Vietnam Medals - O-04 Military Exploit Order

It was established in 1947 - one of the earliest awards of the DRV, and was maintained with the SRV. Formalizing the regulations for all SRV awards was done in 2003. Redesign for all SRV awards was done in 2006. Another redesign for all SRV awards was done in 2014. (see regulation extracts here)

4/A	PRIMARY DESIGN
	three class - distinguished by ribbon device stars - established 15 May 1947; revised 26 November 2003; guidelines 30 September 2005;
	For:	collectives and individuals for specially outstanding achievements in combat;
	Design:	five pointed star, gold, 45mm across, with suspension ribbon;
		Obverse:	a five pointed gold star composed of many rays, and with the angle between the five points somewhat shallow, and within a rayed gold border, a central red disk with gold star, inscribed above "HUAN CHUONG" and below "QUAN CONG";
		Reverse:	plain;
		Suspension:	eyelet at top, with ribbon ring to a small round wreath with another ribbon ring to a pentagonal frame; (note: sometimes found with the small wreath lost)
	Ribbon:	red 25mm; pentagonal;

4/A/1	First Class - Device: three small gold stars;
4/A/2	Second Class - Device: two small gold stars;
4/A/3	Third Class - Device: one small gold star;

(if anyone has any other example types pictures, please let me know at rdavemail-medals@yahoo.com)

Late types (aluminum):

aluminum example

aluminum example with full pentagonal suspension ribbon plate

The DRV National Army magazine QUÂN ĐỘI NHÂN DÂN in 1955 shows the medal without suspension wreath, however photos from the same magazine show with the wreath:

The US Army shows the same design in 1959, perhaps obtained from the same magazine

Certificates

post 1975 version of SRV (CỘNG HÒA XÃ HỘI CHỦ NGHĨA VIỆT NAM)

4/B	DESIGN OF 2006
	three classes - distinguished by ribbon device stars - redesigned 19 May 2006; revised 16 November 2013; guidelines 30 September 2005, 15 April 2010;
	For:	collectives and individuals for specially outstanding achievements in combat;
	Design:	5-point star breast badge, gilt, 43mm across, with suspension ribbon;
		Obverse:	a five pointed gold star composed of many rays, and with the angle between the five points somewhat shallow, and within a rayed gold border, a central red disk with gold star, inscribed above "HUAN CHUONG" and below "QUAN CONG", all coated on the face in clear laquer;
		Reverse:	plain:
		Suspension:	eyelet at top, and ribbon ring to golden pentagonal plate with pin-back;
	Ribbon:	28mm - red; pentagonal;
	Device::	stars indicating award class.

4/B/1	First Class - Device: three small gold stars;
4/B/2	Second Class - Device: two small gold stars;
4/B/3	Third Class - Device: one small gold star;

4/C	DESIGN OF 2014
	one class - redesigned 10 September 2014 and 20 July 2018; guildelines 31 July 2017
	For:	collectives and individuals for specially outstanding achievements in combat;
	Design:	5-point star breast badge, gilt, 47mm across, with suspension ribbon;
		Obverse:	a five pointed gold star composed of many rays, and with the angle between the five points somewhat shallow, and within a rayed gold border, a central red disk with gold star, inscribed above "HUÂN CHƯƠNG QUÂN CÔNG" and below "VIỆT NAM", all coated on the face in clear laquer;
		Reverse:	plain;
		Suspension:	6-sided star with center eyelet at top, and ribbon ring to golden pentagonal plate with pin-back;
	Ribbon:	28mm - red 3.5mm, green 3mm, red 2mm, green 3mm, red 5mm, green 3mm, red 2mm, green 3mm, red 3.5mm; pentagonal;
	Device::	stars indicating award class.

4/C/1	First Class - Device: three small gold stars;
4/C/2	Second Class - Device: two small gold stars;
4/C/3	Third Class - Device: one small gold star;

(perhaps some kind of test piece)

4/D	EARLY TYPE
	three class - distinguished by ribbon device stars - established 15 May 1947;
	For:	collectives and individuals for specially outstanding achievements in combat;
	Design:	five pointed star, gold, 45mm across, with suspension ribbon;
		Obverse:	a five pointed gold star composed of many rays, and with the angle between the five points somewhat shallow, and within a rayed gold border, a central red disk with gold star, inscribed above "VIET-NAM" and below "DAN CHU CONG HOA";
		Reverse:	plain;
		Suspension:	eyelet at top, with ribbon ring to Hero sytle ribbon
	Ribbon:	red 25mm; "Hero" style

4/A/1	First Class - Device: three small gold stars;
4/A/2	Second Class - Device: two small gold stars;
4/A/3	Third Class - Device: one small gold star;

(WANTED: If you have one like this and want to sell it, or have any other pictures or other information, please let me know at rdavemail-medals@yahoo.com)

Examples from an early picture of Võ Nguyên Giáp, and also the DRV National Army magazine QUÂN ĐỘI NHÂN DÂN in 1955:

References (Please let me know others at rdavemail-medals@yahoo.com) :

1	Handbook on Uniforms and Insignia of Sino-Soviet Bloc Ground Forces (Asian Members), Chapter 3 Vietnamese People's Army, Department of the Army Pamphlet 30-55, 1959. [Out of Print]
2	The Orders and Medals of the Communist Governments of Indochina, Revision II, John Sylvester Jr., 1994. (JS94) [Out of Print]
3	Orders and Decorations of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (Nước Cộng Hòa Xã Hội Chủ Nghĩa Việt Nam), Institute of Orders (Viện Huân Chương). (Does anyone know the date of publication ?)
4	Orders, Decorations and Badges of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam, Edward J. Emering, 1997. (EE97) Availalbe at https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0764301438/
5	Encyclopedia of the Orders, Decorations, Medals and Badges of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, Edward John Emering, 2000. (EE00) Available at http://www.themedalhound.com/books/titles.html
6	Orders and Decorations of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam: An Update, Edward John Emering, 2008. (EE08) Available at http://www.themedalhound.com/books/titles.html
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Articles (Please let me know others at rdavemail-medals@yahoo.com) :

1	“Stray Notes on the Orders, Decorations, and Medals of the Democratic/Socialist Republic of Vietnam”, John Sylvester Jr., 2000.
2	“Addendum to the Stray Notes on the Orders, Decorations, and Medals of the Democratic/Socialist Republic of Vietnam”, John Sylvester Jr., 2003.
3	“The New 2007 Orders and Decorations of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam”, by Emering, Edward J, JOMSA Vol. 62, No. 1 (Jan-Feb 11): 21-28
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Websites (Please let me know others at rdavemail-medals@yahoo.com) :

1	"Huân chương Quân công - ngày ấy, bây giờ" (The Military Exploit Order - then to now) http://btlsqsvn.org.vn/DesktopModules/News.Display/Print.aspx?bai-viet=huan-chuong-quan-cong-ngay-ay-bay-gio-3547 (vietnamese)
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THE ORDERS AND MEDALS OF THE DEMOCRATIC & SOCIALIST REPUBLICS OF VIETNAM