PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF: 

	BOARD DATE:                13 May 1999
	DOCKET NUMBER:        AR1999021922

	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. Joyce A. Wright		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Mr. Raymond V. O’Connor, Jr.		Chairperson	
	Mr. Samuel Calderon		Member	
	Mr. Kenneth Wright		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 that he be awarded the Purple Heart for wounds sustained while in combat.

3.  The applicant states that he was wounded in action and was never awarded the Purple Heart.  In support of his application he submits a copy of his DD Form 214 (Report of Separation from the Armed Forces of the United States).

4.  The applicant’s military records were destroyed in the National Personnel Records Center fire of 1973.  Records available to the Board were obtained from alternate sources and show that the applicant was inducted on 6 August 1952.  He served in Korea and was honorably discharged on 20 July 1954.

5.  The applicant’s DD Form 214 shows the applicant was awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Korean Service Medal with one bronze service star, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal and the Good Conduct Medal.  

6.  The applicant’s DD Form 214 does not show the Purple Heart as an authorized award.  Item 29 (Wounds Received as a result of action with Enemy Forces) of the applicant’s DD Form 214, which was authenticated in his own hand, shows the entry “15 June 53 Korea”.  There is no record that the applicant was awarded the Purple Heart.

7.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 provides, in pertinent part, that the Purple Heart is awarded for a wound sustained as a result of hostile action.  Substantiating evidence must be provided to verify that the wound was the result of hostile action, the wound must have required treatment, and the medical treatment must have been made a matter of official record.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  Evidence of record shows the applicant was wounded on 15 June 1953 while serving in Korea.  Therefore, he is entitled to the 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 in item 27 of his DD Form 214 that he was awarded the Purple Heart.
BOARD VOTE:  

RVO____  SC______  KW_____  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		Raymond V. O’Connor, Jr.
		CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR1999021922	
SUFFIX		
RECON	YYYYMMDD	
DATE BOARDED	19990513	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE	HD	
DATE OF DISCHARGE	19540720	
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY	AR 615-365	
DISCHARGE REASON		
BOARD DECISION	GRANT	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1. 107		
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.