RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS IN THE MATTER OF: DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2011-04215 COUNSEL: NONE HEARING DESIRED: NO _________________________________________________________________ APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT: He be awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC). _________________________________________________________________ APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT: Either the recommendation for the DFC was lost or it may not have been submitted after he completed a combat tour from 1944 to 1945. Many or most combat crews that successfully completed a combat tour over Germany and/or singularly performed beyond expectations were awarded the DFC upon completion of a combat tour. Additionally, after he transferred to another assignment, a senior staff officer noted that he was not wearing the DFC ribbon and was told to follow-up with the 466 Bomb Group on the status of his DFC. In support of his request, the applicant provides excerpts from has Master Personnel Records, a copy of his Combat Missions record, a copy of another member’s Bronze Star Medal (BSM), a copy of his citation for award of the BSM, an unsigned letter from a navigator, a letter to the Veterans Affairs (VA) office, e-mail communications, a copy of an unsigned DFC citation, a copy of a DFC citation with a seal and the signed certificate on another member, copies of special orders, and a copy of his Congressional Inquiry. His complete submission, with attachments, is at Exhibit A. _________________________________________________________________ STATEMENT OF FACTS: The applicant enlisted into Regular Air Force on 11 Sep 42 and was commissioned on 7 Jan 44. He received a regular commissioned in Jul 46 and was progressively promoted to the grade of lieutenant colonel (0-5). He retired on 29 Feb 72 after serving 25 years, 7 months, and 26 days on active duty. The DFC criteria: This medal is awarded to any officer or enlisted person of the Armed Forces of the United States who shall have distinguished her/himself in actual combat in support of operations by heroism or this medal is awarded to any officer or enlisted person of the Armed Forces of the United States who shall have distinguished her/himself in actual combat in support of operations by heroism or extraordinary achievement while participating in an aerial flight, subsequent to November 11, 1918. The remaining relevant facts pertaining to this application are contained in the letters prepared by the appropriate offices of the Air Force, which is at Exhibit C. _________________________________________________________________ AIR FORCE EVALUATION: AFPC/DPSIDR recommends denial. The applicant provided a typed citation stating he is entitled to the DFC for the following reason, “while serving as pilot on B-24 airplanes on many bombardment missions over enemy occupied Continental Europe during the summer and winter of 1944 and 1945”; however, no special orders could be located to verify that he was submitted or ever awarded the DFC. Furthermore, in order to reasonably consider to award the DFC under the Fiscal Year 1996 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), (Section 526), by the military service involved, it is important that the recommendation be accompanied by eyewitness statements, attesting to the act(s), sworn affidavits, certificates, and any other related documentation. Should the applicant decide to pursue this course of action, as a courtesy, DPSIDR provided the information needed to help in the submission of his package. The complete DPSIDR evaluation, with attachments, is at Exhibit B. _________________________________________________________________ APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION: He states the DFC was awarded to a member of his crew who may have found documentation for one particular mission – 19 Oct 44. The hydraulic lines were torn loose as the bombs were released. He provides clarification to his service dates and explains that most of the personnel in his chain of command that could have corroborated this statement are either deceased or the addresses are unknown. The applicant’s complete submission, with attachments, is at Exhibit E. _________________________________________________________________ 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. Sufficient relevant evidence has been presented to demonstrate the existence of error or injustice warranting the award of the DFC. In this respect, we note that the applicant while assigned to the 466th Bomb Group as a Pilot flew aerial missions over enemy-occupied Continental Europe during 1944 through 1945. Additionally, we note the applicant’s evident accomplishments as stated in his proposed DFC citation, which are verified by the witness statement of the gunner of the mission that was flown on 19 October 1944. As such, based on the applicant’s verifiable act of extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight, we believe it would be in the interest of equity and justice to award the applicant the DFC for his service to the Nation. Therefore, we recommend that his records be corrected as indicated below. _________________________________________________________________ THE BOARD RECOMMENDS THAT: The pertinent military records of the Department of the Air Force relating to APPLICANT be corrected to show that on 1 March 1945, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flights as a B-24 pilot on bombardment missions over enemy occupied Continental Europe. _________________________________________________________________ The following members of the Board considered AFBCMR Docket Number BC-2011-04215 in Executive Session on 27 Mar 12, under the provisions of AFI 36-2603: All members voted to correct the records, as recommended. The following documentary evidence for Docket Number BC-2011-04215 was considered: Exhibit A. DD Form 149, dated 24 Oct 11, w/atchs. Exhibit B. Applicant's Master Personnel Records. Exhibit C. Letter, AFPC/DPSIDR, dated 15 Dec 11. Exhibit D. Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 22 Dec 11. Exhibit E. Letter, Applicant, dated 16 Jan 12, w/atchs.