The Indochina Campaign commemorative medal (french: Médaille commémorative de la campagne d'Indochine) was a French military decoration established on 1 August 1953 by decree 53-722 to recognize participation in the

Indochina War The First Indochina War (generally known as the Indochina War in France, and as the Anti-French Resistance War in Vietnam) began in French Indochina from 19 December 1946 to 20 July 1954 between France and Việt Minh (Democratic Republic of Vi ...

by the members of the

French Far East Expeditionary Corps The French Far East Expeditionary Corps (french: Corps Expéditionnaire Français en Extrême-Orient, CEFEO) was a colonial expeditionary force of the French Union Army that was initially formed in French Indochina in 1945 during the Pacific W ...

, regular and reserve.

History

The conflict in

French Indochina French Indochina (previously spelled as French Indo-China),; vi, Đông Dương thuộc Pháp, , lit. 'East Ocean under French Control; km, ឥណ្ឌូចិនបារាំង, ; th, อินโดจีนฝรั่งเศส, ...

started right after the end of

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

with the French forces initially under the command of general Philippe Leclerc. During the first eight years of the conflict, French and colonial troops received the

Colonial Medal The Colonial Medal (french: "Médaille Coloniale") was a French decoration created by the "loi de finances" of 26 July 1893 (article 75) to reward "military services in the colonies, resulting from participation in military operations, in a colon ...

with the "EXTRÊME-ORIENT" ( en, "FAR EAST") clasp, unfortunately, this award couldn't be earned by all in theater and outright excluded indigenous personnel. Politicians and generals alike petitioned the government for a dedicated commemorative award available to all participants under French command. Even after the award was established, French soldiers still received the Colonial Medal with "EXTRÊME-ORIENT" clasp in addition to the Indochina Campaign commemorative medal.

Statute

The Indochina Campaign commemorative medal was awarded to soldiers of the army, navy and air force involved, for a minimum of ninety days, in a regular or supplementary unit in the Indochina campaign between 16 August 1945 and 11 August 1954. The medal could also be awarded to civilians, citizens of France or of the

French Union The French Union () was a political entity created by the French Fourth Republic to replace the old French colonial empire system, colloquially known as the " French Empire" (). It was the formal end of the "indigenous" () status of French subj ...

, members of the Merchant navy or

civil aviation Civil aviation is one of two major categories of flying, representing all non-military and non-state aviation, both private and commercial. Most of the countries in the world are members of the International Civil Aviation Organization and work ...

, on board ships or as part of aircrews of air navigation aircraft, having ensured for a minimum period of ninety consecutive days, between the same aforementioned dates, troop or military equipment transport to or within Indochina. The ninety-day minimum period of service in theater was waived for personnel injured during operations in theater or mentioned in dispatches during the campaign.

Description

The Indochina Campaign commemorative medal was a 36mm in diameter circular medal struck from bronze. On its

obverse Obverse and its opposite, reverse, refer to the two flat faces of coins and some other two-sided objects, including paper money, flags, seals, medals, drawings, old master prints and other works of art, and printed fabrics. In this usage, ...

at lower center, a 24mm wide by 5mm high rectangular panel bearing the relief inscription "INDOCHINE" ( en, "INDOCHINA") supported by a seven headed

naja ''Naja'' is a genus of venomous elapid snakes commonly known as cobras (or "true cobras"). Members of the genus ''Naja'' are the most widespread and the most widely recognized as "true" cobras. Various species occur in regions throughout Afric ...

, five of its heads being below the panel, two being above the upper corners, one on each side. Atop the panel, a three headed elephant surrounded by the relief semi circular inscription "RÉPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE" ( en, "FRENCH REPUBLIC") along the medal circumference. On the reverse in relief, a 25mm in diameter wreath of laurels and oak leaves surrounded by the inscription "CORPS EXPÉDITIONNAIRE FRANÇAIS D'EXTRÊME-ORIENT" ( en, "FRENCH FAR EAST EXPEDITIONARY CORPS") running along the entire medal circumference. The ribbon suspension ring was adorned with a 20mm high by 25mm wide bronze twisted dragon. The ring passed through a loop atop the medal which hung from a 39mm wide green ribbon bearing four 5mm wide yellow stripes set 5mm apart starting 2mm from the edges.

Notable recipients

*General Marcel Alessandri *Surgeon General

Valérie André Valérie André (; born 21 April 1922) is a veteran of the French resistance, a neurosurgeon, an aviator and the first female member of the military to achieve the rank of General Officer, in 1976, as Physician General. In 1981, she was promoted ...

*Lieutenant Paul Brunbrouck *Admiral Georges Cabanier *General

Paul Arnaud de Foïard Paul Marie Félix Jacques René Arnaud de Foïard (9 September 1921 – 7 August 2005) was a général of the French Army who served primarily in the French Foreign Legion taking part in World War II and the conflicts of Indochina and Algeria. ...

*General Paul Arnault *General

Marcel Bigeard Marcel Bigeard (February 14, 1916 – June 18, 2010), personal radio call-sign "Bruno", was a French military officer and politician who fought in World War II, the First Indochina War The First Indochina War (generally known as the Indochi ...

*Major Rudolf Eggs *Master sergeant Marc Flament *Lieutenant colonel Albert Fossey-François *Lieutenant colonel

Jules Gaucher Jules Gaucher (13 September 1905 – 13 March 1954) was a French Army officer noted for his command of Foreign Legion troops in Indochina. Described as a "burly, hard-drinking veteran of years of jungle fighting, with a nose like an axe-blade an ...

*General Maurice Henry *Colonial Aloyse Rodolphe Kennel *General

Pierre Langlais Pierre Charles Albert Marie Langlais (2 December 190917 July 1986http://www.dienbienphu.org/english/html/annuaire/langlais.htm) was a senior French military officer who fought in World War II and the First Indochina War. Hailing from the Brittany ...

*General Paul Lardry *General

Philippe Leclerc de Hauteclocque Philippe François Marie Leclerc de Hauteclocque (22 November 1902 – 28 November 1947) was a Free-French general during the Second World War. He became Marshal of France posthumously in 1952, and is known in France simply as le maréchal ...

*General Renaud de Corta *Major

Hélie de Saint Marc Hélie Denoix de Saint Marc or Hélie de Saint Marc, (11 February 1922 – 26 August 2013) was a senior member of the French resistance and a senior active officer of the French Army, having served in the French Foreign Legion, in particular at t ...

*General

Raoul Salan Raoul Albin Louis Salan (; 10 June 1899 – 3 July 1984) was a French Army general. He served as the fourth French commanding general during the First Indochina War. He was one of four retired generals who organized the 1961 Algiers Putsch op ...

*Major René de Salins *General Maurice Schmitt *Chief warrant officer Jo Sohet *Lieutenant colonel Léo Vidou *General Pierre Vincent

References

External links