The Presidential Unit Citation, originally called the Distinguished Unit Citation, is awarded to units of the Armed Forces of the United States and allies for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enemy on or after 7 December 1941 (the date of the Attack on Pearl Harbor and the start of American involvement in World War II). The unit must display such gallantry, determination, and esprit de corps in accomplishing its mission under extremely difficult and hazardous conditions so as to set it apart from and above other units participating in the same campaign. The Army citation was established as the Distinguished Unit Citation by Executive Order No. 9075 on 26 February 1942, and received its present name on 3 November 1966. As with other Army unit citations, the PUC is in a larger frame that is worn above the right pocket. All members of the unit may wear the decoration, whether or not they personally participated in the acts for which the unit was cited. Only those assigned to the unit at the time of the action cited may wear the decoration as a permanent award. For the Army and Air Force, the emblem itself is a solid blue ribbon enclosed in a gold frame.

The most known regiments of WWII to receive a Distinguished Unit Citation:

Division and 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division
1944 D-Day Normandy

551st Parachute Infantry Battalion of the 82nd Airborne Division
1944 Battle of the bulge (Ardennes)

Division and 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (less 2nd Battalion, 401st Glider Infantry Regiment) and with the following attached unit: 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment.
1945 Battle of Bastogne

117th Regiment, Easy Company
1944 Battle of Aachen