First Lt. James Mahon (seated) is congratulated by Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III after he and seven other World War II aviators received the Prisoner of War Medal during a ceremony in the Pentagon, April 30, 2014. The eight aviators, all bomber crew members were shot down flying missions over Germany and were held in a prison camp in Wauwilermoos, Switzerland. The men were originally denied POW status. U.S. Army Maj. Dwight Mears, whose grandfather Lt. George Mears, who was held at the prison, fought diligently for 15 years to get the men recognized as POWs. Then Acting Secretary of the Air Force Eric Fanning authorized the medal for 143 Army Air Corps aviators in October of last year. (U.S. Air Force photo/Scott M. Ash)