PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:   

	BOARD DATE:            25 March 1999                  
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR1999023418

	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. Deborah L. Brantley		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Ms. Margaret K. Patterson		Chairperson	
	Mr. Elzey J. Arledge, Jr.		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 correction of his military records to reflect award of the Purple Heart.  He states, in effect, that he received a letter 1968 awarding him the Purple Heart in 1968 but the award was omitted from his separation document.

3.  Records available to the Board indicate the applicant entered active duty on 
14 July 1967 and was assigned to Vietnam as an infantryman (specialty 11B) in January 1969.  On 19 June 1968 he sustained a fragment wound to his right hand and head.  As a result of his injuries he was hospitalized and returned to the United States.  A 20 June 1968 letter from the 22nd Surgical Hospital in Vietnam confirms the applicant was awarded the Purple Heart.  Although the applicant’s record contains a copy of the award letter the records do not contain a copy of any award orders.

4.  In March 1969, nearly a year after the applicant departed Vietnam, he was awarded an Air Medal for meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight on 19 April 1968 while assigned to the 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment in Vietnam.

5.  On 9 November 1970 the applicant was administratively discharged under the provision of Army Regulation 635-200, Chapter 10 following several extended period of AWOL.  He received an undesirable discharge.  His 1970 separation document did not reflect entitlement to the Purple Heart, Air Medal or a Combat Infantryman Badge.

6.  In 1997 the applicant’s discharge was upgraded to a general discharge under a Department of Defense Special Discharge Review Program.  Although a new separation document was issued it still did not reflect entitlement to the aforementioned awards.

7.  There are basically three requirements for award of the Combat Infantryman Badge.  The soldier must be an infantryman (11 series specialty), assigned to an infantry unit during such time as the unit is engaged in active ground combat, and must have actively participated in such ground combat. 

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The evidence confirms the applicant was awarded the Purple Heart for wounds sustained on 19 June 1968 while in Vietnam and an Air Medal as a result of his meritorious achievement on 19 April 1968.  However, neither award was recorded on his separation document.

2.  The evidence also confirms the applicant met the requirements for award of the Combat Infantryman Badge and as such is entitled to have his records corrected accordingly.

3.  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

a.  by showing that the individual concerned was awarded the Purple Heart for wound sustained as a result of hostile action on 19 June 1968 while in Vietnam;

b.  by showing that he was awarded an Air Medal for his meritorious achievement on 19 April 1968; and

c.  by awarding him the Combat Infantryman Badge based on his service as an infantryman in Vietnam.

BOARD VOTE:  

__mkp___  __eja.__  __le_____  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		______________________
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR1999023418	
SUFFIX		
RECON	YYYYMMDD	
DATE BOARDED	19990325	
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.