AWARD OF PURPLE HEART TO MEMBERS KILLED OR WOUNDED IN ACTION BY FRIENDLY FIRE.

SEC. 1141. AWARD OF PURPLE HEART TO MEMBERS KILLED OR WOUNDED IN ACTION BY FRIENDLY FIRE. (a) In General.—Chapter 57 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section: “§ 1129. Purple Heart: members killed or wounded in action by friendly fire “(a) For purposes of the award of the Purple Heart, the Secretary concerned shall treat a member of the armed forces described in subsection (b) in the same manner as a member who is killed or wounded in action as the result of an act of an enemy of the United States. “(b) A member described in this subsection is a member who is killed or wounded in action by weapon fire while directly engaged in armed conflict, other than as the result of an act of an enemy of the United States, unless (in the case of a wound) the wound is the result of willful misconduct of the member. 107 STAT. 1757 “(c) This section applies to members of the armed forces who are killed or wounded on or after December 7, 1941. In the case of a member killed or wounded as described in subsection (b) on or after December 7, 1941, and before the date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary concerned shall award the Purple Heart under subsection (a) in each case which is known to the Secretary before the date of the enactment of this section or for which an application is made to the Secretary in such manner as the Secretary requires.”. (b) Clerical Amendment.—The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is amended by adding at the end the following new item: “1129. Purple Heart: members killed or wounded in action by friendly fire.”.