PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF: 

	BOARD DATE:            6 January 1999        
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AC98-11942
				   AR1998014544

	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.  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Mr.	Thomas D. Howard, Jr.		Chairperson	
	Mr.	Luther L. Santiful		Member	
	Mr.	Curtis W. Barbee		Member	

	Also present, without vote, were:

	Mr.	Loren G. Harrell		Director	
	Ms.	Deyon D. Battle		Analyst	

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

	The applicant requests correction of military records as stated in the application to the Board and as restated herein.

	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 Report of Separation (WD AGO Form 53-55) be corrected to show the organization in which he served as Headquarters Company, 743rd Tank Battalion instead of A Company, 735th Tank Battalion as currently reflected.

3.  The applicant states that he was never assigned to the 735th Tank Battalion and that his records should be corrected to reflect the appropriate battalion in which he served.  In support of his appeal, the applicant submits a copy of a special order dated 26 January 1943, promoting him to technician fifth grade.

4.  The applicant’s military records were destroyed in the 1973 fire at the National Personnel Records Center, in St. Louis, Missouri, which destroyed approximately 18 million service records.  However, the undestroyed/partially burned portions of his records show that he was inducted in the Army on 20 April 1942 and that he successfully completed his training as a cook.

5.  A review of the available medical records show that on 24 December 1942, he was assigned to Headquarters Company of the 743rd Tank Battalion when he sought treatment for an illness at Fort Lewis, Washington.  

6.  On 26 January 1943, the applicant was promoted to technician fifth grade by order of the company commander of the 743rd Tank Battalion.  The record further shows that he was assigned to the Headquarters Company, 743rd Tank Battalion on 17 August 1944 when he was awarded the Distinguished Unit Badge.

7.  He was honorably discharged on 1 November 1945, after he completed 3 years, 6 months and 12 days of total active service.  His report of separation shows his organization as Company A, 735th Tank Battalion. 

8.  Army Regulation 635-5 serves as the authority for the preparation of the DD Form 214.  It states, in pertinent part, that the information contained on the DD Form 214 will apply only to the period of service covered by the DD Form 214.  

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  There is no evidence of record to show that the applicant was ever assigned the 735th Tank Battalion while he was on active duty.  All of the available records show that he was assigned to Headquarters Company , 743rd Tank Battalion prior to his separation. 

2.  Consequently, it appears that an administrative error was made during the preparation of his WD AGO Form 53-55 which resulted in the wrong unit of assignment being entered.  Therefore, it would be in the interest of justice that his records be corrected to show the appropriate company in which he served.

3.  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 amending the Report of Separation of the individual concerned to show the organization to which he was assigned as Headquarters Company, 743rd Tank Battalion.  

BOARD VOTE:  

__tdh___  __lls___  ____cwb___  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		__Thomas D. Howard, Jr.___
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AC98-11942/AR1998014544	
SUFFIX		
RECON	 	
DATE BOARDED	1999/01/06	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE	 	
DATE OF DISCHARGE	 	
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY	 	
DISCHARGE REASON		
BOARD DECISION	GRANT 	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1.  107.00		
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.