PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:    

	BOARD DATE:         17 March 1999                     
	DOCKET NUMBER: AR1999015297

	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. Gerald E. Vandenberg		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Mr. Ted S. Kanamine		Chairperson	
	Mr. Orville W. Troesch, Jr.		Member	
	Mr. James P. Steuve		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 his Report of Separation (DD Form 214) be corrected to show his correct social security number (SSN) and that he be issued a Bronze Star. 

3.  The applicant states that the SSN in the remarks section of his DD 214 is incorrect  and requests that the appropriate correction be made of this typographical error to show .  He also indicates that he was received the Bronze Star in the field while serving in Viet Nam and requests receipt of this medal.

4.  The applicant’s military records show that he served four years with the United States Marine Corps prior to enlisting in the Army on 14 August 1963.  His service included a tour in Viet Nam with the Company C, Second Battalion, 28th Infantry from 16 September 1965 to 25 July 1966.  The applicant was honorably discharged on 25 July 1966. 

5.  His records show that he is entitled to the Purple Heart, a Valorous Unit Emblem, the Vietnam Service Medal with three bronze service stars, the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Ribbon with device and the Expert Badge with rifle bar.  Additionally, the applicant is entitled to the following foreign awards, the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm Unit Citation Badge, and the Republic of Vietnam Actions Medal, Unit Citation Badge.

6.  The applicant’s insurance beneficiary information sheet, his Enlisted Qualification Card (DA Form 20) and his Service Record (DA Form 24) all show a SSN of .  His DD Form 214 shows a SSN of .

7.  A review the records for Company C, 2nd Battalion, 28th Infantry failed to show any orders for the Bronze Star Medal for the applicant.

8.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 provides that formal recommendations and approval in the chain of command are required for all decorations.  All awards, except basic marksmanship badges, must be announced or published in general or permanent orders.  In actual practice even basic marksmanship qualifications are announced in unit orders.

CONCLUSIONS:

1. The “Bronze Star” on the applicant’s DD Form 214 appears to relate to the bronze service star as indication of the number of campaigns the applicant participated in, not the award Bronze Star Medal.  A typographical error appears to have been by the omission of the word “with” following the notation on the record of the Vietnam Service Medal.  There is no indication that the applicant was recommended for or awarded the Bronze Star Medal.

2.  As all references to the applicant’s SSN, except the DD Form 214, shows the SSN of .  It is, therefore, reasonable to assume that a typographical error occurred in the completion of the DD Form 214 and it is appropriate to correct this error.

3.  In view of the foregoing, the applicant’s records should be corrected as recommended below.

RECOMMENDATION:

1.  That all of the Department of the Army records related to this case be corrected by 

a.  showing the correct Social Security Number for the individual concerned as ; and, 

b.  issuing the individual concerned a DD Form 215 (Correction to DD Form 214) reflecting the correct Social Security Number and the correction of his awards and decoration to indicate the Vietnam Service Medal with three bronze service stars. 

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

BOARD VOTE:  

___TSK_  ___OWT_  ___JPS__  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		__Ted S. Kanamine____________________
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR1999015297	
SUFFIX		
RECON		
DATE BOARDED	19990317	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE	HD	
DATE OF DISCHARGE		
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY		
DISCHARGE REASON		
BOARD DECISION	Grant partial	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1.	100.09/10	
2.	107.0014/60	
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.