Violet crumble
Very interesting post Grusome. Do you have any idea of the numbers who received the South Vietnam clasp, and how many actually returned them in exchange for the Vietnam Service medal? In 30+ years dealing in medals I've never actually seen one, nor can I recall one being offered for sale. The current medal catalogue doesnt even bother to put a market value against them - just says "Rare" - I suspect there would be a few noughts on the end of the price if ever one did come up for sale.
I used to get a lot of "they dont know what a real war is" sort of stuff from the older generation when I had a militaria shop, but as my son has served in Bosnia, Kosovo and Afghanistan (he managed to dodge Iraq, the skiver) they got short shrift from me. The guys that come off the back of a C17 in a box at Brize are just as dead as those whe fell on the Somme or in Normandy, thankfully there are fewer of them, that's all.