APPLICANT REQUESTS:  That he be awarded the Purple Heart.

APPLICANT STATES:  In effect, that he was injured while serving with a quartermaster unit in Normandy in July 1944.  “Bedcheck Charlie,” an enemy aircraft, would fly over his position nightly.  During one of the flyovers, it dropped a bomb, destroying a nearby bivouac area.  While helping to rescue personnel and put out fires, another explosion occurred, knocking him to the ground and covering him with debris.  Some members of his unit went to an aid station.  He chose not to go, for fear of being separated from his unit, even though he suffered superficial wounds and temporary deafness.  The following morning, ordnance personnel attributed the second explosion to a delayed action bomb.

EVIDENCE OF RECORD:  The applicant’s military records show:

He was drafted into the Army on 11 May 1943.  He served in the European Theater of Operations from 3 May 1944 until 18 January 1946 with credit for being in the Normandy, Northern France and Central Europe campaigns.

Medical records are not available.  A VA document which the applicant has attached as supporting documentation states:  “Service medical records from the veteran’s first period of active duty are negative for history of acoustic trauma.”

Army Regulation 600-8-22 provides policy, criteria and administrative instructions concerning individual military decorations.  In pertinent part, it stated that a wound for which the award of the Purple Heart was made must have required treatment by a medical officer and records of medical treatment for wounds or injuries received in action must have been made a matter of official record.

While the applicant’s medical records are not available, evidence in the applicant’s VA records and a statement from the applicant himself show that he was not treated for his injuries.

DISCUSSION:  Considering all the evidence, allegations, and information presented by the applicant, together with the evidence of record, applicable law and regulations, it is concluded:

1.  In order to justify correction of a military record the applicant must show to the satisfaction of the Board, or it must otherwise satisfactorily appear, that the record is in error or unjust.  The applicant has failed to submit evidence that would satisfy the aforementioned requirement.
2.  The applicant’s statement itself verifies he did not meet the regulatory criteria for award of the Purple Heart.

3.  In view of the foregoing, there is no basis for granting the applicant’s request.

DETERMINATION:  The applicant has failed to submit sufficient relevant evidence to demonstrate the existence of probable error or injustice.

BOARD VOTE:

                       GRANT          

                       GRANT FORMAL HEARING

                       DENY APPLICATION

						Loren G. Harrell
						Director