APPLICANT REQUESTS:  That his records be corrected to show he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal (BSM).

APPLICANT STATES:  In effect, that he received a verbal order from his commander while he was in the hospital that he was awarded the BSM.

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

He initially enlisted in the Regular Army on 28 July 1950.  He served in Vietnam from about March 1968 with the 554th Engineer Battalion, 20th Engineer Brigade until he was medically evacuated about September 1968.  He had been awarded the Army Commendation Medal and the Purple Heart for his Vietnam service.  He was medically retired on 24 November 1969.

There is no evidence in the applicant’s military records that he was awarded or recommended for the BSM.  Awards Branch, Total Army Personnel Command has no record of any orders from the 20th Engineer Brigade on file (the unit apparently never retired any of its award orders).

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.  

2.  The processing of this case has been hampered by the staleness of the claim.  In this regard, it would have been more appropriate for the applicant to have questioned his nonreceipt of this award at the time of his separation in 1969 when key personnel were available.

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