MEMORANDUM OF CONSIDERATION

	IN THE CASE OF: 

	BOARD DATE:             18 August 1999                 
	DOCKET NUMBER:    AR1999017859

	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. Wanda L. Waller		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Mr. Raymond V. O’Connor, Jr.		Chairperson	
	Mr. Edward Williamson		Member	
	Ms. Sherri V. Ward 		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:  In effect, correction to item 32 (Battles and Campaigns) on his WD AGO Form 53-55 (Enlisted Record and Report of Separation) to show the “Asiatic-Pacific Theater Okinawa Campaign”.  He also requests award of the Combat Infantryman Badge.  

APPLICANT STATES:  In effect, that when he landed on Okinawa the “Japs” were bombing and “strafing” Kadena Air Field.  He contends that he was initially assigned to L Company, 17th Infantry Regiment, 7th Division, as a rifleman, and a few days later he was reassigned to Company K due to a man shortage.  He also contends that after several weeks he went to Korea and was given the military occupational specialty 345 (light truck driver) due to an injury to his left knee that existed prior to his entry into the Army.     

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

The applicant’s military records were destroyed or lost during the National Personnel Records Center fire of 1973.  Records available to the Board were obtained from alternate sources and show the applicant was inducted on
18 January 1945.  He served in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater of Operations from 
20 June 1945 to 2 October 1946 and was honorably discharged on 7 December 1946.

The applicant’s WD AGO Form 53-55, which was authenticated in his own hand, does not show the “Asiatic-Pacific Theater Okinawa Campaign” in item 32.  The WD AGO Form 53-55 does not show the Combat Infantryman Badge as an authorized award. 

Appendix B (Campaigns, Service Requirements, and Inscriptions Prescribed for Streamers) of Army Regulation 600-8-22 (Military Awards) does not list “Asiatic-Pacific Theater Okinawa Campaign” as an authorized World War II –
Asiatic-Pacific Theater campaign.  There is no evidence that the applicant received credit for any other campaign during World War II.  

Item 30 (Military Occupational Specialty and No.) of the applicant’s WD AGO Form 53-5 shows “Truck Driver Light (345)”.  The applicant’s Separation Qualification Record indicates that he served in military occupational specialty Rifleman (745) for 4 months.  However, the available records fail to show that he served in combat or received combat infantry pay.

War Department Circular 269-1943 established the Combat Infantryman Badge and the Expert Infantryman Badge to recognize and provide an incentive to infantrymen.  The Expert Infantryman Badge was to be awarded for attainment of certain proficiency standards or by satisfactory performance of duty in action against the enemy.  The Combat Infantryman Badge was awarded for exemplary conduct in action against the enemy.  War Department Circular 186-1944 further provided that the Combat Infantryman Badge was to be awarded only to infantrymen serving with infantry units of brigade, regimental or smaller size.  Additionally, World War II holders of the Combat Infantryman Badge received a monthly pay supplement known as combat infantry pay and holders of the Expert Infantryman Badge were entitled to expert infantry pay.  Therefore, soldiers had economic as well as intangible reasons to ensure that their records were correct. Thus, pay records are frequently the best available source to verify entitlement to this award.  The Awards Branch, Total Army Personnel Command, has advised in similar cases that, during World War II, the Combat Infantryman Badge was normally awarded only to enlisted individuals who served in the following positions:

    a.  Light machine gunner (604)
    b.  Heavy machine gunner (605)
    c.  Platoon sergeant (651)
    d.  Squad leader (653)
    e.  Rifleman (745)
    f.  Automatic rifleman (746)
    g.  Heavy weapons NCO (812)
    h.  Gun crewman (864)

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.  The governing regulation regarding campaign credit does not show the “Asiatic-Pacific Theater Okinawa Campaign” as an authorized campaign.  There is no indication the applicant received credit for any other campaigns.  Therefore, he is not entitled to correction of his records to show campaign credit.   

2.  Evidence of record shows the applicant served in military occupational specialty Rifleman (745) for four months during World War II.  However, there is no evidence of record available to the Board, and the applicant has provided no evidence, which shows he demonstrated exemplary conduct in action against the enemy or received combat infantry pay during World War II.  Therefore, he is not entitled to award of the Combat Infantryman Badge.

3.  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.

4.  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

RVO____  EW_____  SVW____  DENY APPLICATION

						Loren G. Harrell
						Director

INDEX

CASE ID	AR1999017859	
SUFFIX		
RECON		
DATE BOARDED	19990818	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE	(HD)	
DATE OF DISCHARGE	19461207	
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY	AR 615-365   	
DISCHARGE REASON	Convenience of the Government (RR I-I Demobilization).	
BOARD DECISION	(DENY)	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1.	107.0111	
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.