PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF: 

	BOARD DATE:                 19 August 1999
	DOCKET NUMBER:        AR1999017730

	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. Calvin M. Fowler		Chairperson	
	Ms. Celia L. Adolphi		Member	
	Mr. Melvin H. Meyer		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, in effect, that his WD AGO Form 53-55 (Enlisted Record and Report of Separation) be corrected to show that he was awarded the Prisoner of War (POW) Medal.

3.  The applicant states, in effect, that his WD AGO Form 53-55 does not show the award of the POW Medal.  He also states that he was captured on 6 December 1942 in Tunis, North Africa, and was freed by Russians in June 1945 in Berlin, Germany.

4.  The applicant’s military records were lost or destroyed in the National Personnel Records Center fire of 1973.  Records available to the Board were obtained from alternate sources and show he was inducted on 7 October 1940
as a light truck driver.  He served in the European-African-Middle Eastern Theater of Operations and was honorably discharged on 9 September 1945.

5.  The applicant’s WD AGO Form 53-55 shows he was awarded the American Defense Service Medal, the European-African-Middle-Eastern Theater Campaign Medal with two bronze service stars, the Good Conduct Medal, the Distinguished Unit Badge and the World War II Victory Medal.  His discharge document does not show the POW Medal as an authorized award.

6.  A DA Form 1577 (Authorization for Issuance of Awards), dated 6 July 1988, shows the Army Reserve Personnel Center in St. Louis, Missouri, determined the applicant was entitled to the Prisoner of War (POW) Medal.

7.  Army Regulation 600-8-22, in pertinent paragraph, for award of the POW Medal.  The regulation states that the POW Medal was authorized on 8 November 1985 and is awarded to individuals who in past armed conflicts were taken prisoner or held captive.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The applicant was awarded the POW Medal; therefore, he is entitled to
correction of his records to show the POW Medal.

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 33 (Decorations and Citations) of his WD AGO Form 53-55 that he was awarded the Prisoner of War (POW) Medal.

BOARD VOTE:  

CMF____  CLA_____  MHM___  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		Calvin M. Fowler______
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR1999017730	
SUFFIX		
RECON	YYYYMMDD	
DATE BOARDED	19990819	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE	HD	
DATE OF DISCHARGE	19450909	
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY	AR . . . . .  	
DISCHARGE REASON		
BOARD DECISION	GRANT	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1.  75		
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.