The U.S. Vietnam Veterans National Medal

Ray B. Davis, OMSA #5291/ Vol. 43/March 1992


In 1984, by Act of the Ninety-Eight Congress, the Vietnam Veterans National
Medal was created. The Vietnam War had been quite divisive. Many veterans of
the Vietnam Era service received abuse and undue criticism, and their
service was generally unappreciated at the time. As the years passed, their
individual efforts and contributions were seen in a more positive light. By
1984, the time was right for Congress to honor Vietnam Era veterans for
their service and express gratitude for their fealty. This expression of
gratitude took the form of a National Medal.

The medal was not awarded or issued to Vietnam Era veterans. It was,
however, a symbol of national recognition, and its striking and distribution
was planned so as to cause the widest possible public awareness through
sales by the Philadelphia Mint.

On March 3, 1983, Representative Frank Annunzio of Illinois introduced House
Resolution 1870 with 245 co-sponsors. The bill was overwhelmingly passed by
both the House and the Senate and signed into law by President Reagan on
October 30, 1984 as public law 98-566. The provisions of the law are
summarized on the following page:

Secretary of the treasury to design, coin and sell a medal in honor of the
members of the Armed Forces who served during the Vietnam Conflict. The
medals to be offered for sale in a manner designed to elicit as much public
response as possible. Medals to be sold at a price sufficient to cover the
cost and overhead expenses.

The Secretary was to encourage and consider the submission of designs for
the medal from Vietnam veterans, medallic artists, and other interested
parties. In considering a design for the medal, organizations comprised
wholly or in part of Vietnam veterans were to be consulted. The final design
had to obtain the approval of the Commission on Fine Arts.

The Treasury Department ultimately received 784 designs for evaluation. The
obverse design chosen (figure 3) was submitted by Terril K. Trich. It
depicts US combat troop engaged in helicopter air assault operations,
superimposed over a map of Vietnam. The words "VIETNAM VETERANS NATIONAL/
MEDAL" are around the outer edge. Trich's initials appear on the obverse of
the medal, hidden in the grass beneath the helicopter. The reverse design
chosen (figure 4) was submitted by Jim Peed. His design features a
testimonial inscription with a trophy-like design at the bottom (which
reads: "IN HONOR OF THOSE MEN AND WOMEN WHO GAVE OF THEMSELVES IN AN EFFORT
TO ENSURE DEMOCRACY AND PEACE THROUGHOUT THE WORLD THIS MEDAL IS STRUCK/ BY
ACT OF CONGRESS/ 1984"). Peed's initials are beneath the trophy with those
of Matthew Peloso of the Philadelphia Mint, who made the final models from
which the dies were cut. Peloso's initials are also hidden in the grass on
the obverse.

The medals were struck in bronze with a very shiny finish in one and
one-half and three inch diameter versions. Originally only the one and
one-half inch version was planned, but, the three inch version was later
added. There were suggestions for strikings in silver or other precious
metal. These were rejected as a separate Act of Congress would have been
required to make use of the US Government stockpiles of precious metals, and
because striking in precious metal would not have been within the spirit of
the authorizing legislation.

The Vietnam Veterans National Medal provides an enduring tribute to the
approximately nine million Vietnam Era veterans. By opposing worldwide
communism, they played a large part in the disintegration of the USSR and
the freeing of Eastern Europe.

The help of US Representative Charles Taylor in obtaining information for
this article is greatly appreciated.

An actual photo copy of the medal is located at egroups. See;
http://www.egroups.com/message/veteransresources/437

(ATTENTION: The medal which was produced and sold by the U.S. Mint is out of
production, as such unavailable. But, write the Mint and request that they
begin production and distribution, and notify you of cost and conditions for
purchase. The medal should be available as long as one Vietnam Era veteran
is living.

To ask the mint to provide the medal write to:

U.S. Mint / Judiciary Square Building / 633 Third Street, NW / Washington,
DC 20220 )
##### END #####

This email from:
Ray B. Davis, Jr.
P.O. Box 68
East Flat Rock, NC 28726-0068

http://www.veteransresources.net
http://firms.findlaw.com/veteransresources/

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