PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:      

	BOARD DATE:           14 April 1999                   
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR1998012560

	I certify that hereinafter is recorded the true and complete record of the proceedings of the Army Board for Correction of Military Records in the case of the above-named individual.  

	Mr. Loren G. Harrell		Director	
	Ms. Gale Thomas		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Ms. Karen L. White		Chairperson	
	Mr. Arthur A. Omartian		Member	
	Mr. Thomas B. Redfern, III		Member	

	The applicant and counsel if any, did not appear before the Board.

	The Board considered the following evidence:

	Exhibit A - Application for correction of military records
	Exhibit B - Military Personnel Records (including
	            advisory opinion, if any)

FINDINGS:

1.  The applicant has exhausted or the Board has waived the requirement for exhaustion of all administrative remedies afforded by existing law or regulations.

2.  The applicant requests that his records be corrected by adding the award of the Purple Heart Medal to his DD Form 214 (Report of Separation).

3.  The applicant states that he was injured on March 13, 1953 and was awarded the Purple Heart.

4.  The applicant’s military records were lost or destroyed in the National Personnel Records Center fire of 1973.  Information herein was obtained from reconstructed personnel records.

5.  The applicant enlisted in the Regular Army on 28 February 1952, for a period of 3 years.

6.  The applicant’s DD Form 214 shows that he served as an infantryman, and in fact was a Light Weapons Infantryman Instructor; it shows that he was awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge, and the Korean Service Medal.  Item 29 (Wounds Received as a Result of Action with Enemy Forces) of this form shows that the applicant received shell fragment wounds on the back of his head and buttocks, on 13 March 1953, while stationed in Korea.  

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  Evidence confirms the applicant was wounded on 13 March as a result of hostile action while in Korea and as such is entitled to award of the Purple Heart.

2.  In view of the foregoing, the applicant’s records should be corrected as recommended below.

RECOMMENDATION:

That all of the Department of the Army records related to this case be corrected by awarding the individual concerned the Purple Heart for wounds sustained on 13 March 1953, as a result of hostile action in Korea.

BOARD VOTE:  

__klw___  __aao___  ____tbr_  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		______________________
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR1998012560	
SUFFIX		
RECON	YYYYMMDD	
DATE BOARDED	19990414	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE	(HD, GD, UOTHC, UD, BCD, DD, UNCHAR)	
DATE OF DISCHARGE	YYYYMMDD	
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY	AR . . . . .  	
DISCHARGE REASON		
BOARD DECISION	(DENY 	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES           1. 107.00		
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.