RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS IN THE MATTER OF: DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2014-01277 COUNSEL: NONE HEARING DESIRED: NO APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT: He be awarded service stars for his previously awarded Asiatic- Pacific Campaign Medal for his participation in the Okinawa, Japan and China campaigns. APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT: He is pursuing the aforementioned awards at the urging of his family. The Board should find it in the interest of justice to consider his untimely application because he was young and never thought to pursue the request. In support of his request the applicant provides copies of his WD AGO Form 53-55, Enlisted Record and Report of Separation - Honorable Discharge and an excerpt from the 866th Bombardment Squadron unit history, which reflects the unit’s battle participation and appears to reflect that the unit was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation. His complete submission, with attachments, is at Exhibit A. STATEMENT OF FACTS: According to his WD AGO Form 53-55, the applicant served in the military from 1 June 1943 to 10 December 1945. At the time of his separation, he was assigned to the “868 Bomb Squadron.” Item 32, Battles and Campaigns, reflects: New Guinea, Northern Solomons, Eastern Mandates, Bismarck, Archipelago, Western Pacific and Southern Philippines. Item 33, Decorations and Citations, reflects that he was awarded the Good Conduct Medal, the Victory Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Theater Campaign Ribbon and Philippine Liberation Ribbon. ? AIR FORCE EVALUATION: AFPC/DPSID recommends denial of the applicant’s request that he be awarded a service star for his previously awarded Asiatic- Pacific Campaign Medal for his participation in the Okinawa campaign. The Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal is awarded for service within the Asiatic-Pacific theater between 7 December 1941 and 2 March 1946 under any of the following conditions: on permanent assignment in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater, in a passenger status or on temporary duty for 30 consecutive days or 60 nonconsecutive days, in active combat against the enemy and awarded a combat decoration or furnished a certificate by the commanding general of a corps, higher unit, or independent force that the member actually participated in combat. The boundaries of the Asiatic-Pacific Theater are as follows: Eastern Boundary coincides with the western boundary of the American Theater; Western Boundary from the North Pole, south along the 60th meridian east longitude to its intersection with the east boundary of Iran, then south along the Iran boundary to the Gulf of Oman and the intersection of the 60th meridian east longitude, then south along the 60th meridian east longitude of the South Pole. A service star is authorized to indicate participation in certain engagements with the enemy. According to his WD AGO 53- 55, the 868th Bombardment Squadron did not receive credit for the Okinawa Campaign. Based on the information from the Air Force Historical Research Agency it appears Okinawa may have been a battle within one of the nine authorized campaigns. To grant relief would be contrary to the criteria established by DoD Manual 1348.33, Manual of Military Decorations and Awards, Secretary of the Air Force, Chief of Staff, and/or the War Department. Notwithstanding the above, DPSID recommends approval for two additional bronze service stars to his previously awarded Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with one silver service star and one bronze service star. The applicant served on active duty from 18 May 1943 to 10 December 1945 with his service from 23 December 1943 to 7 November 1945 being in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater assigned to the 868th Bombardment Squadron. Therefore, it can be presumed he was present for every campaign the unit was credited with participation in. According to his WD AGO 53- 55, the Japan and China campaigns are the only two out of nine campaigns the 868th Bombardment Squadron received credit for that the applicant did not also receive credit for. DPSID also recommends approval for award of the Presidential Unit Citation. While the applicant's official military personnel record was completely destroyed and there is no official documentation verifying he was assigned to the 868th Bombardment Squadron as of 7 May 1945; it appears more likely than not that the 868th Bombardment Squadron was the only unit he served with during his enlistment. APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION: On 25 August 2014, a copy of the Air Force evaluation was forwarded to the applicant for review and comment within 30 days. As of this date, no response has been received by this office (Exhibit D). 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 regarding the applicant’s request for award of the service star for his participation in the Okinawa campaign. We took notice of the applicant's complete submission in judging the merits of the case; however, we agree with the opinion and recommendation of the Air Force Office of Primary Responsibility (OPR) and adopt the rationale expressed as the basis for our conclusion the applicant has not been the victim of an error or injustice. Therefore, in the absence of evidence to the contrary, we find no basis to recommend granting the relief sought in this portion of his application. 4. Notwithstanding the above, sufficient relevant evidence has been presented to demonstrate the existence of an error or injustice warranting award of two additional bronze service stars to his previously awarded Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal and the Presidential Unit Citation. Having carefully reviewed this application, we agree with the recommendation of the Air Force OPR and adopt the rationale expressed as the basis for our decision that the applicant has been the victim of either an error or an injustice Therefore, we recommend the applicant's records be corrected to the extent 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: He was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation while assigned to the 868th Bombardment Squadron from 23 December 1943 to 7 November 1945. In addition to the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with one Silver Service Star and one Bronze Service Star, previously awarded based on his participation in the following six Asiatic- Pacific Theater of war campaigns: New Guinea, Northern Solomons, Eastern Mandates, Bismarck Archipelago, Western Pacific, and Southern Philippines, he was also awarded two additional Bronze Service Stars to the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal. The following members of the Board considered this application in Executive Session on 15 January 2015, under the provisions of AFI 36-2603: , Panel Chair , Member , Member All members voted to correct the record as recommended. The following documentary evidence pertaining to AFBCMR BC-2014- 01277 was considered: Exhibit A. DD Forms 149, dated 18 March 2014, w/atchs. Exhibit B. Letter, AFPC/DPSID, dated 8 August 2014, w/atch. Exhibit C. Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 25 August 2014.