PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF: 

	BOARD DATE:                2 December 1998
	DOCKET NUMBER:       AC98-11997

	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. Raymond V. O’Connor, Jr.		Chairperson	
	Mr. George D. Paxson		Member	
	Mr. John H. Kern		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, who is the next of kin (daughter) of a deceased former service member (FSM), requests correction of her father’s discharge to show he was a prisoner of war (POW) and to show he was awarded the Purple Heart.

3.  The applicant states her late father’s POW status and his Purple Heart were never put on his discharge.  In support of the application, she submits a copy of a 22 September 1945 War Department letter directing that the Purple Heart be engraved with the FSM’s name and be presented to him.

4.  The FSM’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 he was inducted on 14 January 1942.  He served in the European-African-Middle Eastern Theater of Operations from October 1944 through April 1945.  The FSM was honorably discharged on 27 October 1945.  

5.  The FSM’s WD AGO Form 53-55 (Enlisted Record and Report of Separation) does not show the Purple Heart as an authorized award.  However, a DD Form 215 (Correction to a Certificate of Release or Discharge) was issued on 19 August 1997 to amend the FSM’s discharge to show award of the POW Medal.  The Board notes the FSM was entitled to the World War II Victory Medal which is also not shown on his discharge document.

6.  Evidence of record shows the applicant received the Purple Heart for wounds sustained in the European Theater during World War II.

7.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 provides, in pertinent part, for award of the World War II Victory Medal.  It is awarded for service between 7 December 1941 and 31 December 1946, both dates inclusive.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The FSM was awarded the Purple Heart; therefore, the FSM is entitled to correction of his WD AGO 53-55 to show this award.

2.  The FSM’s records were corrected to show award of the POW Medal and the dates of his POW status; therefore, the record is correct as currently constituted  with regard to his POW status and will not be changed.

3.  The FSM was awarded the World War II Victory Medal; therefore, he is entitled to correction of his records to show this award.

4. In view of the foregoing findings and conclusions, it would be appropriate to correct the FSM’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 the FSM was awarded the Purple Heart and the World War II Victory Medal.

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

BOARD VOTE:  

RVO____  GDP_____  JHK____  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		______________________
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AC98-11997/AR1998013920	
SUFFIX		
RECON	YYYYMMDD	
DATE BOARDED	19981202	
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.