UNIT PATCH, RIBBONS, CAMPAIGN PARTICIPATION STARS and UNIT CITATIONS

Last Revision: 15 Aug 2011 - Links to DAGO web sites and awards to MACV Teams

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Shoulder Sleeve Insignia, Former Wartime Service

aka

Combat Patch

we were all members of the

Second Field Force, Vietnam

and it is the correct patch to wear on your right sleeve.

Many of us were ATTACHED to units in the field

and it is incorrect to wear their unit patch.

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Service Ribbons

for every member of the unit

worn above left side shirt pocket

Vietnam Service Medal

(center above)

plus

at least one and up to four

Bronze Star Device(s)

for participation in each campaign below (in bold)

and / or

Silver Star Device(s)

one silver star for participation in five campaigns

two silver stars for participation in ten campaigns

for your "in-country" service time

with the

2nd Civil Affairs Company

between

19 November 1966 - 27 July 1971

12 Campaigns

Advisory					15 March 1962 - 7 March 1965
Defense					8 March 1965 - 24 December 1965
Counteroffensive					25 December 1965 - 30 June 1966
Counteroffensive, Phase II					1 July 1966 - 31 May 1967
Counteroffensive, Phase III					1 June 1967 - 29 January 1968
Tet Counteroffensive					30 January 1968 - 1 April 1968
Counteroffensive, Phase IV					2 April 1968 - 30 June 1968
Counteroffensive, Phase V					1 July 1968 - 1 November 1968
Counteroffensive, Phase VI					2 November 1968 - 22 February 1969
Tet 69-Counteroffensive					23 February 1969 - 8 June 1969
Summer-Fall 1969					9 June 1969 - 31 October 1969
Winter-Spring 1970					1 November 1969 - 30 April 1970
Sanctuary Counteroffensive					1 May 1970 - 30 June 1970
Counteroffensive, Phase VII					1 July 1970 - 30 June 1971
Consolidation I					1 July 1971 - 30 November 1971
Consolidation II					1 December 1971 - 29 March 1972
Cease-Fire					30 March 1972 - 28 January 1973
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Commendation Awards

earned by every Officer and Man

who served in the Company

United States Army

Meritorious Unit Commendations

awarded three times

All of the Officers and Men of the 2nd Civil Affairs Company

for service during

19 November 1966 to 29 February 1968

1 March 1968 to 31 May 1969

1 June 1969 to 31 July 1970

most units receive One Commendation,

only a few units receive Two Commendations,

it is very unusual for a unit to receive Three Commendations !

United States Army

Meritorious Unit Commendation

After the 2nd CA was deactivated,

Third Regional Assistance Command (TRAC)

evaluated the performance of the 2nd CA up to the deactivation date,

and then TRAC prepared and recommended the

Fourth Award of the Meritorious Unit Commendation to the 2nd CA

but

the 4th Award (or 3rd Oak Leaf Cluster = 3 OLC)

was disapproved by HQ, USARV in Saigon

Proposed Meritorious Award and the Disapproval

Republic of Vietnam

Gallantry Cross with Palm

All of the Officers and Men of the 2nd Civil Affairs Company

for our Company's service from 19 Nov 66 to 27 Jul 71

as a subordinate unit of the

U.S. Army, Vietnam

20 Jul 65 to 28 Mar 73

Republic of Vietnam

Civil Action Honor Medal, First Class

All of the Officers and Men of the 2nd Civil Affairs Company

for service during

1 Mar 1968 to 31 May 1969

Webmaster's Opinion

Every Man and every Officer that ever served in the 2nd CA

should have been awarded the Vietnamese Civil Action Honor Medal

for the work they performed, each and every day of their tour.

Unfortunately, the Republic of Vietnam ceased to exist when

Saigon surrendered to the Communists on 30 Apr 1975.

The award dates should have been amended to

19 Nov 1966 to 27 Jul 1971

Special Awards

Selected Platoons

for services during certain periods of time

worn above right side shirt pocket

United States Army

Presidential Unit Citation

to the

3rd AA Platoon, 2nd Civil Affairs Company

for service with

3rd Brigade of the 4th Infantry Division

during the Battle at Fire Base GOLD - Suoi Tre, RVN

21 March 1967

United States Army

Presidential Unit Citation

to the

10th AA Platoon, 2nd Civil Affairs Company

for service with

3rd Brigade of the 4th Infantry Division

during the Battle at Fire Base GOLD - Suoi Tre, RVN

21 March 1967

PUC

United States Army

Meritorious Unit Commendation

to the

12th AA Platoon, 2nd Civil Affairs Company

for service with

173rd Airborne Brigade (Separate)

Dec 66 - 4 May 1967

DAGO 1968-48 (Page 22)

Republic of Vietnam

Gallantry Cross with Palm

to the

7th AA Platoon, 2nd Civil Affairs Company

for service initially with

1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division

and later for service with

HQ, 25th Infantry Division

Aug 67 - Jan 68

Republic of Vietnam

Gallantry Cross with Palm

to the

8th AA Platoon, 2nd Civil Affairs Company

for service with

3rd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division

Aug 67 - Jan 68

Republic of Vietnam

Gallantry Cross with Palm

to the

9th AA Platoon, 2nd Civil Affairs Company

for service with

2nd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division

Aug 67 - Jan 68

Republic of Vietnam

Gallantry Cross with Palm

to the

10th AA Platoon, 2nd Civil Affairs Company

for service with

3rd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division

under the OPCON of the 25th Infantry Division

later reflagged on August 14, 1967 to the

3rd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division

Aug 67 - Jan 68

Republic of Vietnam

Gallantry Cross with Palm

to the

15th AA Platoon, 2nd Civil Affairs Company

for service with

1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division

Aug 67 - Jan 68

Republic of Vietnam

Gallantry Cross with Palm

to the

6th AA Platoon, 2nd Civil Affairs Company

for service with

25th Infantry Division

23 Mar 68 - 31 Aug 68

Note

the Platoon at Tay Ninh

was renumbered on March 1, 1968

from the 8th Platoon (Brigade) to the 6th Platoon (MACV)

