MEMORANDUM OF CONSIDERATION

	IN THE CASE OF:        

	BOARD DATE:             10 June 1999                
	DOCKET NUMBER:     AR1999015014

	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	
	Ms. Joyce A. Wright		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Mr. Samuel A. Crumpler		Chairperson	
	Ms. Shirley L. Powell		Member	
	Mr. Elzey J. Arledge, Jr.		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 Purple Heart.

APPLICANT STATES:  In effect, that he was injured during a helicopter crash while serving in Vietnam and was not awarded the Purple Heart.  In support of his application he submits a copy of a DA Form 8-275-3 (Clinical Record Cover Sheet), a copy of Standard Form 502-107-02 (Narrative Summary) and a copy of a Clinical Record Cover Sheet.

EVIDENCE OF RECORD:  The applicant's military records show:

The applicant entered active duty on 8 April 1960 as a medical specialist.  He continued to serve until he was honorably released from active duty on 17 April 1962 and was transferred to the USAR.

After a break in service, he reenlisted on 21 August 1962 and continued to serve through a series of continuous reenlistment.  He was honorably released from active duty and placed on the Army of the United States Retired List effective 1 March 1987 in the pay grade of E-9/(Sergeant Major).

The applicant states that he was injured during a helicopter crash while serving in Vietnam.  He also states that there is no record or documentation to show that there was a crash or to show that his name was on the casualty list.

There is no record that the applicant was awarded the Purple Heart.  There also is no indication that he was wounded as a result of hostile action.

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.

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.  There is no evidence of record available to the Board, and the applicant has provided no evidence, which shows he was injured or wounded due to hostile action while serving in Vietnam.  Therefore, he is not entitled to the award of the Purple Heart.

2.  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.  
3.  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

SAC____  SLP_____  EJA____  DENY APPLICATION

						Loren G. Harrell
						Director

INDEX

CASE ID	AR1999015014	
SUFFIX		
RECON	YYYYMMDD	
DATE BOARDED	19990610	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE	HD	
DATE OF DISCHARGE	19870228	
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY	AR 600-8-22 	
DISCHARGE REASON		
BOARD DECISION	GRANT	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1. 61		
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.