PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:  

	BOARD DATE:            24 February 2000                  
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR1999026823

	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. W. E. Schnupp		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Ms. Celia L. Adolphi		Chairperson	
	Mr. James P. Huber		Member	
	Ms. Margaret V. Thompson		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 that he be issued a Purple Heart Medal and certificate.

3.  The applicant states that he was never issued a Purple Heart or a certificate.  In support of his request, he has provided a copy of his WD AGO Form 53-55, Enlisted Record and Report of Separation showing that he was wounded in action.

4.  The applicant’s military records were lost or destroyed in the 1973 fire at the National Personnel Records Center.  Information herein was derived from documentation provided by the applicant.

5.  The applicant’s WD AGO Form 53-55 shows that he was inducted on            18 September 1943, received training as a military policeman and served from April 1944 to April 1946 in the European Theater of Operations.  He was honorably discharged on 23 April 1946 in the grade of private first class.

6.  His awards include the Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB), the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, the World War II Victory Medal and the Honorable Service Lapel Button.

7.  The WD AGO Form 53-55 includes an entry in item 34 (wounds received in action) that the applicant was wounded on 10 July 1944.  The form does not indicate that he was awarded the Purple Heart.

8.  Army Regulation 600-8-22, Military Awards, authorized the American Campaign Medal to be awarded for service in the American Theater (outside the continental limits of the United States) between 7 December 1941 and 2 March 1946.

9.  Subsequent to the cessation of hostilities during World War II, the regulation governing the award of the Bronze Star Medal was changed, in part, to provide for the award of this decoration to those individuals who had been awarded the CIB or the Combat Medical Badge for meritorious achievement in ground combat against the armed enemy between 7 December 1941 and 2 September 1945

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  Based on the entry on his WD AGO Form 53-55 showing that he was wounded in action on 10 July 1944 the applicant is entitled to the Purple Heart.

2.  Furthermore, in view of his period of service in the European Theater of Operation from April 1944 to April 1946, he is also entitled to the American Campaign Medal.

3.  Finally, since the awards regulation provides for award of the Bronze Star Medal to soldier’s who were awarded the CIB the applicant is also entitled to that award.

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:

	a.  showing that the individual concerned was awarded the Bronze Star Medal (based on his award of the CIB), the American Campaign Medal and the Purple Heart for wounds received in combat on 10 July 1944; and

	b.  correcting his WD AGO Form 53-55 to reflect the aforementioned awards and issuing the awards and appropriate certificates to him.

BOARD VOTE:  

_cla ____  _jph_____  _mvt____  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		_Celia L. Adolphi____________
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR1999026823	
SUFFIX		
RECON	YYYYMMDD	
DATE BOARDED	20000224	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE	(HD, GD, UOTHC, UD, BCD, DD, UNCHAR)	
DATE OF DISCHARGE	YYYYMMDD	
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY	AR . . . . .  	
DISCHARGE REASON		
BOARD DECISION	(GRANT PLUS)	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1.  107.00		
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.