Military chaplain returned to their home nation unless retained to minister to prisoners of war. Inevitably, serving chaplains have died in action. The US Army and Marines lost 100 chaplains killed in action during World War II: the third highest casualty rate behind the infantry and the Army Air Forces. Many have been decorated for bravery in action (five have been awarded Britain's highest award for gallantry, the Victoria Cross, and nine have received the Medal of Honor). The Chaplain's Medal for Heroism is a special US military decoration given to military chaplains who have been killed in the line of duty,
Hasta pura (military decoration) Hasta pura (military decoration) The hasta pura or hasta donatica was a decoration for merit, awarded in Ancient Rome. The Roman sources do not concur about the precise character of the decoration. Some call it a decoration for valour, others mention that it had been awarded to civilians. The "hasta" was a thrusting weapon that was not thrown as were the later "pilum", "verutum" and "lancea". A "hasta pura" was a spear made "without iron" and was in the earliest times the reward of a soldier the first time that he conquered in battle. Later it came to be awarded