PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:          

	BOARD DATE:               23 December 1998
	DOCKET NUMBER:      AC98-12729
				      AR1998012904

	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. Joyce A. Wright		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Mr. Raymond V. O’Connor, Jr.		Chairperson	
	Ms. Karol A. Kennedy
Mr. Lester Echols		Member
Member	

	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 the Purple Heart be added to his DD Form 214 (Report of Transfer or Discharge). 

3.  The applicant states that his DD Form 214 does not show his award of the Purple Heart.  In support of his application he submits a copy of an award certificate for the Purple Heart.

4.  The applicant’s military records show he was inducted on 15 November 1965 as a light weapons infantryman.  He served in Vietnam from 21 July 1966 to        10 July 1967 and was honorably discharged on 14 November 1967.

5.  The applicant’s DD Form 214 shows the applicant was awarded the National Defense Service Medal, the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Vietnam Service Medal with one bronze service star, and the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal.  His discharge document does not show the Purple Heart as an authorized award.

6.  The applicant provides a copy of an award certificate, which shows that he was awarded the Purple Heart for wounds sustained on 21 September 1966.  

7.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 provides, in pertinent part, that the Purple Heart is awarded for a wound sustained as a result of hostile action.  Substantiating evidence must be provided to verify that the wound was the result of hostile action, the wound must have required treatment, and the medical treatment must have been made a matter of official

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The applicant was awarded the Purple Heart for wounds received on            21 September 1966.  Therefore, he is entitled to the correction of his military records to show this award.

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 showing that the individual concerned was awarded the Purple Heart for wounds sustained on 21 September 1966.

BOARD VOTE:  

RVO____  KAK_____  LE_____  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		______________________
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AC98-12729/AR1998012904	
SUFFIX		
RECON	YYYYMMDD	
DATE BOARDED	19981223	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE	(HD, GD, UOTHC, UD, BCD, DD)	
DATE OF DISCHARGE	YYYYMMDD	
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY	AR . . . . .  	
DISCHARGE REASON		
BOARD DECISION	GRANT	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1.	107.00	
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.