The Prisoner of War Medal was authorized by Congress and signed into law by President Ronald Reagan in 1986. The medal may be awarded to any person who was a prisoner of war after April 5, 1917, (the date of the United States entry into World War One). 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. 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.
The medal was designed by Jay C. Morris of the Institute of Heraldry. On the obverse of the medal is an American eagle, wing folded, and completely enclosed (imprisoned) by a ring a circle and following the outline of the medal. The reverse of the medal has the inscription, "Awarded To" (with a blank area for the recipient's name) "For Honorable Service While a Prisoner of War" in three centered lines. Below this is a shield of the United States, and below, following the curvature of the medal, are the words, "United States of America."
The ribbon has a very wide center stripe of black, flanked on either side by a narrow white stripe, thin red stripe, thin white stripe and a thin stripe of dark blue at the edge of the medal.