wyswyg
<p>This time, I attempted to understand the entire ribbon display over time, with all of the resources that I have found at this point. When I noticed the lack of proper Vietnam War ribbons in the 16 March 2011 photo on BR's FB page and made my comment, someone on Blue Ridge realized how badly out of date their ribbon display was.  It wasn't just the Vietnam ribbons, but there were three other ribbons missing and seven other ribbons needing star updates.  Apparently, my censorship was a case of covering up this failure, or as would have been as true forty years ago as it is in today's Navy, "covering ass".
</p><p>I have found no single source of accurate information for the missing REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM CAMPAIGN MEDAL, but it does come together in the various sources of public record that I have looked at. Since U.S. NAVY AWARDS web site continues to update their records, over time, there is hope that they will eventually note that time discrepancy in Blue Ridge's time on the GOT. Why they aren't tracking all three of the RVN medals, is still a big black naval hole.
</p><p>The best conclusion I can come up with, is that Blue Ridge has not always given much regard to its ribbon history or it's history in general (the web history page is one of the worst in the fleet for a forty plus year old ship). For a flag ship, that is strange, given all of it's prancing and dancing across WESTPAC, and that is all BR can really claim that is unique about the ship these days, to justify itself, at all of the BIG budget cuts coming. With broadband satellite communications, command and control, can and has been done from a shore bunker, much, much cheaper. If they ever achieve broadband satellite communication below the waves, admirals just might have to hot-rack it, on their diplomatic song and dances.
</p><p>These are the links of the photos or graphics that I used to piece together the history of BR's ribbon display and the 17 ribbons that should be part of BR's flying bridge display (only 16 ribbons are displayed), each represents a general point in time for the ribbon display:
</p><p>A. This NAVSOURCE page apparently shows BR's ribbon display at the point it was "captured" by the 7th Fleet and homeported in Yokosuka, around 1980. For some ribbons, it does account for "stars" beyond that 1980 period in it's legend: <a class="external free" href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:USS_Blue_Ridge_(LCC-19)#mediaviewer/File:Blue_Ridge_Awards,_file_03.jpg">https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:USS_Blue_Ridge_(LCC-19)#mediaviewer/File:Blue_Ridge_Awards,_file_03.jpg</a>
</p><p>B. This photo comes from a photo dated 1992:<a class="external free" href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:USS_Blue_Ridge_(LCC-19)#mediaviewer/File:Blue_Ridge_Awards,_file_03-5,_1992,_starboard_side.jpg">https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:USS_Blue_Ridge_(LCC-19)#mediaviewer/File:Blue_Ridge_Awards,_file_03-5,_1992,_starboard_side.jpg</a>
</p><p>C. This photo was posted to BR's FB wall on 16 March 2011: <a class="external free" href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:USS_Blue_Ridge_(LCC-19)#mediaviewer/File:Blue_Ridge_Awards,_file_04,_16_March_2011,_port_side.jpg">https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:USS_Blue_Ridge_(LCC-19)#mediaviewer/File:Blue_Ridge_Awards,_file_04,_16_March_2011,_port_side.jpg</a> 
</p><p>D. This photo was posted to BR's FB wall on 18 January 2012: <a class="external free" href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:USS_Blue_Ridge_(LCC-19)#mediaviewer/File:Blue_Ridge_Awards,_file_05,_Jan_2012,_port_side.jpg">https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:USS_Blue_Ridge_(LCC-19)#mediaviewer/File:Blue_Ridge_Awards,_file_05,_Jan_2012,_port_side.jpg</a>
</p><p><br>
1. COMBAT ACTION RIBBON. Navy Awards (CR, '72):
</p>
<pre>A. (ROW) 1 - (COLUMN) 1. TIGER ISLAND '72.
B. 1-1.
C. 1-1.
D. 1-1.

</pre>
<p>2. NAVY UNIT COMMENDATION. Navy Awards (NU, '75, '91).
</p>
<pre>A. 1-2. One star (BRONZE?, 1). RVN COLLAPSE '75. 
B. 1-2. One star (GOLD?, 2). DESERT STORM '91.
C. MISSING       &lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;ERROR 
D. 2-1. One star (GOLD?, 2).

</pre>
<p>3. MERITORIOUS UNIT COMMENDATION AWARD. Navy Awards (MU, '75, '95). 
</p>
<pre>A. 2-1. '75. One star (BRONZE?, 1).
B. 2-1. No star. 
C. 2-1. '95. No star.      &lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;ERROR
D. 2-2. One star (GOLD?, 2). 

</pre>
<p>4. NAVY E RIBBON. Navy Awards (NE, 15 noted, first one in '72 was earned and it is not recorded)
</p>
<pre>A. 2-2. 
B. 2-2. 
C. 2-2. 
D. 2-3. 

