PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF: 

	BOARD DATE:            14 October 1998                  
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AC98-10333

	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. Wanda L. Waller		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Mr. John N. Slone		Chairperson	
	Mr. Ernest M. Willcher		Member	
	Mr. Robert W. Garrett		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 the Bronze Star Medal (BSM).

3.  The applicant states the BSM was omitted from his WD AGO Form 53-55 (Enlisted Record and Report of Separation).

4.  The applicant’s military records were destroyed or lost during the National Personnel Records Center fire of 1973.  Records available to the Board were obtained from alternate sources and show he was inducted on 25 February 1941.  He served in the European-African-Middle Eastern Theater from
29 January 1944 through 29 October 1945 and was separated with an honorable discharge on 12 November 1945.  The applicant’s WD AGO Form 53-55 does not show the BSM as an authorized award.

5.  War Department, Letter Orders, dated 18 June 1948, show that the applicant was awarded the BSM.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The applicant was awarded the BSM; therefore, he is entitled to 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 BSM.

BOARD VOTE:  

JNS_____  EMW___  RWG____  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		______________________
		        CHAIRPERSON