PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF: 

	BOARD DATE:                22 September 1999
	DOCKET NUMBER:        AR1999024558

	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. Hubert S. Shaw, Jr. .		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Ms. Margaret K. Patterson		Chairperson	
	Mr. Curtis L. Greenway		Member	
	Mr. John P. Infante		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 award of the Bronze Star Medal based on award of the Combat Medical Badge.

3.  The applicant states that he was awarded the Combat Medical Badge.

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 23 October 1942. He completed medical training served in the European Theater of Operations from 7 February 1945 to 26 January 1946.  The applicant was honorably discharged on 11 February 1946.

5.  The applicant’s WD AGO Form 53-55 (Enlisted Record and Report of Separation) does not show the Bronze Star Medal as an authorized award.  His discharge document does show in item 31 (Military Qualification and Date) the entry “Medical Badge”.  The applicant’s discharge document confirms that he served in an infantry unit because it shows he was awarded the Silver Star in 1945 by 66th Infantry Division General Order Number 16. 

6.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 provides, in pertinent part, that the Combat Medical Badge is awarded to medical department personnel (colonel and below) who are assigned or attached to a medical unit of company or smaller size that is organic to an infantry unit of brigade, regimental or smaller size which is engaged in active ground combat.  Battle participation credit is not sufficient; the infantry unit must have been in contact with the enemy.

7.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 also provides, in pertinent part, that the Bronze Star Medal is awarded for heroism and for meritorious achievement or service in military operations against an armed enemy.  The Bronze Star Medal is authorized for each individual who was cited in orders or awarded a certificate for exemplary conduct in ground combat between 7 December 1941 and 2 September 1945 or whose achievement or service, during that period, was confirmed by documents executed prior to 1 July 1947.  An award of the Combat Infantryman Badge or the Combat Medical Badge is considered to be a citation in orders.  This means, in effect, that the Bronze Star Medal is to be awarded to individuals who were authorized either badge for service during World War II.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The applicant was awarded the Combat Medical Badge during World War II; Therefore, he is entitled to award of the Bronze Star Medal based on award of the Combat Medical Badge and correction of his records to show award of the Bronze Star 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 awarding the individual concerned the Bronze Star Medal based on award of the Combat Medical Badge and correcting his records to show award of the Bronze Star Medal.

BOARD VOTE:  

MKP____  CLG_____  JPI_____  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		Margaret K. Patterson_
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR1999024558	
SUFFIX		
RECON	YYYYMMDD	
DATE BOARDED	19990922	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE	HD	
DATE OF DISCHARGE	19460211	
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY	AR 615-365	
DISCHARGE REASON	DEMOBILIZATION	
BOARD DECISION	GRANT	
REVIEW AUTHORITY	MR HARRELL	
ISSUES         1.	107.00	
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.