PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF: 

	BOARD DATE:  11 August 1999
	DOCKET NUMBER:  AR1998013496

	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. Rosa M. Chandler		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Mr. John H. Kern		Chairperson	
	Mr. Walter T. Morrison		Member	
	Mr. John P. Infante		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 Purple Heart and the Combat Infantry Badge (CIB).

3.  The applicant states in effect that he served in Korea with the 23rd Infantry Regiment, as an infantry soldier from July 1951-April 1952.   In October 1951, he was hit in both the arm and forehead by shrapnel while assigned to Heartbreak Ridge.  He is entitled to both the CIB and the Purple Heart.

4.  The applicant’s military records show he enlisted in the Regular Army on 
10 January 1951 and he completed basic and advanced individual training and was awarded MOS 745 (Heavy Weapons Infantryman).  He served in Korea from 8 July 1951- 31 March 1952.  He was honorably discharged on 12 January 1954.

5.  The applicant's DA Form 20 (Qualification Record - Enlisted Personnel), item 
46 (Record of Current Service) shows that he was assigned to Company C, 
23rd Infantry, 2d Infantry Division.  While assigned to this unit, he served as a rifleman in MOS 745 from 8 July-24 December 1951 and he served as a squad leader in MOS 745 from 25 December 1951-31 March 1952.

6.  According to the applicant's DD Form 214 (Report of Separation from the Armed Forces of the United States) his authorized awards are the Korean Service Medal with (one bronze service star), the United Nations Service Medal with (one overseas service bar) and the National Defense Service Medal.  It does not show the Purple Heart or the CIB as authorized awards.

7.  On 28 January 1992, the Army Personnel Records Center, St. Louis, authorized the applicant award of the Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation Badge.

8.  War Department Circular 269-1943 established the Combat Infantryman Badge to recognize and provide an incentive to infantrymen.  The 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.  The Awards Branch, Total Army Personnel Command, has advised in similar cases that the Combat Infantryman Badge was normally awarded only 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)

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  Evidence of record shows that the applicant served in the Korea in an Infantry MOS and in a combat unit.  It is reasonable to assume that he saw combat with this unit, therefore, he is entitled to award of the CIB and correction of his military record to show this award.

2.  The applicant is entitled to the CIB.

3.  There is no evidence available and the applicant has presented none that shows he is entitled to the Purple Heart.

4. In view of the foregoing, the applicant's records should be corrected, but only as recommended below.

RECOMMENDATION:

1.  That all of the Department of the Army records related to this case be corrected by showing that the individual concerned was awarded the CIB.

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

BOARD VOTE:

JHK_____  WTM____ JPI______  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		______________________
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR1998013496	
SUFFIX		
RECON	YYYYMMDD	
DATE BOARDED	19990811	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE	(HD)	
DATE OF DISCHARGE	19540112	
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY	AR 615-360 	
DISCHARGE REASON	Expiration Term of Service	
BOARD DECISION	(PARTIAL GRANT)	
REVIEW AUTHORITY	ASA	
ISSUES         1.	A92.03	
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.