[Hitman]

Yes medals seem to be quite random, even if somehow linked to success in your patrols (tonnage primarily). One must note however that in real life they were also a bit random -some commanders got medals for what others got nothing- and also some medals like the purple heart are given to those wounded in combat and as such have no direct link to the game's features (You can't be wounded in Sh1, only your sub can take damage).