PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:      

	BOARD DATE:            23 June 1999                  
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR1999015767

	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. Kenneth Aucock		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Ms. Margaret K. Patterson		Chairperson	
	Mr. Gary F. Geraets		Member	
	Mr. Lester Echols		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 discharge document (WD AGO Form 53-55) show that he was he was a combat platoon guide infantryman and was awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB).

3.  The applicant states that the war department form does not truly reflect his military service.  He was an infantryman assigned to the 9th Infantry Division from 20 January 1941 to approximately 26 March 1943, during which time he was awarded the CIB.  He states that he was with K Company, of the 3d Battalion, 60th Infantry Regiment in Maknassy, Tunisia, at which time he was evacuated, and spent some time in Mostaganem, Algeria; after which, he was assigned to the 2624th Signal Regiment Headquarters. 

4.  The applicant’s military records show that he was inducted into the Army on   14 January 1941.  His discharge document (WD AGO Form 53-55) shows that he served in the European Theater of Operations from November 1942 to July 1945, for a total of over 2 years and 8 months.  He was awarded the European African Middle Eastern Service Medal, participating in four campaigns, the American Defense Service Medal, and the Good Conduct Medal.  His rank at the time of his separation was Staff Sergeant.  His military occupational specialty as shown in block 30 of that form is, “Installer Repairman T & T 097”.  His unit at the immediately prior to his separation was the 2698th Tech Sup Regt.  His arm (branch) was Infantry.  That form does not show award of the CIB.  He was separated at Fort Dix, New Jersey on 23 July 1945.

5.  Medical records in March of 1943 show that he was a Sergeant assigned to      K Company of the 60th Infantry Regiment and was treated for neurosis which he incurred in battle on or about 1700 hours on 25 March 1943 east of Maknassy, Tunisia.  He was evacuated to a hospital on 28 March 1943.

6.  The applicant’s separation qualification record (WD AGO Form 100), shows that he completed basic training as an infantryman, that he had duties as a Sergeant, rifleman, for 1 year and 6 months (MOS 745), as an ammunition NCO for 8 months, as an installer and repairman tel and tel for 1 year and 6 months, and as a labor foreman for 7 months. 

7.  The applicant’s War Department Form 372A (Final payment – Work Sheet) shows that he received combat infantry pay from 1 January 1944 to 23 July 1945 in the amount of $187.67.  

8.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 prescribes Army policy and procedures concerning awards.  Paragraph 8-6 provides for award of the CIB.  That paragraph states that there are basically three requirements for award of the CIB.  The soldier must be an infantryman satisfactorily performing infantry duties, he must be assigned to an infantry unit during such time as the unit is engaged in active ground combat, and he must actively participate in such ground combat.

9.  The aforementioned regulation also provides, in pertinent part, that
World War II holders of the Combat Infantryman Badge are entitled to an award of the Bronze Star Medal.

10.  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 personnel who served in certain positions, one of which was as a rifleman (MOS 745).

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The applicant was an infantryman who served in an infantry company in combat during World War II.  He is entitled to award of the Combat Infantryman Badge and by virtue of that award, the Bronze Star Medal.  His separation document should reflect this.

2.  His separation document showing that he was an installer repairman T & T (telephone and telegraph), MOS 097, is considered correct.  The Board notes that the applicant had duties in four different specialties during his Army service, and that the duty indicated on his separation document may well have been his latest duty with the unit indicated, the 2098th Tech Sup Regt.  There is simply not enough room on this form to include all the applicant’s military duties.  

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 showing that the applicant was awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge and the Bronze Star Medal. 

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

BOARD VOTE:  

__mkp___  __gfg___  ___le___  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		______________________
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR1999015767	
SUFFIX		
RECON	YYYYMMDD	
DATE BOARDED	19990623	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE	(HD, GD, UOTHC, UD, BCD, DD, UNCHAR)	
DATE OF DISCHARGE	YYYYMMDD	
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY	AR . . . . .  	
DISCHARGE REASON		
BOARD DECISION	(GRANT)	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1. 107.00		
2.  110.00		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.