The United States Presidential Unit Citation is "awarded to units of the Armed Forces of the United States and co-belligerent nations for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enemy occurring on or after 7 December 1941. The unit must display such gallantry, determination, and esprit de corps in accomplishing its mission under extremely difficult and hazardous conditions as to set it apart and above other units participating in the same campaign. The degree of heroism required is the same as that which would warrant award of a Distinguished Service Cross to an individual."

The Army citation was originally established as the Distinguished Unit Citation on 26 February 1942, and received its present name on 3 November 1966. 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.

The Navy citation is similar, but is the unit equivalent of a Navy Cross and was established on 6 February 1942.

For the Army and Air Force, the emblem itself is a solid blue ribbon enclosed in a gold frame. The Citation is also carried on the unit's regimental colours in the form of a blue streamer, four feet long and 2 3/4 inches wide. The Navy version has blue, yellow, and red horizontal stripes. To distinguish between the two versions of the Presidential Unit Citation, the Navy version is typically referred to as the Navy and Marine Corps Presidential Unit Citation while the Army and Air Force refer to the decoration simply as the Presidential Unit Citation.

U.S. Coast Guard units may be awarded either version of the Presidential Unit Citation, depending on which service the Coast Guard is supporting when the citation action is performed.