I am going through some of dads things and found that he was awarded a Vietnam service medal w/1 silver service star. Is a silver star and a silver service star the same thing? I am having trouble finding a difference.

Not the same. The Service Star was given for a certain period. If serving during a second "period", he would have been eligible for a second Star. They are kind of like campaign stars.

If I understand, you are wondering about a small silver star on a Vietnam Campaign ribbon.

This is the Silver Star medal

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The Silver Star Awards are the United States' third-highest award exclusively for military operations involving conflict and ranks fifth in the precedence of military awards behind the Medal of Honor, the Crosses (Distinguished Service Cross; Navy Cross; and Air Force Cross), the Defense Distinguished Service Medal (awarded by the Department of Defense), and the Distinguished Service Medals of the various branches of service.

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This is the ribbon that designates service in Vietnam



I'm not sure if the ribbon itself stands for one tour, or a bronze star on the ribbon signifies one tour.



I think that a single bronze star means a second tour,

Keep going back, keep adding bronze stars, up to four.



I think this stands for 5 total tours, it at least stands for four. When you have four bronze stars, and go back for another tour, you don't add a fifth. Instead, you switch to a single silver star. Which would mean that your dad served either 5 or 6 tours in Vietnam, which is damned commendable.

Below is campaigns that added stars to service ribbon. (not tours duty.)

Name of campaign
Start date
End date
Vietnam Advisory Campaign
15 March 1962
7 March 1965
Vietnam Defense Campaign
8 March 1965
24 December 1965
Vietnam Counteroffensive.
25 December 1965
30 June 1966
Vietnam Counteroffensive Phase II
1 July 1966
31 May 1967
Vietnam Counteroffensive Phase III
1 June 1967
29 January 1968
Tet Counteroffensive
30 January 1968
1 April 1968
Vietnam Counteroffensive Phase IV
2 April 1968
30 June 1968
Vietnam Counteroffensive Phase V
1 July 1968
1 November 1968
Vietnam Counteroffensive Phase VI
2 November 1968
22 February 1969
Tet 69 Counteroffensive
23 February 1969
8 June 1969
Vietnam SummerFall 1969
9 June 1969
31 October 1969
Vietnam WinterSpring 1970
1 November 1969
30 April 1970
Sanctuary Counteroffensive
1 May 1970
30 June 1970
Vietnam Counteroffensive Phase VIl
1 July 1970
30 June 1971
Consolidation I
1 July 1971
30 November 1971
Consolidation II
1 December 1971
29 March 1972
Vietnam Cease-fire
30 March 1972
28 January 1973
Operation Frequent Wind (USN, USMC, and USAF only)
29 April 1975
30 April 1975

Got it, yeah he had 5 campaigns so that is why it is silver. Perfect. Yessir, he was there for a year and a half, '69-70. Volunteered, wasn't drafted. Said if he volunteered he might actually get to pick what he did. He was crew chief on a medivac Huey. Camp Evans 237th Dust Off. He said the dust off group was even volunteer. No one forced anyone to go. He was lucky, had some hairy trips to say the least. He's a hero in my eyes.

Anyone who serves honorably is a hero.

When it comes to Vietnam, there are stats you can find on the Internet. So many million served during the Vietnam era. A much smaller number served in (or over) Vietnam. A lot of the in-country guys were support.
The number that actually got shot at is not real big.

So yes, thanks to him for serving, and serving in a hot zone.

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Below is campaigns that added stars to service ribbon. (not tours duty.

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Thanks for the clarification.