PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:   

	BOARD DATE:            10 March 1999     
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR1998012762

	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. Deborah L. Brantley		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Mr. Fred K. McCoy		Chairperson	
	Ms. Meta Waller		Member	
	Mr. Kenneth L. Wright		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 award of the Combat Infantryman Badge.

3.  Although the applicant’s military personnel records were likely lost or destroyed during the 1973 fire at the National Personnel Record Center, information reconstructed from alternative sources indicates he entered active duty on 13 May 1941 and served in the European Theater of Operations between January 1944 and October 1945.

4.  On 19 October 1945 the applicant was released from active duty as a result of demobilization.  While his separation document indicates he was assigned to an armored infantry battalion and was performing duties as a truck driver at the time of his separation from active duty, his final pay voucher indicates he was receiving Combat Infantry Pay.

5.  Generally there are basically three requirements for award of the Combat Infantryman Badge.  The soldier must be an infantryman, assigned to an infantry unit during such time as the unit is engaged in active ground combat, and must have actively participated in such ground combat.  During World War II enlisted personnel awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge were entitled to an extra $10.00 per month as long as he remained qualified for the badge.  Entitlement to “badge pay” continued until October 1949 when the underlying authority was repealed by the Career Compensation Act of 1949.

6.  Army Regulation 600-8-20 provides, in pertinent part, that the Bronze Star Medal is awarded for heroism and for meritorious achievement or service in military operations against an armed enemy.  The Bronze Star Medal is authorized for each individual who was cited in orders or awarded a certificate for exemplary conduct in ground combat between 7 December 1941 and 
2 September 1945 or whose such achievement or service, during that period, was confirmed by documents executed prior to 1 July 1947.  An award of the Combat Infantryman Badge is considered to be a citation in orders.  This means, in effect, that the Bronze Star Medal is to be awarded to individuals who were authorized the badge for service during World War II.  Awards of the Bronze Star Medal based on a Combat Infantryman Badge are commonly referred to as a conversion award.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  While it would appear from information contained on the applicant’s separation document that he would not have met the eligibility requirements for award of the Combat Infantryman Badge the fact that he was drawing Combat Infantry Pay tends to support a conclusion that he was awarded the badge at some point during his assignment in the European Theater of Operations.

2.  In the interest of justice, in view of the fact that he was drawing Combat Infantry Pay, it would be appropriate to correct the applicant’s records to reflect award of the Combat Infantryman Badge.

3.  Based on his award of the Combat Infantryman Badge the applicant is also entitled to a Bronze Star Medal as a conversion award.

4.  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:

a.  by awarding the individual concerned the Combat Infantryman Badge; and

b.  by awarding him a Bronze Star Medal as a conversion award based on his Combat Infantryman Badge.

BOARD VOTE:  

____fkm_  ___mw___  __klw___  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		______________________
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR1998012762	
SUFFIX		
RECON	YYYYMMDD	
DATE BOARDED	19990310	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE	(HD, GD, UOTHC, UD, BCD, DD, UNCHAR)	
DATE OF DISCHARGE	YYYYMMDD	
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY	AR . . . . .  	
DISCHARGE REASON		
BOARD DECISION	(NC, GRANT , DENY, GRANT PLUS)	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1.107.00		
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.