International Commission of Control and Supervision Vietnam 1973 - ICCS
(Operation Gallant)

Terms

The ICCS medal was awarded for 90 days service with the Commission between 28 January 1973 and 31 July 1973. The 1,160 personnel of the commission were from Canada, Hungary, Indonesia and Poland and their role was to monitor the cease-fire in South Vietnam as per the Paris Peace Conference. The Commission arranged the release and exchange of more than 32,000 prisoners of war.

Canada contributed 240 Canadian Forces personnel and 50 officials from the Department of External Affairs. The ICCS operated until 30 April 1975, two years after the Canadians withdrew.

Description

A circular, bright gold medal, 1.42 inches in diameter. (The medals awarded by the ICCS were very cheap in appearance and often referred to as the Cracker Jacks box medal. In 1990, Canada produced the medal as described, but in a much improved quality, and presented them to the civilian members of the ICCS who had not received the original medal. Military personnel could purchase the better medal.)

Obverse

The symbols of the four contributing countries are displayed in the centre with the Canadian maple leaf in the upper left position, Hungarian coat-of-arms, Polish Eagle and the Indonesian coat-of-arms making up the other three symbols. Around the edge are the words: INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION OF CONTROL AND SUPERVISION.

Reverse

The reverse has a wreath of laurel around the edge and the legend in three lines: SERVICE / VIETNAM / 17-1-73.

Mounting

It is the mounting that helps give it the Cracker Jacks box appearance. There is a small ring welded to the top of the medal. A small ring passes through this ring and attaches the medal to a ring at the bottom end of a thin laurel bar.

Ribbon

The ribbon is 1.50 inches wide and consists of nine equal stripes: red, white, red, white, light green (centre), white, red, white, and red.

Naming

The medals were issued unnamed.

Issued

352 members of the Canadian Forces
32 to civilians (these were the Canadian produced medals)