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NavSource Online: Aircraft Carrier Photo Archive


Patch contributed by Mike Smolinski

USS BENNINGTON   (CV-20)
(later CVA-20 and CVS-20)

Unit Awards, Campaign and Service Medals and Ribbons

Special thanks to Joseph L. Pires, USS Bennington Historian.






Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row: Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation (2) / China Service Medal (Extended)
2nd Row: American Campaign Medal / Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (3 stars) / World War II Victory Medal
3rd Row: Navy Occupation Service Medal ("Asia" clasp) / National Defense Service Medal (2) / Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (2)
4th Row: Vietnam Service Medal (4 stars) / Republic of Vietnam Meritorious Unit Citation (Gallantry Cross Medal with Palm) / Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
  • Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation (2 awards)

    Awarded by the Secretary of the Navy to a unit that distinguishes itself under combat or noncombat conditions by either valorous or meritorious achievement which renders that unit outstanding compared to other units performing similar service

         1) Apollo 4 recovery21 Oct - 12 Nov 1967
         2) Vietnam21 Jun - 27 Oct 1968
    		•
  • China Service Medal (Extended)

    For qualifying service in support of operations in China,
    16-20 Jan, 14-18 Mar 1956

    		•
  • American Campaign Medal

    For qualifying service within the American Theater of Operations,
    6 Aug 1944 - 2 Mar 1946

    		•
  • Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with 3 Bronze Stars

    For qualifying service within the Asiatic-Pacific Theater of Operations,
    6 Aug 1944 - 2 Mar 1946

    1) Iwo Jima operation15 Feb - 4 Mar 1945
    2) Okinawa Gunto Operation17 Mar - 11 Jun 1945
    3) Third Fleet operations against Japan10 Jul - 15 Aug 1945
    		•
  • World War II Victory Medal

    For service on active duty in WW II,
    6 Aug 1944 - 31 Dec 1946

    		•
  • Navy Occupation Service Medal with "Asia" clasp

    Occupation duty in the Asiatic-Pacific area,
    2-22 Sep, 12-21 Oct 1945

    		•
  • National Defense Service Medal (2 awards)

    For honorable active service during the Korean War and the Vietnam War

          Korea13 Nov 1952 - 27 Jul 1954
          Vietnam1 Jan 1961 - 15 Jan 1970
    		•
  • Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (2 awards)
    Taiwan Straits12 Oct - 2 Nov 1958
    24 Nov - 3 Dec 1958
    Vietnam15-23 Dec 1960
    2-7 Jan 1961
    23 Mar - 2 Apr 1961
    28-29 Apr 1962
    15-18 May 1962
    16-27 May 1965
    		•
  • Vietnam Service Medal with 4 Bronze Stars

    1) Vietnam Defense Campaign28 Jul - 19 Aug 1965
    26 Aug - 11 Sep 1965
    2) Vietnamese Counteroffensive Phase II21 Dec 1966 - 23 Jan 1967
    10 Feb - 8 Mar 1967
    30 Mar - 15 Apr 1967
    3) Vietnamese Counteroffensive Phase IV25-30 Jun 1968
    4) Vietnamese Counteroffensive Phase V1-18 Jul 1968
    23 Aug - 2 Sep 1968
    4 Sep 1968
    6-19 Sep 1968
    7-20 Oct 1968
    		•
  • Republic of Vietnam Meritorious Unit Citation (Gallantry Cross Medal with Palm)

    The Republic of Vietnam Meritorious Unit Citation (Gallantry Cross Medal), with Palm, was awarded to a unit cited at the Armed Forces level.
    		•
  • Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal

    Service outside the geographical limits of South Vietnam and direct combat support to the Republic of Vietnam Armed Forces for more than six months.
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    Last update: 11 December 2005