They are for specific time periods.
Here is a list, when was Kerry there?
There are a total of 17 campaign stars authorized for the Vietnam Service Medal. Personnel are authorized one bronze campaign star for each qualifying campaign with a silver star worn in lieu of five bronze stars.
The design of the medal's suspension ribbon reflects that of the flag of the former South Vietnam -- yellow with three red stripes. The green trim at the edges is suggestive of the jungle nature of the conflict.
3 Silver and 2 Bronze Stars (Red font are campaigns the my dad was apart of.)
1. Vietnam Advisory Campaign (15 March 1962- 7 March 1965)
2. Vietnam Defense Campaign (8 March-24 December 1965)
3. Vietnamese Counteroffensive (25 December 1965- 30 June 1966)
4. Vietnamese Counteroffensive (1 July 1966-31 May 1967) Phase II
5. Vietnamese Counteroffensive (1 June 1967-29 January 1968) Phase III
6. Tet Counteroffensive (30 January-l April 1968)
7. Vietnamese Counteroffensive (2 April-30 June 1968) Phase IV
8. Vietnamese Counteroffensive (1 July-l November 1969) Phase V
9. Vietnamese Counteroffensive (2 November 1968- 22 February 1969) Phase VI
10. Tet 69/Counteroffensive (23 February-8 June 1969)
11. Vietnam Summer-Fall 1969 (9 June-31 October 1969)
12. Vietnam Winter-Spring 1970 (1 November 1969-30 April 1970)
13. Sanctuary Counteroffensive (1 May-30 June 1970)
14. Vietnamese Counteroffensive (l July 1970-30 June1971) Phase VII
15. Consolidation I (1 Jul 1971 - 30 Nov 1971)
16. Consolidation II (1 Dec 1971 - 29 Mar 1972)
17. Vietnam Cease-fire Campaign (30 Mar 1972 - 28 Jan 1973)
Hye, maybe YOU'D know, Tet68 - I've never heard of it, but is there a "Combat 'V'" device EVER authorized for wear on a Silver Star? The Kerry DD-214 shows that not only did Kerry earn a Bronze Star with Combat 'V', but also a "Silver Star with Combat 'V'".
Now, I know the Bronze Star can be awarded for valor, or just as an 'Atta Boy', so a 'V' (for Valour) device is authorized for wear when a Bronze Star is earned for Valour. However, I've never seen or heard that for a Silver Star (since it's only awarding IS for 'Valour')...
http://www.johnkerry.com/pdf/jkmilservice/DD214.pdf
What's your take on that?
I knew I had three but I thought you got one for every 6 months. Thanks for refreshing my memory as to how they were awarded.
Kerry has four service stars. He is shown to have boarded the USS Gridley in December of '68, and was off the coast of Vietnam as of February '68. The Gridley came home with Kerry onboard on June 6th, 1968. He was actually in Vietnam on Swiftboat patrol from Dec. '68 to April '69. So how Kerry managed to get four service stars is beyond me. My brother was on the ground in 'Nam from April '66-April '67, and he only got one service star.