If you are a U.S. Citizen, with Honorable Service in the U.S. Armed Forces,
and earned one of the following, you are eligible for
membership in the VFW (ask about earlier dates).
China Service Navy 7 Jul 1937 - 7 Sep 1939
2 Sep 1945 - 1 Apr 1957
American Defense Service Army, Navy 8 Sep 1939 - 7 Dec 1941
(with Foreign Service clasp)
American Campaign Army, Navy 7 Dec 1941 - 2 Mar 1946
(30 consec. days/60 non outside cont. US)
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Army, Navy 7 Dec 1941 - 2 Mar 1946
European-African-Middle Eastern Army, Navy 7 Dec 1941 - 8 Nov 1945
Campaign
Army of Occupation
(30 consecutive days)
Italy 9 May 1945 - 15 Sep 1947
Germany (except West Berlin) 9 May 1945 - 5 May 1955
Germany (West Berlin) 9 May 1945 - 2 Oct 1990
Austria 9 May 1945 - 27 Jul 1955
Korea 3 Sep 1945 - 29 Jun 1949
Japan 3 Sep 1945 - 27 Apr 1952
Navy Occupation Service Medal
Italy 8 May 1945 - 15 Dec 1947
Trieste 8 May 1945 - 26 Oct 1954
Germany (except West Berlin) 8 May 1945 - 5 May 1955
Austria 8 May 1945 - 25 Oct 1955
Asiatic Pacific 2 Sep 1945 - 27 Apr 1952
Korean Service Medal Army, Navy, Air Force 27 Jun 1950 - 27 Jul 1954
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
(30 consecutive or 60 non-consecutive days)
Lebanon 1 Jul 1958 - 1 Nov 1958
Taiwan Straits 23 Aug 1958 - 1 Jan 1959
Quemoy and Matsu Islands 23 Aug 1958 - 1 Jun 1963
Vietnam 1 Jul 1958 - 3 Jul 1965
Congo 14 Jul 1960 - 1 Sep 1962
Laos 19 Apr 1961 - 7 Oct 1962
Berlin 14 Aug 1961 - 1 Jun 1963
Cuba 24 Oct 1962 - 1 Jun 1963
Congo 23-27 Nov 1964
Dominican Republic 23 Apr 1965 - 21 Sep 1966
Korea 1 Oct 1966 - 30 Jun 1974
Cambodia 29 Mar 1973 - 15 Aug 1973
Thailand (direct support of Cambodia) 29 Mar 1973 - 15 Aug 1973
Operation Eagle Pull - Cambodia 11-13 Apr 1975
(includes evacuation)
Operation Frequent Wind - Vietnam 29-30 Apr 1975
(includes evacuation)
Mayaguez Operation 15 May 1975
El Salvador 1 Jan 1981 - 1 Feb 1992
Lebanon 1 Jun 1983 - 1 Dec 1987
Operation Urgent Fury - Grenada 23 Oct 1983 - 21 Nov 1983
Operation El Dorado Canyon - Libya 12-17 Apr 1986
Operation Earnest Will - Persian Gulf 24 Jul 1987 - 1 Aug 1990
Operation Just Cause - Panama 20 Dec 1989 - 31 Jan 1990
Operation United Shield - Somalia 5 Dec 1992 - 31 Mar 1995
Operation Restore Hope - Somalia 5 Dec 1992 - 31 Mar 1995
Operation Uphold Democracy - Haiti 16 Sep 1994 - 31 Mar 1995
Operation Joint Endeavor - 20 Nov 1995 - 19 Dec 1996
Bosnia, Croatia, Adriatic Sea & airspace
Operation Vigilant Sentinel - 1 Dec 1995 - 1 Sep 1997
Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Persian Gulf
Operation Southern Watch - 1 Dec 1995 - TBD
Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Persian Gulf,
Bahrain, Qatar, UAE, Oman, Gulf of Oman
W of 62 deg E Long, Yemen, Egypt, Jordan
Operation Maritime Intercept - 1 Dec 1995 - TBD
Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Red Sea,
Persian Gulf, Gulf of Oman W of 62 deg E
Long, Bahrain, Qatar, UAE, Oman, Yemen,
Egypt, Jordan
Operation Joint Guard - 20 Dec 1996 - 20 Jun 1998
Bosnia, Croatia, Adriatic Sea & airspace
Operation Northern Watch - 1 Jan 1997 - TBD
Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Persian Gulf
W of 56 deg E Long, and Incirlik AB
Turkey (only persons TDY to ONW)
Operation Joint Forge - 21 Jun 1998 - 31 Dec 2000
Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Adriatic
Sea & airspace
Operation Desert Thunder - 11 Nov 1998 - 22 Dec 1998
Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain,
Qatar, UAE, Oman, Yemen, Egypt,
Jordan, Persian Gulf, Gulf of Oman,
Red Sea support
Operation Desert Fox - 16 Dec 1998 - 22 Dec 1998
Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain,
Qatar, UAE, Oman, Yemen, Egypt,
Jordan, Persian Gulf, Gulf of Oman,
Red Sea support
Navy and Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal
Cuban Military Operation 3 Jan 1961 - 23 Oct 1962
Thailand Military Operation 16 May 1962 - 10 Aug 1962
Iranian, Yemen and Indian Ocean Operation 8 Dec 1978 - 6 Jun 1979
21 Nov 1979 - 20 Oct 1981
Lebanon 20 Aug 1982 - 31 May 1983
Libyan Expedition 20 Jan 1986 - 27 Jun 1986
Persian Gulf 1 Feb 1987 - 23 Jul 1987
Panama (pre and post invasion) 1 Apr 1988 - 19 Dec 1989
1 Feb 1990 - 13 Jun 1990
Operation Sharp Edge - Liberia 5 Aug 1990 - 21 Feb 1991
Operation Distant Runner - Rwanda 7-18 Apr 1994
(11th Marine Expeditionary Unit USS Peleliu)
Vietnam Service Medal 4 Jul 1965 - 28 Mar 1973
Southwest Asia Service Medal
Operation Desert Shield/Operation Desert Storm
Combat areas of operation only 2 Aug 1990 - 30 Nov 1995
Personnel assigned to support units serving 17 Jan 1991 - 11 Apr 1991
in Israel, Egypt, Turkey, Syria, Jordan
Kosovo Campaign Medal
Operation Allied Force - Kosovo Air Campaign 24 Mar 1999 - 10 Jun 1999
Kosovo Defense Campaign - Ground Action 11 Jun 1999 - TBD
Combat Action Ribbon Navy, Marine 6 Dec 1941 - OPEN
Coast Guard
Combat Infantry Badge Army 6 Dec 1941 - OPEN
Combat Medical Badge Army 6 Dec 1941 - OPEN
Korea Duty 30 Jun 1949 - OPEN
(Service on the Korean Peninsula or in its
territorial waters for 30 consecutive or
60 non-consecutive days)
Special thanks to Mike Shaw of Post 1663 in Sunnyvale, California for the information on this page!
China Service Navy 7 Jul 1937 - 7 Sep 1939 2 Sep 1945 - 1 Apr 1957
