According to documents, civilians wounded by the enemy, are former POW's or were killed by the enemy are entitled to the Purple Heart, and/or POW medals.

Robert

DoD 1348.33-M, September 1996

C6.2. PRISONER OF WAR (POW) MEDAL

C6.2.1. Eligibility Requirements

C6.2.1.1. Authorized by Section 1128 of title 10, U.S.C. (reference (o)).

C6.2.1.2. Authorized for any person who, while serving in any capacity with the U.S. Armed Forces, was taken prisoner and held captive after April 5, 1917.

C6.2.1.2.1. Civilians and Foreign Nationals. The POW Medal shall be issued only to U.S. and foreign civilians who have received credit for U.S. military service, as determined by the DoD Civilian and/or Military Service Review Board and Advisory Board under DoD Directive 1000.20 (reference (p)). The period of creditable military service must include the period of captivity from date of capture through date of release. While no minimum time period of captivity exists as eligibility criteria for the POW Medal, the Services should determine each case on its merits using the language in 10 U.S.C. and the Secretary of Defense Memoranda (references (e), (f) and (q)). The Secretary of Defense authorized on January 27, 1990,
the POW Medal for the Philippine Commonwealth Army and Recognized Guerrilla Unit Veterans who were held captive between December 7, 1941 and September 26, 1945.

C6.2.1.2.2. Missing in Action. The POW Medal only shall be issued to the legal next-of-kin (NOK) of military personnel or civilians who have received credit for U.S. Military Service and whose POW status officially has been confirmed and recognized as such by the Military Departments. The NOK of persons listed as "missing, but for whom there is no evidence of having been a POW" shall not be issued the POW Medal. Return of remains, in and of itself, does not constitute evidence of POW status. The NOK of the POWs who die in captivity may be issued the POW Medal irrespective of the length of the captivity period.

C6.2.1.2.3. Hostages, Detainees, and Internees. The POW Medal shall be issued only to those taken prisoner by foreign armed forces that are hostile to the United States, under circumstances which the Secretary concerned finds to have been comparable to those under which persons have generally been held captive by enemy armed forces during periods of armed conflict. For that medal, armed conflicts are defined as "World War I, World War II, Korean Conflict, Vietnam Era and Southwest Asia Conflict."

C6.2.1.3. Character of Service. Any person convicted by a U.S. military
tribunal of misconduct or a criminal charge or whose discharge is less than honorable
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