PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:  

	BOARD DATE:       25 November 1998       
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AC98-09289

	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	
	Mr. Kenneth Aucock		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Mr. James E. Vick		Chairperson	
	Mr. John N. Slone		Member	
	Mr. Raymond V. O’Connor, Jr.		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 separation document show all the awards that he is entitled, to include the Combat Medical Badge; and that his separation document list all the countries in which he served.

3.	He states that his military occupational specialty (MOS) was medical.  He served in combat.  Furthermore, all the countries in which he served should be listed, as those countries also awarded medals.

4.	The applicant was inducted into the Army on 29 August 1942, and departed the United States for service in the European Theater of Operations (ETO) on   24 September 1944.  His WD AGO Form 53-55 (Honorable Discharge) shows that he returned to the United States on 21 August 1945, and was separated on 4 November 1945 at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, with the rank of Tech 5.  He was attached to the 53d General Hospital from 17 November to 16 December 1944.  His record shows that he left England and arrived in France on                           27 December1944.  He served in the 326th Airborne Medical Detachment from     28 January 1945 to at least 26 May 1945, and his MOS was that of a medical laboratory technician, MOS 858.  On 9 February 1945 he was ordered to participate in regular and frequent glider flights, and actually participated in six glider flights, two each on 10 March, 20 June, and 9 July in 1945. The applicant served in three campaigns during the war, and at various times was stationed in England, Belgium, Germany, Austria, and France.  His WD AGO Form 53-55 shows that he was awarded the Good Conduct Medal, the Distinguished Unit Badge, and the Lapel button.  The applicant’s report of physical examination taken on 4 November 1945 prior to his discharge shows that he contracted trench foot in December 1944, but was not hospitalized nor treated for it.

5.	On 26 May 1945 the applicant requested assignment to the United Nation’s Relief and Rehabilitation Organization in Greece.  In submitting this request, he stated that on arrival in England, he remained there for two months while the remainder of his men was sent to France and Holland for assignment to other units.  He was placed on limited assignment at a general hospital for 30 days, and later went to Bastogne to replace a medical company, which was reported to have been surrounded and captured by the enemy.  He stated that “many of us were numb, cold, frost-bitten, and sleepy, ….  There was no actual participation in combat in any of these undertakings.  At our base camp I was asked to interview some of the veterans of this medical company.”  

6.	On 22 July 1997 the Army Reserve Personnel Center at St. Louis authorized that the applicant be issued the Good Conduct Medal, the Presidential Unit Emblem, the American Campaign Medal, the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with three bronze service stars, the World War II Victory Medal, and the Honorable Service Lapel Button for World War II.  He had previously been authorized the Army of Occupation Medal with Germany Clasp, in addition to some of the aforementioned awards.
7.	The 326th Airborne Medical Company, was awarded the Netherlands Orange Lanyard for the period 17 September 1944 to 28 November 1944, and the Belgian Fourragere for the period 22-27 December 1944; however, there is no evidence that the applicant was assigned to the 326th during either of those periods.

8.	Army Regulation 600-8-22 provides, in pertinent part, that the Combat Medical Badge is awarded to medical department personnel (colonels and below) who are assigned or attached to a medical unit of company or smaller size that is organic to an infantry unit of brigade, regimental or smaller size which is engaged in active ground combat.  Battle participation credit is not sufficient; the infantry unit must have been in contact with the enemy.  Like the Combat Infantry Badge, the regimental commander was the lowest level at which the Combat Medical Badge could be approved and it also carried with it a separate provisions for enlisted badge holder to receive a $10.00 per month pay stipend.

9.	The aforementioned regulation also outlines policies pertaining to the eligibility of individuals to accept foreign decorations.  Foreign decorations are those received which have been tendered by a foreign government in recognition of active field service in connection with combat operations or which have been awarded for outstanding or unusually meritorious performance.  The only foreign unit decorations authorized during World War II in the European Theater of Operations are the French Fourragere, the Belgian Fourragere, and the Netherlands Orange Lanyard.  

10.	  CONCLUSIONS:

1.   The evidence of record shows that the applicant was a medical laboratory specialist during his Army service in the ETO.  There is no evidence to show that he participated in combat operations with an infantry unit.  Consequently, he is not entitled to award of the Combat Medical Badge.   

2.  There was no requirement, nor is there now a requirement, to list the countries in which stationed on a separation document.  Consequently, that part of the applicant’s request to list countries in which he was stationed is rejected.  Furthermore, listing countries in which stationed has no relevance for eligibility for award of a foreign decoration.  Award of a foreign decoration is contingent on action by a foreign government.  The applicant has not shown that he is entitled to award of a foreign decoration.

3.  The applicant did participate in glider flights and is entitled to award of the Glider Badge.  

4.   The applicant has been awarded the American Campaign Medal, the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with three bronze service stars, the World War II Victory Medal, and the Army of Occupation Medal with Germany clasp, in addition to those awards indicated on his separation document (WD AGO Form 53-55).  Those awards should be indicated on his separation document.

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

RECOMMENDATION:

1.  That all of the Department of the Army records related to this case be corrected by showing that the individual concerned was awarded the Glider Badge, the American Campaign Medal, the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with three bronze service stars, the World War II Victory Medal, and the Army of Occupation Medal with Germany clasp. 

2.  That so much of the application as is in excess of the foregoing be denied 

BOARD VOTE:  

___jev__  ___jns__  ___rvo__  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		______________________
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

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