of operations in white letters.
5. The emblem is worn by all members of a cited organization and is considered an individual decoration for persons in connection with the cited acts and may be worn whether or not they continue as members of the organization. Other personnel may wear this decoration while serving with an organization to indicate the unit has been awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation.
6. Order of precedence and wear policy for unit awards is contained in AR 670-1. Policy for awards, approving authority, and supply of the unit award emblem is contained in AR 600-8-22. The policy for display of unit awards on guidons and flags and supply of streamers is contained in AR 840-10.
Note: The following data is extracted from General Orders number 38 and 39, referencing a recap of Valorous, and Meritorious Unit Awards as consolidated 20 July 1970, Headquarters Department of the Army for units of the Army, Air Force, and Navy Republic of Vietnam who were awarded said citation.
Part C
25th Supply and Transport Awarded MUC
“Per General Orders number 38, Headquarters, Department of the Army, Washington D.C., dated 20 July 1970, Section IV, Meritorious Unit Commendation: 1. Paragraph 39, section II, DA General Orders 17, 1968, pertaining to award of the of the Meritorious Unit Commendation to the Support Command, 25th Infantry Division, and its assigned units, is amended to add:”
“Laundry Section, 228th Supply and Service Company, 266th Quartermaster Battalion”
“Bakery Section, 228th Supply and Service Company, 266th Quartermaster Battalion”
Note: The above reference applies to the award of the MUC to the 25th Supply and Transport Battalion of the 25th Infantry Division and/or attached units stationed in Cu Chi (For time period July 1966 – May 1967) per Article in “Army Reporter, USARV, dated 18 March 1967, Page 4.. The date differential within the cited orders, number 38 of above is due to the actual consolidation of MUC awards, as amended in 1970 by the Department of the Army.
Part D
More MUC Additions
Per General Orders number 39, Headquarters Department of the Army, Washington D.C., dated 20 July 1970, Section II, Meritorious Unit Commendation:, “By direction of the Secretary of the Amy, under the provisions of paragraphs 194 and 203, AR 672-5-1, the Meritorious Unit Commendation is confirmed for the following named units of the United States Army for exceptionally meritorious achievement in the performance of outstanding service during the periods indicated as awarded by cited authority” (Pages 1-15)
Page 11, (of 15) Paragraph 60:
266th Supply and Service Battalion and its assigned units:
Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 266th Supply and Service Battalion
5th Maintenance Company (For time period 2 November 1968 – 1 May 1969)
61st Maintenance Company (For time period 1 November 1968 – 1 May 1969)
82nd Quartermaster Platoon (For time period 19 June 1967 – 1 February 1969)
223rd Supply and Service Company (Less Petroleum Platoon and Petroleum Laboratory) –
(For time period 1 October 1966 – 3 July 1967)
228th Supply and Service Company (For time period 1 October 1966 – 3 July 1967)
229th Supply and Service Company (For time period 31 July 1967 – 4 November 1968)
383rd Quartermaster Detachment (For time period 2 March 1968 – 1 May 1969)
483rd Service Company … {aka: 483rd Field Service Company (General Support)
506th Supply and Service Company (For period 1 October 1966 – 19 January 1967, 25 August
1967 – 1 September 1968, and 4 December 1968 – 1 May 1969)
519th Maintenance Company (For time period 1 November 1968 – 1 May 1969)
624th Supply and Service Company (Less Petroleum Platoon for the time period 1 October 1966 – 15 December 1966)
For the period 1 October 1966 – 1 May 1969 as announced in United States Army, Vietnam General Orders 123, 1970
277th Supply and Service Battalion and its assigned and attached units:
Headquarters and Headquarters Company 277th Supply and Service Battalion
94th Maintenance Company
548th Maintenance Company
228th Supply and Service Company
205th Ordinance Platoon
212th Military Police Platoon
505th Supply Detachment
For the time period 15 February 1969 – 15 August 1969, as announced in United States Army, Vietnam General Orders 294, 1970
By order of the Secretary of the Army:
W.C. WESTMORELAND,
General, United States Army
Chief of Staff
Official:
KENNETH G. WICKHAM,
Major General, United States Army
The Adjutant General
20 July 1970
Part E
Vietnam Gallantry Cross
Description
A Gold color medal, 1 3/8 inches in width, consisting of a wreath superimposed by two crossed scimitars saltirewise and a Maltese cross. In the center of the Maltese cross a disc with an outline of the country of Vietnam between two palm sprigs joined at the bottom and a scroll overall inscribed “QUOC-GIA LAO-TUONG” (Reward of the State).
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.
The medal was awarded by the Vietnam Government to military personnel who have accomplished deeds of valor or displayed heroic conduct while fighting the enemy and have been cited individually at the regiment, brigade, division, corps, or armed forces level.
Components
The following are authorized components of the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross:
1. Medal (regular size): Not issued. Available commercially.
2. Medal (miniature size): Not issued. Available commercially.
3. Ribbon: MIL-R-11589/173. Commercially available.
4. Streamers: Awarded to cited units. Inscription is as indicated on the unit’s lineage and honors. Requisition in accordance with Chapter 9, Army Regulation (AR) 840-10.
5. Unit Award: Commercially available.
Background
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.
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.
Note: The preceding as issued and confirmed by: The Institute of Heraldry – Office of the Administrative Assistant to Secretary of the Army; HDQA, General Orders 8, dated 19 March 1974.
Part F
Distinguished Unit of the Regiment. Quartermaster Corps: aka “DUOR”
228th Supply and Service Company (DS) – 13 May 2004, Ft. Lee, Virginia
Note: This honor applies to all personnel who served, were assigned, and/or attached by orders for time period 20 July 1966 – 16 February 1973. In addition, two of the 228th’s superior command units (266th Supply and Service Battalion (DS) and 277th Supply and Service Battalion (DS) were also inducted as Distinguished Units of the Regiment; the 266th in 1993, the 277th in 1994.
This award was accepted on behalf of the entire 228th Supply and Service Company (DS) personnel who had served from July 1966 through February 1972. The award was accepted by four individuals of the original unit formed in Long Binh, 20 July 1966, re-assigned to Tay Ninh 7 October 1966, and rotated to CONUS May 1967 – October 1967
Summation
Per recent finding 2013; Department of Army (see preceding section – Part E), the 228th and ALL US ARMY personnel who served in Republic of Vietnam (I,II,III, and IV Corps) 1965-1973, are entitled to wear the Vietnam Gallantry Cross w/Palm
Further, the Company had the good fortune to be inducted as a “Distinguished Unit of the Regiment” Quartermaster Corps in 2004. This award is inclusive for all personnel who served 20 July 1966 through 1973, when the unit was inactivated in Can Tho, Delta area, some 80 to 100 miles south of Saigon….(Speculative, under research, the last known superior unit of the 228th S&S Co (DS) being the 48th Transportation Group (Provisional) in IV Corps in June 1972*.
Note: *Order of Battle Republic of Vietnam by Shelby S. Stanton indicates the 228th served in RVN 1966 until 1973.
There were a number of individual awards such as 17 Purple Hearts awarded in December of 1966, resulting from enemy fire of 4 November 1966. It is known that there were other possible individual awards such as the Silver Star, Bronze Star, Army Commendation Medal, Letters of Commendation, Good Conduct Medal and/or other, which this report does not attempt to enumerate.
Respectfully;
Arthur B. Neighbor
Company Clerk
Co B, 266th QM BN (DS) 1965 – 1966 Fort Lewis, WA, Long Binh USARV
228th S&S CO, (DS) 1966 – 1967 Long Binh, Tay Ninh USARV