PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:       

	BOARD DATE:           24 February 2000                  
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR1999027518

	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. Kenneth H. Aucock		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.  In effect, the applicant requests that the record of her father, a deceased former serviceman (FSM), reflect service in France during World War I, and show that he received marksmanship training as part of his artillery training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. 

3.  The applicant states that her father’s enlistment record, which shows that he did not participate in any campaigns or battles during World War I, is incorrect.  His soldier’s pay book, given only to troops serving with the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) attests to his service in France.  Her father left the United States for England, and thence to France on 13 July 1918, arriving approximately on 29 or 30 July.  His diary gives an account of his activities from the time he left until his return to the United States around 19 June 1919.  She would like some official verification that her father fought on French soil in World War I so she can contact the French Embassy for a much deserved, but belated National Order of the Legion of Honor.

4.  The military records of the deceased FSM were lost or destroyed in the National Personnel Records Center fire of 1973.  Information herein was obtained from reconstructed personnel records, and records provided by the applicant.

5.  The former serviceman’s (FSM) death certificate shows that he was born in Austria on 5 January 1883.  A certificate of naturalization shows that he became a naturalized citizen of the United States on 4 June 1918 while assigned to Fort Sill, Oklahoma.  His enlistment record shows he entered the Army on                 16 June 1917 and that he had not engaged in any battles, engagements, skirmishes, or expeditions.  That record shows that he was not a mounted soldier.  It does show service in the AEF  from 14 July 1918 to 19 July 1919.  

5.  The copy of the diary, submitted by the applicant, indicates that the FSM sailed from Hoboken, New Jersey, on 13 July 1918, arrived in England on the 26th, where he stayed for two days, and then crossed the English channel for France, arriving at La Havre.  From there he went to various locations in France, and received training.  His unit lost about 300 men to sickness.  His unit loaded on a train for somewhere where they fired their first shot, firing on Metz for three days, then did some awful fighting in the Argonne and helped break the Hindenburg line.  He then fought some around Verdun before the armistice was signed.  After the armistice was signed he traveled back through the Argonne woods, staying in various locations in France before sailing from Brest to the United States, arriving on 18 June 1919.  

6.  An individual pay record book shows that his pay book was opened on           1 October 1918, that he enlisted in the Army on 16 June 1917, and that he was assigned to Battery F, 3d Field Artillery.   

7.  The FSM was discharged on 26 June 1919 at Camp Dix, New Jersey.

8.  The World War I Victory Medal is awarded for service between 6 April 1917 and 11 November 1918.  Battle clasps, service clasps, and service stars are authorized appurtenances to be worn on the medal.  The World War I Victory Medal battle clasps with the name of the campaign and with a star at each end of the inscription are worn on the suspension ribbon of the medal.  The Meuse-Argonne is one of the designated campaigns.  The World War I Victory Medal service clasp is a bronze bar with the name of the country which the service was performed inscribed thereon, i.e., France.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The marksmanship training of the FSM cannot be verified.  There is unfortunately no evidence or record to indicate weapons or gunnery qualification. Consequently, the applicant’s request to show that her father received such training cannot be granted.

2.  The applicant’s father did serve in the AEF during World War I as evidenced by his enlistment record.  His diary is convincing.  Consequently, it is believed, based on his account, that he participated in the Meuse-Argonne campaign (the dates of the campaign are from 26 September to 11 November 1918).

3.  Thus, the record of the FSM should reflect award of the World War I Victory Medal with the Meuse-Argonne battle clasp and the France service clasp.   

4.  In view of the foregoing, the records of the FSM should be corrected as recommended below.

RECOMMENDATION:

1.  That all of the Department of the Army records related to this case be corrected by showing that the FSM participated in the Meuse-Argonne campaign during World War I and was awarded the World War I Victory Medal with the Meuse-Argonne battle clasp and the France service clasp.  

2.  That so much of the application as is in excess of the foregoing be denied.

BOARD VOTE:  

___cla___  ___jph__  ___mvt__  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		______________________
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR1999027518	
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	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1.  1021	100.00	
2.	107.00	
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.