Criteria: Awarded as an entitlement entitled upon being killed or wounded in a manner meeting the specific criteria of AR 600-8-22: (1) In any action against an enemy of the U.S.; (2) In any action with an opposing armed force of a foreign country in which the Armed Forces of the U.S. are or have been engaged; (3) While serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in an armed conflict against an opposing armed force in which the U.S. is not a belligerent party; (4) As a result of an act of any such enemy of opposing armed forces; (5) As the result of an act of any hostile foreign force; (6) After March 28, 1973, as a result of an international terrorist attack against the U.S.; (7) After March 28, 1973, as a result of military operations, while serving outside the territory of the U.S. as part of a peacekeeping force; (8) After December 7, 1941, by weapon fire while directly engaged in armed conflict, regardless of the fire causing the wound; (9) While held as a prisoner of war or while being taken captive. Additionally, individuals wounded or killed as a result of friendly fire in the heat of battle will be awarded the Purple Heart as long as the "friendly" projectile or agent was released with the full intent of inflicting damage or destroying enemy troops or equipment.
Attachments: Bronze Oak Leaf Device, Silver Oak Leaf Device.
Criteria: Awarded to any service member who was a prisoner of war after April 5, 1917. It is awarded to any person who was taken prisoner or held captive while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States; while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing Armed Force; or while serving with friendly forces engaged in armed conflict against an opposing Armed Force in which the United States is not a belligerent party. Hostages of terrorists, and persons detained by governments in which the U.S. is not actively engaged in armed conflict are not eligible for the medal. The person's conduct, while in captivity, must have been honorable. This medal may be awarded posthumously to the surviving next of kin of the recipient. Multiple awards of the Prisoner of War Medal are denoted in all branches of the military by service stars. The medal is retroactive, but not retroactive to conflicts prior to the First World War including the pre-20th century conflicts of the Spanish-American War, American Civil War, Mexican-American War, and the American Revolution.
Attachments: Silver Star Device, Bronze Star Device.
Criteria: Awarded to Marine Corps personnel having engaged in a landing on foreign territory, participated in combat operations against an opposing force, or participating in a designated operation for which no other service medal is authorized. After 1961, some commands permitted eligible personnel to choose between the Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal, or the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, depending on the nature of the operation in question. Subsequent awards of the Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal were originally denoted by award numerals. After 1921, multiple awards were denoted by service stars. The Wake Island Device is authorized for any personnel who were awarded the Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal as part of the defense of Wake Island during the opening days of the Second World War.
Attachments: N/A.
Criteria: Awarded to any member of the United States military who served on active duty, or as a reservist, between December 7, 1941 and December 31, 1946. The World War II Victory Medal was first issued as a ribbon, and was referred to simply as the “Victory Ribbon.” By 1946, a full medal had been established which was referred to as the World War II Victory Medal. There is no minimum service time limit for the issuance of the World War II Victory Medal, and the National Personnel Records Center has reported some cases of service members receiving the award for simply a few days of service. As the Second World War ended in August 1945, there are also cases of service members, who had enlisted in 1946, receiving the decoration without having been a veteran of World War II.
Attachments: n/a.
Criteria: Awarded to service members performing either one year of consecutive duty between December 7, 1941 to March 2, 1946 within the continental borders of the United States, or performing 30 days consecutive or 60 non-consecutive days of duty outside the borders of the United States but within the American Theater of Operations. The American Theater was defined as the entirety of the United States to include most of the Atlantic Ocean, a portion of Alaska, and a small portion of the Pacific bordering California and Baja California. Service stars were authorized to any service member who was engaged in actual combat with Axis forces within the American theater. This primarily applied to those members of the military which had engaged in anti-U-Boat patrols in the Atlantic.
Attachments: Bronze Star Device, Silver Star Device
Criteria: Awarded to any member of the United States military who served in the Pacific Theater from 1941 to 1945. There were twenty one official campaigns of the Pacific Theater, denoted on with a service star. The arrowhead device is authorized for those campaigns involving amphibious assaults. Credible campaigns for the Pacific Theater are as follows: Philippine Islands 7 Dec 41 - 10 May 42; Burma, 1942 7 Dec 41 - 26 May 42; Central Pacific 7 Dec 41 - 6 Dec 43; East Indies 1 Jan 42 - 22 Jul 42; India-Burma 2 Apr 42 - 28 Jan 45; Air Offensive, Japan 17 Apr 42 - 2 Sep 45; Aleutian Islands 3 Jun 42 - 24 Aug 43; China Defensive 4 Jul 42 - 4 May 45; Papua 23 Jul 42 - 23 Jan 43; Guadalcanal 7 Aug 42 - 21 Feb 43; New Guinea 24 Jan 43 - 31 Dec 44; Northern Solomons 22 Feb 43 - 21 Nov 44; Eastern Mandates 7 Dec 43 - 14 Jun 44; Bismarck Archipelago 15 Dec 43 - 27 Nov 44; Western Pacific 17 Apr 44 - 2 Sep 45; Leyte 17 Oct 44 - 1 Jul 45; Luzon 15 Dec 44 - 4 Jul 45; Central Burma 29 Jan 45 - 15 Jul 45; Southern Philippines 27 Feb 45 - 4 Jul 45; Ryukyus 26 Mar 45 - 2 Jul 45; China Offensive 5 May 45 - 2 Sep 45. Additionally, the following Pacific Theater “blanket” campaigns qualify - but without service stars: Antisubmarine 7 Dec 41 - 2 Sep 45; Ground Combat: 7 Dec 41 - 2 Sep 45; Air Combat: 7 Dec 41 - 2 Sep 45.
Attachments: Silver Star Device, Bronze Star Device, Bronze Arrowhead Device.
