PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:  

	BOARD DATE:            19 April 2000                  
	DOCKET NUMBER:    AR1999028244

	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:

	Mr. James P. Huber		Chairperson	
	Mr. Elzey J. Arledge, Jr.		Member	
	Mr. Van B. Cunningham		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 her husband’s, Enlisted Record and Report of Separation (WD AGO Form 53-55) be corrected to reflect all of his awards.

3.  The applicant states that her husband, the former service member (FSM), was awarded the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with           3 bronze battle stars, the Sharpshooter Badge, the Prisoner of War (POW) Medal and the Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB) which are not reflected on his report of separation.  She contends that the FSM was a POW from 30 January 1944 to     4 May 1945.

4.  In support of her request, she has provided a copy of the FSMs POW Medal application, his report of separation and a picture showing him wearing the CIB.

5.  The FSMs military records were lost or destroyed in the 1973 fire at the National Personnel Records Center.  Information herein was derived from available records created since the fire and from documents provided by the applicant.

6.  The FSM was inducted on 17 November 1942 and received training as an infantry automatic rifleman.  He served with Company C of the 3rd Ranger Battalion in the European Theater of Operations from May 1943 to June 1945 and was a POW from 30 January 1944 until his release by American Troops on   4 May 1945.  He was honorably discharged at demobilization on 22 October 1945 in the grade of sergeant.  He passed away on 31 December 1949.

7.  Awards currently reflected on his WD AGO Form 53-55 include the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal (without bronze service stars, although the record shows he participated in the Sicily, Naples-Foggia and the Rome- Arno campaigns), the Distinguished Unit Citation, the Good Conduct Medal and the Sharpshooter Badge with rifle bar.

8.  On 22 October 1945 the FSM received his final military payment (indicated on War Department Form 372 A) which shows he received combat infantry pay for the month of March 1945.

9.  In October 1988 it was determined that the FSM was entitled to the POW Medal for his captivity during World War II and on 14 October 1988, he was issued the POW Medal.

10.  Army Regulation 600-8-22, Military Awards, provides that subsequent to the cessation of hostilities during World War II, the regulation governing the award of 

the Bronze Star Medal (BSM) 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.  

11.  The same regulation provides for the award of the American Campaign Medal for service in the American Theater between 7 December 1941 and 2 March 1946; and, the World War II Victory Medal for service between 7 December 1941 and 31 December 1946.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The FSMs WD AGO Form 53-55 already reflects that he was awarded the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal.  However, it does not show the 3 bronze service stars he is entitled to as a result of participating in the Sicily, Naples-Foggia and Rome–Arno campaigns.  It also shows that he was awarded the Sharpshooters Badge.

2.  Based on a determination made in October 1988, he is entitled to the POW Medal.

3.  The record shows that the FSM received combat infantry pay during his service which would indicate that he is probably entitled to the CIB.  That pay combined with the fact that he was an infantryman serving with a Ranger Battalion in combat and was captured by the enemy also makes a strong case for awarding him the CIB.

4.  Finally, he is entitled to the BSM based on having been awarded the CIB during his World War II service, and based on the period of his service, he is entitled to the American Campaign Medal and the World War II Victory Medal.

5.  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 is entitled to the following awards: the CIB, the BSM, the POW Medal, the American Campaign Medal, the World War II Victory Medal and the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with 3 bronze service stars;

	b.  issuing to the applicant a correction to the FSMs WD AGO Form 53-55 reflecting the aforementioned awards; and 

	c.  issuing to the applicant, on behalf of the FSM, the indicated awards.

BOARD VOTE:  

__jph  ___  _eja____  _vbc ____  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		__________James P. Huber_________
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR1999028244	
SUFFIX		
RECON	YYYYMMDD	
DATE BOARDED	20000419	
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.