General Discussion

Here’s the clearest breakdown of what this man is wearing based on the image you provided. I’ll go piece‑by‑piece, top to bottom, and explain what each item *appears* to be. Because the photo isn’t high‑resolution and military awards can look similar across eras and branches, I’ll give you the closest accurate identifications and explain why.

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## **1. The large medal around his neck**
This is the easiest item to identify:

### **Medal of Honor (Army style)**
- Light‑blue neck ribbon with **13 white stars** arranged in a pattern.
- Gold, star‑shaped medallion.
- Worn **only** around the neck.
- The highest U.S. military decoration.

Nothing else in the U.S. awards system looks like this. This man is wearing the Medal of Honor.

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## **2. The ribbon rack on his chest**
I’ll list these in rows, left to right, based on the colors and patterns visible.

### **Top Row**
1. **Medal of Honor ribbon**
- Light blue with 5 white stars.
- Matches the neck medal.

2. **Purple Heart**
- Purple with white edges.

3. **Bronze Star Medal**
- Red with blue/white stripes at the edges.

### **Second Row**
1. **Army Commendation Medal**
- Green with white stripes.

2. **Army Good Conduct Medal**
- Solid red with thin white stripes.

3. **National Defense Service Medal**
- Yellow with red edges and narrow blue/white stripes.

### **Third Row**
1. **Vietnam Service Medal**
- Yellow with green stripes.

2. **Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal**
- Green/white with a device (often a date bar).

3. **Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal**
- Blue/green/yellow pattern.

### **Fourth Row**
1. **Presidential Unit Citation**
- Solid blue.

2. **Meritorious Unit Commendation**
- Red with gold frame.

3. **Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation**
- Red/yellow with gold frame.

### **Fifth Row**
1. **Vietnam Civil Actions Unit Citation**
- Green/red with gold frame.

2. **Army Service Ribbon**
- Rainbow‑style stripes.

3. **Overseas Service Ribbon**
- Blue/yellow/red pattern.

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## **3. Badges on the uniform**
### **Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB)**
- Silver musket on a blue rectangle with a wreath.
- Awarded for active ground combat.

### **Parachutist Badge (Jump Wings)**
- Silver wings with a parachute in the center.

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## **4. Other visible insignia**
### **U.S. Army branch insignia**
- Crossed rifles on the collar.

### **Rank insignia**
- Hard to see clearly, but appears to be **Sergeant First Class (SFC)** or **Master Sergeant** based on the chevrons.

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## **Summary**
This man is wearing:

- **Medal of Honor (neck medal + ribbon)**
- **Purple Heart**
- **Bronze Star**
- **Multiple Vietnam‑era service and campaign medals**
- **Unit citations from Vietnam**
- **Combat Infantryman Badge**
- **Parachutist Badge**
- **Army service/overseas ribbons**
- **U.S. Army enlisted rank and branch insignia**

This is the ribbon rack of a highly decorated Vietnam‑era Army combat veteran.