Vietnam Veteran Ribbon Colors: Red, Green, Yellow — Meaning

The Vietnam Service Medal ribbon and related veteran insignia use three colors with specific symbolism:

• Red (center): Blood shed — by U.S. and allied forces, Vietnamese (both sides), civilians. The cost in lives.
• Green (edges): Hope for peace and reconciliation — the jungle, the land, the desire for healing.
• Yellow (stripes): The land and people of Vietnam — the soil, the rice paddies, the nation itself.

Ribbon Design

Yellow background with three red stripes (center + edges) and green edges — derived from the Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam) flag (yellow field, three red stripes) + green for the jungle/peace.

Related Symbols

• Vietnam Veterans Memorial (The Wall): Black granite — names, reflection, mourning
• POW/MIA flag: Black/white — silhouette, watchtower, "You Are Not Forgotten"
• Purple Heart: Combat wound — purple (courage), heart (sacrifice)

These colors encode a nation's trauma, gratitude, and unresolved history.