DAGO 1969-21 (Page 3)

DAGO 1971-48 (Page 5)

Special Military Medals

awared to

Selected Platoons

based upon

"Attached Unit" Status

worn above right side shirt pocket

United States Army

Meritorious Unit Commendation

was awarded to

Civil Operations and Rural Development Support (CORDS)

MACV Advisory Teams

43, 44, 47, 48, 49, 67, 86, 89, 90, 91 and 98

and to their assigned and attached units

for service from

15-Apr-70 thru 15-Apr-72

in the III-CTZ

as per DAGO 11, 73

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The "Attached Units" included the 2nd CA's

1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 9th,

10th, 11th, 12th, 14th, 16th, 18th and 19th AA Platoons

The Officers and Men of these platoons

are entitled to wear this Meritorious Unit Award

if they were "present for duty"

for at least 30 days during the award period above

and because

those Platoons had been previously attached to

those MACV Teams

on written orders from II Field Force, Vietnam

effective 1-Mar-68.

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Sorry to report the General Order above

did not include the

8th and 13th Platoons who were in the IV-CTZ

and did not include the

Company Headquarters Staff.

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WEAR OF VIETNAMESE UNIT AWARDS

DAGO 21, 69

"Vietnamese Unit Awards may be worn on the military uniform on a permanent basis by personnel who (1) were assigned to and present for duty with the unit at any time during the period cited; or (2) attached by competent orders to and present for duty with the unit during the entire period or for 30 consecutive days of the period of the action cited."

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The Platoons of the 2nd Civil Affairs Company were, in fact, "attached by written orders" from II Field Force, Vietnam to the several U.S. Army Divisions, Brigades, Artillery Groups from 19 Nov 66 until 29 Feb 68 and later to MACV Teams from 1 Mar 68 until deactivation on 27 Jul 71.

Republic of Vietnam

Civil Action Honor Medal, First Class

was awarded to

All of the Officers and Men of the

United States Marine Corps

and

to their assigned and attached units

which included 'attached units' from

the U.S. Army,

the U.S. Air Force, the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Navy

for their service in the I-CTZ from 1965 thru 1973.

- - - - -

The Officers and Men of the 2nd Civil Affairs

11th, 15th and 17th AA Platoons

are entitled to wear this award

if they were "present for duty" for at least 30 days

from 1 Dec 68 through 8 Mar 70

because the

11th, 15th and 17th AA Platoons were fully attached to the

United States Army's 29th Civil Affairs Company

which was habitually under the Operational Control (Op Con)

of the

USMC's Third Marine Amphibious Force (III MAF),

the controlling corps-level headquarters

for all branches of the U.S. Military in the I-CTZ.

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Republic of Vietnam

Civil Action Honor Medal, First Class

was awarded to

All of the Officers and Men

of the

2nd Civil Affairs Platoons

listed below

who were attached to the following units

from 15 Dec 1966 through 29 Feb 1968

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1st Infantry Division (DAGO 53, 70) - 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 20th AA Platoons

4th Infantry Division (DAGO 53, 70) - 8th and 10th AA Platoons

9th Infantry Division (DAGO 59, 69) - 4th, 5th, 6th and 18th AA Platoons

25th Infantry Division (DAGO 51, 71) - 6th, 7th, 9th and 15th AA Platoons

199th Infantry Brigade (DAGO 51, 71) - 13th AA Platoon

II-FFV Artillery (DAGO 51, 71) - 19th AA Platoon

23rd Artillery Group (DAGO 51, 71) - 17th AA Platoon

54th Artillery Group (DAGO 51, 71) - 16th AA Platoon

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"Vietnamese Unit Awards may be worn on the military uniform on a permanent basis by personnel who (1) were assigned to and present for duty with the unit at any time during the period cited; or (2) attached by competent orders to and present for duty with the unit during the entire period or for 30 consecutive days of the period of the action cited."

The Platoons of the 2nd Civil Affairs Company listed above were "attached" by written orders from HQ, II Field Force, Vietnam to the U.S. Infantry Divisions and to Separate Infantry Brigades as well as to the U.S. Field Artillery Groups listed above from the initial deployment of the First Increment Platoons (Nos. 1-13) on 15 Dec 66 and the later deployment of the Second Increment Platoons (Nos.15-22) beginning in June 1967 until their transfer to the MACV Provincial Advisory Teams on 29 Feb 68.

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Regretfully, the Government of Vietnam did not specifically recognize the civic action work coordinated by the G-5, II Field Force, Vietnam or the civic action work actually performed by the men of 101st Airborne Division, the 173rd Airborne Brigade, the 196th Infantry Brigade and the 11th Armored Cavalry during the attachment period. Thus the 11th, 12th, 14th, 21st and 22nd AA Platoons as well as CA Teams Nos. 31-37 and the Members of the Headquarters Detachment (Team AB), 2nd Civil Affairs Company were not specifically recognized for their civic action work during the attachment period. Official recognition for the 14th Platoon may have been forgotten because it was "attached to" the Royal Australian Task Force, Vietnam.

Australia

Vietnam Logistics and Support Medal