</pre>
<p>5. NATIONAL DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL. Navy Awards (not tracked).
</p>
<pre>A. 2-3. One star. 
B. 2-3. One star.  &lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;ERROR?
C. 2-3. One star.  &lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;ERROR?
D. 3-3. Two stars. 

</pre>
<p>6. ARMED FORCES EXPEDITIONARY MEDAL. Navy Awards (AE, '75, '75).
</p>
<pre>A. 3-1. One star (GOLD?, 2). FREQUENT WIND '75. EAGLE PULL '75. 
B. 3-1. No star.      &lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;ERROR 
C. 3-1. No star.      &lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;ERROR
D. 3-2. One star (GOLD?, 2).       &lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;ERROR? 

</pre>
<p>7. VIETNAM SERVICE MEDAL. Navy Awards (VS, '72-5 months, 1 missing, July). 
</p>
<pre>A. 3-2. Two stars. Campaigns: Consolidation II '72 &amp; Vietnam Ceasefire '72.
B. 3-2. One star.       &lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;ERROR
C. 3-2. No star.         &lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;ERROR
D. 3-3. Two stars.

</pre>
<p>8. SOUTHWEST ASIA SERVICE MEDAL. Navy Awards (SA, '91) 
</p>
<pre>A. 3-3. No stars.
B 3-3. Two stars?         &lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;ERROR?
C. 3-3. No stars.
D. 4-1. THREE STARS?          &lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;ERROR?

</pre>
<p>9. GLOBAL WAR ON TERRORISM SERVICE MEDAL. Navy Awards (not tracked).
</p>
<pre>A. NA. 
B. NA. 
C. MISSING?          &lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;ERROR?
D. 4-2.

</pre>
<p>10. KOREA DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL. Navy Awards (not tracked). Approved 2004.
</p>
<pre>A. NA. 
B. NA. 
C. MISSING?        &lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;ERROR?
D. 4-3. 

</pre>
<p>11. HUMANITARIAN SERVICE AWARD. Navy Awards (HS, '75, '75, '80, '84) 
</p>
<pre>A. 4-1. EAGLE PULL '75 &amp; FREQUENT WIND '75. Two stars. 
B. 4-1. No stars.       &lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;ERROR 
C. 4-1. THREE STARS?        &lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;ERROR
D. 5-1. FOUR STARS.

</pre>
<p>12. SEA SERVICE DEPLOYMENT RIBBON. Navy Awards (not tracked).
</p>
<pre>A. 4-2. 
B. 4-2. Two stars. 
C. 4-2. One star?       &lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;ERROR?
D. 5-2 . Four stars.

</pre>
<p>13. ??? ARMED FORCES RESERVE MEDAL. Navy Awards (not tracked).
</p>
<pre>A. NA?
B. NA? (AFTER 1990).
C. 4-3. 
D. 5-3. 

</pre>
<p>14. NAVY &amp; MARINE OVERSEAS SERVICE RIBBON. Navy Awards (not tracked). 
</p>
<pre>A. NA?
B. NA?
C. 5-1. One star.
D. 6-1. Four stars.

</pre>
<p>15. REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM CAMPAIGN MEDAL. Navy Awards (not tracked, July on the GOT missing for the VS, that was the 6th month).
</p>
<pre>A. 4-3. 
B. MISSING.     &lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;ERROR!!! 
C. MISSING.      &lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;ERROR!!!
D. MISSING. &lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;ERROR!!!

</pre>
<p>16. KUWAIT LIBERATION MEDAL (KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA). Navy Awards (not tracked).
</p>
<pre>A. NA. 
B. 4-3. 
C. 5-2. 
D. 6-2. 

</pre>
<p>17. KUWAIT LIBERATION MEDAL (KUWAIT). Navy Awards (not tracked).
</p>
<pre>A. NA.
B. NA?
C. 5-3.
D. 6-3. Lousy marginal pic. 
</pre>
<p>Blue Ridge Awards Report:
<a class="external free" href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:USS_Blue_Ridge_(LCC-19)#mediaviewer/File:Blue_Ridge_Awards,_file_01.jpg">https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:USS_Blue_Ridge_(LCC-19)#mediaviewer/File:Blue_Ridge_Awards,_file_01.jpg</a>
</p><p>Awards tracked by the Navy Awards Report:
<a rel="nofollow" class="external free" href="https://awards.navy.mil/awards/webdoc01.nsf/(vwDocsByID)/DL100707083232/%24file/Campaign%20Unit%20Award%20Codes.pdf">https://awards.navy.mil/awards/webdoc01.nsf/(vwDocsByID)/DL100707083232/$file/Campaign%20Unit%20Award%20Codes.pdf</a> 
</p><p>Unit Awards recognized by the Navy:
<a rel="nofollow" class="external free" href="https://awards.navy.mil/awards/webbas01.nsf/(vwWebPage)/home.htm?OpenDocument">https://awards.navy.mil/awards/webbas01.nsf/(vwWebPage)/home.htm?OpenDocument</a>
</p>
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