Vietnam conflict refers to the period beginning February 28, 1961, and ending on a date to be determined by Presidential proclamation or concurrent resolution of the Congress. (For purposes of determining eligibility for certain veterans' benefits, the President has proclaimed the date of May 7, 1975, to be the ending date of the “Vietnam era” (Presidential Proclamation No. 4373, 38 U.S.C. 101 note). In addition, Congress has set May 7, 1975, as the ending date of the “Vietnam conflict” for purposes of payment of interest on missing military service members' deposits in the United States Treasury under 10 U.S.C. 1035. However, neither the President nor the Congress has set an ending date for the Vietnam conflict for purposes of determining eligibility for compensation under 50 U.S.C. App. 2004 and 2005.)

Prisoner of war means any regularly appointed, enrolled, enlisted or inducted member of the Armed Forces of the United States who was held by any force hostile to the United States for any period of time during the Vietnam conflict.

Regular appointment, enrollment, enlistment or induction in the Armed Forces of the United States must be established by certification obtained from the Department of Defense.

Armed Forces of the United States means the United States Air Force, Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard, and commissioned officers of the U.S. Public Health Service who were detailed for active duty with the Armed Forces of the United States.

Force hostile to the United States means any organization or force in Southeast Asia, or any agent or employee thereof, engaged in any military or civil activities designed to further the prosecution of its armed conflict against the Armed Forces of the United States during the Vietnam conflict.

The Geneva Convention of August 12, 1949, as identified in section 6(f) of the War Claims Act of 1948, as amended, is the “Geneva Convention Relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War of August 12, 1949” which is included under the “Geneva Convention of August 12, 1949, for the Protection of War Victims,” entered into by the United States and other governments, including the former government in North Vietnam which acceded to it on June 28, 1957.

For the purpose of this part, obligations under the Geneva Convention of August 12, 1949, consist of the responsibility assumed by the contracting parties thereto with respect to prisoners of war within the meaning of the Convention, to comply with and to fully observe the provisions of the Convention, and particularly those articles relating to food rations of prisoners of war, humane treatment, protection, and labor of prisoners of war, and the failure to abide by the conditions and requirements established in such Convention by any hostile force with which the Armed Forces of the United States were engaged in armed conflict.

(a) Compensation allowed a prisoner of war during the Vietnam conflict under section 6(f)(2) of the War Claims Act of 1948, as amended, will be paid at the rate of $2 per day for each day on which that person was held as prisoner of war and on which the hostile force, or its agents, failed to furnish the quantity and quality of food prescribed for prisoners of war under the Geneva Convention of August 12, 1949.

(b) Compensation allowed a prisoner of war during the Vietnam conflict under section 6(f)(3) of the Act, will be paid at the rate of $3 per day for each day on which that person was held as a prisoner of war and on which the hostile force failed to meet the conditions and requirements under the provisions of the Geneva Convention of August 12, 1949 relating to labor of prisoners of war or for inhumane treatment by the hostile force by which such person was held.

(c) Compensation under paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section will be paid to the prisoner of war or qualified applicant on a lump-sum basis at a total rate of $5 per day for each day the prisoner of war was entitled to compensation.

In case of death of a prisoner of war who would have been entitled to an award of compensation under section 6(f) (2) and (3) of the War Claims Act of 1948, as amended, the compensation will be awarded, if claim is made, only to the following persons:

(a) Widow or husband if there is no child or children of the deceased;

(b) Widow or husband and child or children of the deceased, one-half to the widow or husband and the other half to the child or children of the deceased in equal shares;

(c) Child or children of the deceased (in equal shares) if there is no widow or husband; and

(d) Parents (in equal shares) if there is no widow, husband or child.

Any member of the Armed Forces of the United States, who at any time, voluntarily, knowingly, and without duress gave aid to or collaborated with, or in any manner served any force hostile to the United States, is precluded from receiving an award of compensation based on that member's capture and internment.