03-13-2008, 06:07 PM
This Badge comes in two sizes 1,25" and 1" and commemorates the Viet Minh victory over the French Colonial Forces in the decisive Dien Bien Phu Battle in May 1954.
The badges are inscribed at the bottom CHIEN SY DIEN-BIEN-PHU (Soldier of Dien Bien Phu)
The SRV flag has the inscription QUYET CHIEN/QUYET THANG ( Decisive Battle/Resolved to win) XUAN 1954 (Spring 1954) is inscribed on the top of the badge
The third version of the badge conforms more to the usual design of the later campaign badges.
The SRV flag bears the inscription QUYET THANG (Resoved to Win)
5-8 is inscribed on the top of this badge and there are two theories as to what this refers to. On the one hand this was the date of the Geneva Peace Conference a day after the Frence surrender, on the other the shooting down and capture of Ensign Everett Alvarez on 5th August, 1964, who became the first American POW.
Image CO Dave Devine
Operation Pierce Arrow was a U.S. military operation during the Vietnam War.
In response to the Gulf of Tonkin Incident when the USS Maddox of the United States Navy was attacked after having provoked North Vietnamese patrol boats once on August 2, 1964 and allegedly again on August 4 as it gathered electronic intelligence while in the international waters of the Gulf of Tonkin, U.S.President Lyndon B. Johnson ordered Operation "Pierce Arrow" which was conducted on August 5. The operation consisted of 64 strike sorties from the aircraft carriers Ticonderoga and Constellation against the torpedo boat bases of Hon Gai, Loc Chao, Quang Khe, and Ben Thuy, and the oil storage depot at Vinh. The U.S. lost two aircraft to anti-aircraft fire, with one pilot killed and another, Ensign Everett Alvarez Jr., becoming the first U.S. Prisoner of War in Vietnam. Pilots estimated they destroyed 90 percent of the petroleum storage facility at Vinh together with the destruction of or damage to 25 P-4 torpedo boats.
This was the start of U.S. air operations over North Vietnam and Southeast Asia, attempting to destroy the infrastructure, war material, and military units needed by North Vietnam to prosecute the guerrilla war in the South. Pierce Arrow was followed by Operation Flaming Dart on February 7-11, 1965; Operation Rolling Thunder from March 2, 1965 to October 31, 1968; Operation Linebacker, May 9 to October 22, 1972; and Operation Linebacker II, December 18-29, 1972.
The badges are inscribed at the bottom CHIEN SY DIEN-BIEN-PHU (Soldier of Dien Bien Phu)
The SRV flag has the inscription QUYET CHIEN/QUYET THANG ( Decisive Battle/Resolved to win) XUAN 1954 (Spring 1954) is inscribed on the top of the badge
The third version of the badge conforms more to the usual design of the later campaign badges.
The SRV flag bears the inscription QUYET THANG (Resoved to Win)
5-8 is inscribed on the top of this badge and there are two theories as to what this refers to. On the one hand this was the date of the Geneva Peace Conference a day after the Frence surrender, on the other the shooting down and capture of Ensign Everett Alvarez on 5th August, 1964, who became the first American POW.
Image CO Dave Devine
Operation Pierce Arrow was a U.S. military operation during the Vietnam War.
In response to the Gulf of Tonkin Incident when the USS Maddox of the United States Navy was attacked after having provoked North Vietnamese patrol boats once on August 2, 1964 and allegedly again on August 4 as it gathered electronic intelligence while in the international waters of the Gulf of Tonkin, U.S.President Lyndon B. Johnson ordered Operation "Pierce Arrow" which was conducted on August 5. The operation consisted of 64 strike sorties from the aircraft carriers Ticonderoga and Constellation against the torpedo boat bases of Hon Gai, Loc Chao, Quang Khe, and Ben Thuy, and the oil storage depot at Vinh. The U.S. lost two aircraft to anti-aircraft fire, with one pilot killed and another, Ensign Everett Alvarez Jr., becoming the first U.S. Prisoner of War in Vietnam. Pilots estimated they destroyed 90 percent of the petroleum storage facility at Vinh together with the destruction of or damage to 25 P-4 torpedo boats.
This was the start of U.S. air operations over North Vietnam and Southeast Asia, attempting to destroy the infrastructure, war material, and military units needed by North Vietnam to prosecute the guerrilla war in the South. Pierce Arrow was followed by Operation Flaming Dart on February 7-11, 1965; Operation Rolling Thunder from March 2, 1965 to October 31, 1968; Operation Linebacker, May 9 to October 22, 1972; and Operation Linebacker II, December 18-29, 1972.
Everybody's equal, But some more than others!
"Those who come to us with the sword - will be killed by the sword" - Alexander Nevski
"Those who come to us with the sword - will be killed by the sword" - Alexander Nevski
