To be entitled to POW status, captured persons must be lawful combatants entitled to combatant's privilege—which provides immunity from punishment for lawful acts of war, such as killing enemy …

4 days ago · prisoner of war (POW), any person captured or interned by a belligerent power during war. In the strictest sense it is applied only to members of regularly organized armed forces, but by …

The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency remains relentless in its mission to provide the fullest possible accounting to their families and the nation, until they're home.

Oct 25, 2022 · Life as a POW meant many forced marches in subfreezing weather, solitary confinement, brutal punishments and attempts at political "re-education." Here prisoners received their first …

While their imprisonment may have meant an end to combat, for prisoners of war (POWs) held during World War II and the Korean and Vietnam Wars, incarceration marked the beginning of a new …

You are considered a Former Prisoners of War (FPOW) if during wartime active service, you were forcibly detained or interned (put in prison) in the line of duty by an enemy government, its agents or …

Aug 10, 2025 · A prisoner of war (POW) is an individual held captive by a belligerent power during or immediately following an armed conflict. This status is rooted in international law, which aims to …

A prisoner of war (POW) is a person who is held captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase “prisoner of war” dates back to …

National POW/MIA Recognition Day was established by Congress to honor those armed service members held captive, who returned or who remain missing, while fighting in the nation's foreign wars.

Sep 19, 2025 · More than 570 West Point graduates appear on our POW/MIA list. While we cannot feature them all, the stories that follow honor their collective courage, as reflected in the actions of …