MEMORANDUM OF CONSIDERATION

	IN THE CASE OF:       

	BOARD DATE:           10 February 1999
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AC98-12030
				   AR1999020821

	I certify that hereinafter is recorded the record of consideration 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. Patrick Bogenberger		Chairperson	
	Mr. Elzey J. Arledge, Jr.		Member	
	Mr. Gary F. Geraets		Member	

	The Board, established pursuant to authority contained in 10 U.S.C. 1552, convened at the call of the Chairperson on the above date.  In accordance with Army Regulation 15-185, the application and the available military records pertinent to the corrective action requested were reviewed to determine whether to authorize a formal hearing, recommend that the records be corrected without a formal hearing, or to deny the application without a formal hearing if it is determined that insufficient relevant evidence has been presented to demonstrate the existence of probable material error or injustice.

	The applicant requests correction of military records as stated in the application to the Board and as restated herein.

	The Board considered the following evidence:

	Exhibit A - Application for correction of military 
                records
	Exhibit B - Military Personnel Records (including
	            advisory opinion, if any)

APPLICANT REQUESTS:  Award of the Combat Infantryman Badge.

APPLICANT STATES:  That the Combat Infantryman Badge and the Bronze Star Medal are not on his final discharge paper.  He contends that he served in combat at the Battle of the Bulge, Ardennes, Rhineland and Central Europe.  In support of his application, he submits a letter with a unit roster attached from a retired Army officer who was a platoon leader in the same company as the applicant during World War II.  The retired officer was not the applicant’s platoon leader during the time in question.

EVIDENCE OF RECORD:  The applicant's military records were destroyed or lost 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 7 April 1943.  He served in the European Theater of Operations from 28 August 1944 to 12 August 1945.  The applicant was honorably discharged on 11 November 1945.

The applicant’s WD AGO Form 53-55 (Enlisted Record and Report of Separation), which is authenticated in his own hand, does not show the Combat Infantryman Badge or the Bronze Star Medal as an authorized awards.

Item 30 (Military Occupational Specialty and Number) of the applicant’s WD AGO Form 53-55 shows the entry “FIRE CONTROL OPERATOR RADIO TELEPHONE  599”.  Item 31 (Military Qualification) of this document shows the entry “EXPERT INFANTRYMANS BADGE”.

War Department Circular 269-1943 established the Combat Infantryman Badge and the Expert Infantryman Badge to recognize and provide an incentive to infantrymen.  The Expert Infantryman Badge was to be awarded for attainment of certain proficiency standards or by satisfactory performance of duty in action against the enemy.  The Combat Infantryman Badge was awarded for exemplary conduct in action against the enemy.  War Department Circular 186-1944 further provided that the Combat Infantryman Badge was to be awarded only to infantrymen serving with infantry units of brigade, regimental or smaller size.

Additionally, World War II holders of the Combat Infantryman Badge received a monthly pay supplement known as combat infantry pay and holders of the Expert Infantryman Badge were entitled to expert infantry pay.  Therefore, soldiers had economic as well as intangible reasons to ensure that their records were correct. 

The Awards Branch, Total Army Personnel Command, has advised in similar cases that, during World War II, the Combat Infantryman Badge was normally awarded to enlisted individuals who served in the following positions:

    a.  Light machine gunner (604)
    b.  Heavy machine gunner (605)
    c.  Platoon sergeant (651)
    d.  Squad leader (653)
    e.  Rifleman (745)
    f.  Automatic rifleman (746)
    g.  Heavy weapons NCO (812)
    h.  Gun crewman (864)

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.  As with all personal decorations, formal recommendations, approval through the chain of command, and announcement in orders are required.  Recommendations must be made within 2 years of the event or period of service and the award must be made within 3 years.  

The Bronze Star Medal is also 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 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 this badge for service during World War II.

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.  Evidence of record shows the applicant was awarded the Expert Infantryman Badge and the applicant served in MOS was 599 which was not one of the MOS’s which normally qualified for award of the Combat Infantryman Badge.  The Board notes that, during World War II, the Expert Infantryman Badge was awarded for “satisfactory performance of duty in action against the enemy.”

2.  There is no evidence of record available to the Board which shows the applicant was recommended for or awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge.  There also is no evidence of record which shows that the applicant was recommended for or was awarded the Bronze Star Medal.
3.  The Board notes the letter of support provided by the applicant.  However, this letter alone is not sufficient as a basis for award of the Combat Infantryman Badge, particularly in view of the evidence of record, including the applicant’s signature on his discharge document, which shows he was entitled to the Expert Infantryman Badge, not the Combat Infantryman Badge.

4.  There is no evidence of record which shows the applicant was recommended for or awarded the Bronze Star Medal.  The applicant is also not entitled to award of the Bronze Star Medal under the special provision of regulation which authorized award of this decoration to soldiers who were awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge or Combat Medical Badge during World War II.

5.  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.

6.  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

PB_____  EJA_____  GFG____  DENY APPLICATION

						Loren G. Harrell
						Director

INDEX

CASE ID	AC98-12030	
SUFFIX		
RECON	YYYYMMDD	
DATE BOARDED	19990210	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE	(HD, GD, UOTHC, UD, BCD, DD)	
DATE OF DISCHARGE	19451111	
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY	AR . . . . .  	
DISCHARGE REASON		
BOARD DECISION	DENY	
REVIEW AUTHORITY	MR HARRELL	
ISSUES         1.	107.00	
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.