This episode of the television program "The Invaders" television program features a fictional "Presidential Medal of Valor" played by a real military medal as part of it's story. "The Invaders" was a science-fiction series which ran on the ABC Television network from 1967 to 1968. David Vincent is a military veteran and professional architect who one night witnesses the landing of an alien spaceship or "flying saucer" and discovers that extraterrestrials disguised as humans have been living on Earth for some time to prepare for an invasion and conquest. David makes it his life's mission to disrupt the invaders' plans and expose their activities.

This episode is titled "Vikor" and was first broadcast on February 14, 1967. George Vikor is an American Korean War veteran who was awarded a medal for heroism and was lauded in the newspapers. George Vikor now (in 1967) owns a manufacturing company. He is using his factory by knowingly manufacturing equipment for the Invaders. He has been promised a high position when the aliens "take over." David Vincent arrives and gets a position as chauffeur for George's wife. The "Presidential Medal of Valor" is portrayed by a French World War I medal.

The program begins with a workman looking in a window and seeing something he shouldn't have. He is murdered, his partner drives off with the body, and word gets to David Vincent. Then a prologue is shown which shows a spaceship passing the Moon headed towards Earth while an announcer delivers the prologue.

Then...

Each episode began with a flying saucer headed to Earth while an announcer proclaimed:

David Vincent, driving late at night and lost, stops his car to rest.

What is it?

In previous episodes David has learned of their plan to take over the Earth, that they use short-lived disguises as humans which require frequent visits to "regeneration chambers", that when they die their human bodies turn red and incinerate leaving no trace, and that they are unpleasant to be around.

David arrives at the company at a convenient time as the owner's wife has been arrested for reckless driving and Vincent is hired as her chauffeur.

He meets George Vikor and then his wife Sherri.

David begins exploring the plant but is caught by the security.

Left to right, Mr. Nexus (an alien), policeman, David, Sherri, George Vikor

George keeps his military decorations in a frame on the wall. One medal is a Purple Heart, a real United States decoration, and the other is the fictional medal. They will be shown again later.

Meanwhile two dying aliens are brought to the plant for help.

David is back exploring the plant when he finds a (now familiar) alien regeneration facility.

Vincent hides while the two aliens are placed in chambers.

Sherri has become upset at the unpleasant new people George has been associating with and this has caused her to attract attention by, among other things, dangerous driving. Vincent figures out the situation and discusses what to do with Sherri.

Sherri has discovered George's work for the aliens and his excuse is that after he came back from Korea with his medal he was lionized but then he tried to get a loan to start a company and was turned down as a poor credit risk because of his war injuries (he has a metal plate in his head and an artificial leg). The aliens tell George that Sherri is to dangerous to have around and plan to murder her.

George argues with the aliens but they take her away, leave her in a room, and turn on the gas. David searches for Sherri and encounters two aliens.

David finds Sherri still alive and opens the windows. They realize that Vikor is not going to stop and the pair fake a telephone call which implies that George is actually a government agent working to expose the Invaders.

The aliens use a device which creates a cerebral stroke.

George's medals appear.

The left medal is a real United States Purple Heart medal which is awarded to service people who are wounded in combat. George stated earlier that he had a "wooden leg and a metal plate." The other medal is the fictional "Presidential Medal of Valor" and is actually a French World War I service medal with the original red and white ribbon replace by another ribbon. The medal portrays "Marianne", the female personification of France and her image is on many French coins and medals.
This medal in the episode is likely based on the real United States Medal of Honor sometimes known as the "Congressional Medal of Honor." There is little doubt the script writers decided not to award that medal to a traitor. There is a "Presidential Medal of Freedom" but that medal is awarded by the President to civilians who are usually celebrities, campaign contributors, or personal friends.

With Vikor gone the surviving aliens destroy their equipment and leave. David walks away to continue the fight

Roy Thinnes as David Vincent
Jack Lord as George Vikor
Diana Hyland as Sherri Vikor
Alfred Ryder as Mr. Nexus
Director: Paul Wendkos
Writers: Michael Adams, Larry Cohen