"Why should a civ. contractor shot in a War Zone getting supplies to troops not be honored???"

Its fine to honour them but not with a medal that is designed to be awarded military personnel. The purple heart and the flying cross are for those who have served their country.

In fact, I think its shoddy and tacky to pretend that they were there in the service of their country when, in fact, they were there to line their own pockets and the pockets of their employers. Give them an award, fine, but don't pretend that it is a military award.