RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS

IN THE MATTER OF:	DOCKET NUMBER:  BC-2007-02381
		INDEX CODE:  100.00, 107.00

		COUNSEL:  NONE

		HEARING DESIRED:  NO

MANDATORY CASE COMPLETION DATE:  2 FEB 09

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:

His WD AGO 53-55, Enlisted Record and Report of Separation Honorable Discharge, item 33, be corrected to reflect “sharpshooter” and item 36, be corrected to reflect his European Theater of Operation (ETO) departure date as 5 July 1945 rather than 1 July 1945.

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:

His crew did not depart until 5 July 1945 due to inclement weather.

Applicant’s complete submission is at Exhibit A.

_________________________________________________________________

STATEMENT OF FACTS:

Applicant's military personnel records were partially destroyed by fire in 1973 at the National Personnel Record Center (NPRC) in St. Louis, Missouri.  Based on the available documentation the following facts are provided:

Applicant entered active duty on 22 March 1944 and was honorably discharged on 11 January 1946 in the grade of staff sergeant.  He departed for the ETO on 15 November 1944 and departed the ETO on 1 July 1945.  His continental service totaled 1 year, 1 month, and 27 days.  His foreign service totaled 7 months and 23 days.  

_________________________________________________________________

THE BOARD CONCLUDES THAT:

1.	The applicant has exhausted all remedies provided by existing law or regulations.

2.	The application was not timely filed; however, it is in the interest of justice to excuse the failure to timely file.

3.	Insufficient relevant evidence has been presented to demonstrate the existence of error or injustice.  Based upon the presumption of regularity in the conduct of governmental affairs and without evidence to the contrary, we must assume that the ETO departure date reflected on his WD AGO 53-55 is correct.  The applicant has failed to provide documentation reflecting he qualified as a sharpshooter; therefore, we also find no basis to recommend granting that portion of his request.  In the absence of evidence to the contrary, we find no compelling basis to recommend granting the relief sought.

_________________________________________________________________

THE BOARD DETERMINES THAT:

The applicant be notified the evidence presented did not demonstrate the existence of an error or injustice; the application was denied without a personal appearance; and the application will only be reconsidered upon the submission of newly discovered relevant evidence not considered with this application.

_________________________________________________________________

The following members of the Board considered AFBCMR Docket Number BC-2007-02381 in Executive Session on 2 October 2007, under the provisions of AFI 36-2603:

The following documentary evidence was considered:

   Exhibit A.  DD Form 149, dated 18 July 2007.
   Exhibit B.  Reconstructed Master Personnel Records.