PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF: 

	BOARD DATE:               25 November 1998
	DOCKET NUMBER:      AC98-11993

	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. James E. Vick 		Chairperson	
	Mr. John N. Slone		Member	
	Mr. Raymond V. O’Connor, Jr.		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 correction of his records to show award of the Prisoner of War (POW) Medal.

3.  The applicant states he was a POW from 24 September 1944 to 10 May 1945.

4.  The applicant’s military records were lost or destroyed in the National Personnel Records Center fire of 1973.  Records available to the Board were obtained from alternate sources and show the applicant entered active duty on 26 September 1940, served in the European-African-Middle Eastern Theater of Operations from 27 June 1944 to 30 June 1945.  The applicant was honorably discharged from active duty on 16 September 1945.  He later served two additional periods of active ending in an honorable discharge on 16 September 1949.

5.  The applicant’s WD AGO Form 53-55 (Enlisted Record and Report of Separation) does not show the POW Medal as an authorized award.  The Board notes the applicant is entitled to award of the Bronze Star Medal based on award of the Combat Infantryman Badge which is not shown on his discharge document. 

6.  Evidence of record shows the applicant was a POW of Germany from 24 September 1944 to 10 May 1945.  He was a member of the 401st Glider Infantry Battalion at the time of his capture.

7.  The applicant’s records show that he was awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge during his service in World War II.

8.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 provides, in pertinent part, for award of the POW Medal.  The regulation states that the POW Medal was authorized on 8 November 1985 and is awarded to individuals who in past armed conflicts were taken prisoner or held captive. 

9.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 also provides, in pertinent part, that the Bronze Star Medal is awarded for heroism and for meritorious achievement or service in military operations against an armed enemy.  The Bronze Star Medal is authorized for each individual who was cited in orders or awarded a certificate for exemplary conduct in ground combat between 7 December 1941 and 2 September 1945 or whose achievement or service, during that period, was confirmed by documents executed prior to 1 July 1947.  An award of the Combat Infantryman Badge or the Combat Medical Badge is considered to be a citation in orders.  This means, in effect, that the Bronze Star Medal is to be awarded to individuals who were authorized either badge for service during World War II.

10.  Army Regulation 635-5 establishes the standardized policy for preparing and distributing discharge documents.  In pertinent part, it directs that, in the case of prisoners of war, the unit of assignment, country and dates of capture and release will be entered in the “Remarks” section of the discharge document.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The applicant was a POW; therefore, he is entitled to correction of his records to show the POW Medal and correction of item 55 (Remarks) of his WD AGO 55-53 to show his POW status.

2.  The applicant was awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge during World War II; therefore, he is entitled to award of the Bronze Star Medal based on award of the Combat Infantryman Badge. 

3.  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: 

a.  by showing the individual concerned was awarded the POW Medal and the Bronze Star Medal based on award of the Combat Infantryman Badge; and

	b.  by showing in item 55 of his WD AGO 53-55 the entry “Prisoner of War, 401st Glider Infantry Battalion, Germany, 440924-450510“.
 
BOARD VOTE:  

JEV_____  JNS____  RVO____  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		______________________
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AC98-11993/AR1998912319	
SUFFIX		
RECON	YYYYMMDD	
DATE BOARDED	19981125	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE	(HD, GD, UOTHC, UD, BCD, DD)	
DATE OF DISCHARGE	YYYYMMDD	
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY	AR . . . . .  	
DISCHARGE REASON		
BOARD DECISION	GRANT PLUS	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1.	107.00	
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.