PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:  

	BOARD DATE:            27 January 1999 
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AC98-09402
                                              AR1998009865

	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 .W. E. Schnupp		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Mr. James E. Vick		Chairperson	
	Mr. Calvin M. Fowler		Member	
	Ms. Irene N. Wheelwright		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 DD Form 214, Report of Transfer or Discharge, be corrected to reflect that he was awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB) and the Purple Heart.

3.  The applicant states that he was a member of the 101st Airborne Division in Vietnam when he earned the CIB and Purple Heart.

4.  The applicant’s military records show that he was inducted on 20 April 1971 and received training as a light weapons infantryman.  He served as an infantryman with the 101st Airborne Division (Airmobile) in Vietnam during the period 10 September 1971 through 23 March 1972.  He was honorably discharged upon completion of his term of service on 9 May 1973.

5.  His awards include the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal, the Vietnam Campaign Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Air Medal and the Expert Badge with rifle bar.  His Military Personnel File contains orders awarding him the CIB, which is not reflected on his DD Form 214.

6.  Item 40 (wounds) of the applicant’s Enlisted Qualification Record shows that he received a shrapnel wound to the right thigh in December 1971.  Item 41 (awards and decorations) of the form indicates that the Purple Heart was “pending”.  There are no other documents in the available records showing that he was entitled to or awarded the Purple Heart.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The applicant’s records contain evidence that he was awarded the CIB.  Although there are no documents showing he was awarded the Purple Heart, entries in his record shows that such an action was apparently begun but for unknown reasons was never completed.

2.  In view of the foregoing, it would be appropriate to correct his military records to reflect that he was awarded both the CIB and the Purple Heart 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 CIB and the Purple Heart for wounds received in action in Vietnam in December 1971.

BOARD VOTE:  

_JEV____  _CMF___  _INW___  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		______________________
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AC98-09402/AR1998009865	
SUFFIX		
RECON		
DATE BOARDED	19990127 	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE	HD	
DATE OF DISCHARGE	19730509	
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY	AR . . . . .  	
DISCHARGE REASON		
BOARD DECISION	GRANT	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1.	107.00	
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.