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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Service

Notable recipients of the Prisoner of War Medal

Taken prisoner and held captive while engaged in or supporting military operations.

About this decoration

21 notable recipients

Names link to Wikipedia; ★ MoH marks people who also received the Medal of Honor (links to their profile here).

NameLifeBranchWar
John McCain1936–2018United States NavyVietnam War
Francis Gary Powers1929–1977United States Air Force
Joseph Kittinger1928–2022United States Air ForceVietnam War
Louis Zamperini1917–2014United States Army Air ForcesWorld War II
Jessica Lynch1983United States Army
Jeremiah Denton1924–2014United States NavyVietnam War
Emil Kapaun ★ MoH1916–1951United States ArmyWorld War II
Robert Michael White1924–2010United States Air ForceKorean War
William F. Dean ★ MoH1899–1981United States ArmyWorld War II
Owen J. Baggett1920–2006United States Army Air ForcesWorld War II
Tibor Rubin ★ MoH1929–2015United States ArmyKorean War
Doug Hegdahl1946United States NavyVietnam War
Roddie Edmonds1919–1985United States ArmyWorld War II
Bud Day ★ MoH1925–2013United States Air ForceWorld War II
William G. Farrow1918–1942United States ArmyWorld War II
Louis Edward Curdes1919–1995United States Army Air ForcesWorld War II
Winfield S. Cunningham1900–1986United States NavyWorld War II
Paul W. Airey1923–2009United States Army Air ForcesWorld War II
Robert J. Meder1917–1943
Emilio Aguirre1914–1995United States ArmyWorld War II
James J. Connell1939–1971United States Navy