PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:

	BOARD DATE:              10 November 1998
	DOCKET NUMBER:      AC98-06950

	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. Hubert S. Shaw, Jr.		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Mr. Calvin M. Fowler		Chairperson	
	Ms. Irene E. Wheelwright		Member	
	Ms. Margaret K. Patterson		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 an additional 14 Air Medals.

3.  The applicant states that he was not given credit for all of his air assault missions during his service in Vietnam.  He states that he “went out on over 825 aerial missions over hostile territory in Vietnam.”  The applicant also states that he believed the Air Medal was awarded for over “100 air combat assault missions”, but a Veterans Affairs counselor advised him that the Air Medal was awarded for 25 assault missions.

4.  The applicant’s military records show he entered active duty on 30 December 1960.  He served in Vietnam from 15 September 1965 to 25 July 1966 as a helicopter door gunner.  The applicant completed over 22 years of active federal service and was released from active duty on 31 October 1981 to be placed on the retired list.  His DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) with a separation date of 31 October 1981 shows one award of the Air Medal. 

5.  The applicant submitted a copy of 1st Cavalry Division General Orders 2990, dated 24 August 1966, which awarded him the Air Medal with Eighteenth Oak Leaf Cluster for meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight during the period 11 June 1966 to 24 June 1966.  The applicant’s records show awards of the Air Medal from the first through the eighteenth oak leaf clusters.  The award of the Air Medal with First Oak Leaf Cluster was for the period 10 October 1965 to 29 October 1965 and available orders indicate show he was awarded an Air Medal for as little as seven days of operations and as many as 20 days of operations.  There are no flight records contained in his personnel records.

6.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 provides, in pertinent part, that the Air Medal is awarded in time of war for heroism and for meritorious achievement or service while participating in aerial flight.  This award is primarily intended for personnel on flying status, but may also be awarded to those personnel whose combat duties require them to fly, for example personnel in the attack elements of units involved in air-land assaults against an armed enemy.  (NOTE:  Arabic numerals are now used instead of oak leaf clusters for the second and succeeding awards. The numeral 2 denotes the second award.)  As with all personal decorations, formal recommendations, approval through the chain of command, and announcement in orders are required.

7.  U.S Army Vietnam (USARV) Regulation 672-1 (Decorations and Awards) provided guidelines for award of the Air Medal based upon the number and types of missions or hours flown.  Twenty five Category I missions (air assault and equally dangerous missions) and accrual of a minimum of 25 hours of flight time while engaged in Category I missions was the standard established for which sustained operations were deemed worthy of recognition by an award of the Air Medal.  However, the regulation was clear that these guidelines were considered only a departure point. 

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  Evidence of record shows the applicant received 19 awards of the Air Medal based on recommendations by his chain of command, approval by the award approval authority, and announcement in orders.

2.  Contrary to the contentions by the applicant and his Department of Veterans Affairs counselor, the Air Medal was not awarded based solely on completion of 25 combat missions.  USARV Regulation 672-1 states that combat missions flown was only a guideline for award of the Air Medal. 

3.  There is no evidence of record which shows the applicant was recommended for or met the guidelines for additional awards of the Air Medal.  Therefore, the applicant is not entitled to additional awards of the Air Medal.

4. In view of the foregoing findings and conclusions, it would be appropriate to correct the applicant’s records, but only 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 authorized 19 awards of the Air Medal.

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

BOARD VOTE:  

CMF____  IEW_____  MKP____  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		______________________
		        CHAIRPERSON