PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF: 

	BOARD DATE:            26 May 1999                  
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR1999015838

	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:

	Mr. Mark D. Manning		Chairperson	
	Mr. Arthur A. Omartian		Member	
	Ms. Barbara J. Ellis		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 awards as a result of his service during World War II. 

3.  The applicant states that his separation document shows that he was in the Southwest Pacific in June 1943, and he should be awarded the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal. 
 
4.  The applicant’s military records were lost or destroyed in the National Personnel Records Center fire of 1973.  Information herein was obtained from reconstructed personnel records.

5.  The applicant was inducted into the Army on 3 March 1942 at Fort Dix, New Jersey, arrived in the Southwest Pacific in June 1943, departed on                      1 December 1944 and arrived in the United States on 21 December 1944.  His enlisted record shows that he was honorably discharged in the rank of Sergeant at the Ashford General Hospital in West Virginia on 13 January 1945.  His physical condition at the time of his discharge was poor.  That record has the word, “Unknown”, typed in the space reserved for Decorations, service medals, citations.  His unit as listed on his discharge certificate is Company K, 130th Infantry.    

6.  On 15 January 1945 the VA awarded the applicant a pension of $34.50 because of his service connected disability – bronchial asthma.

7.  In a 13 January 1995 letter the applicant stated that when he left New Guinea on a hospital ship, his records were not with him.  He was discharged at Ashford General Hospital and his records never did catch up with him.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The applicant served in the Southwest Pacific during World War II as evidenced by his record.  That he served in New Guinea is credible because of the context of his statement concerning his records.  The campaign in New Guinea lasted from 24 January 1943 through 31 December 1944.  Consequently, he is authorized the award of the Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal with one bronze service star; and the World War II Victory Medal, by virtue of his service during the war.    

2.  The applicant’s service was honorable.  He is entitled to award of the Army Good Conduct Medal.

3.  The 130th Infantry Regiment was awarded the Philippine Presidential Unit Citation for the period 17 October 1944 to 4 July 1945.  Although there is no absolute proof that he was with the 130th during that period, it is probable that he was assigned to that unit during his service in the Southwest Pacific, especially in view of the fact that his unit during the latter part of 1944 was Company K of the 130th Infantry Regiment.  Therefore, the Board believes that he is entitled to award of the Philippine Presidential Unit Citation based on his assignment to the 130th Infantry Regiment during the period in which that unit was cited. 

4.  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 that the applicant was awarded the Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal with one bronze service star, the World War II Victory Medal, the Army Good Conduct Medal, and the Philippine Presidential Unit Citation.

NOTE:  Coordination with the ARBA Support Division at St. Louis indicated that there is possibly no record to correct since the applicant does not have a         WD AGO Form 53-55 (Discharge record), and that office cannot create a discharge document; however, it can request that the applicant be issued the aforementioned medals and decorations.

BOARD VOTE:  

__mdm__  __aao___  ___bje__  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		______________________
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR1999015838	
SUFFIX		
RECON	YYYYMMDD	
DATE BOARDED	19990526	
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.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.