PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:       

	BOARD DATE:            13 June 2000
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR2000035243

	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. Carl W. S. Chun		Director	
	Mr. Joseph A. Adriance		Analyst	

The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Ms. Elizabeth Buchanon		Chairperson	
	Mr. John H. Kern		Member	
	Ms. Barbara J. Ellis		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, in effect, that the unit listed on his separation documents be corrected. 

3.  The applicant states, in effect, in effect, that it would be appropriate to show his unit on his separation documents as the 56th Military Police Company, which is the unit he served with in support of the action in the Po Valley and in which he was serving when the German Army surrendered in Italy in 1945.  He indicates that he served in the 56th MP Company while serving in combat in the European Theater of Operations (ETO and that the unit listed on his separation document was just a unit he was attached to when he returned for discharge.  

4.  The applicant’s military records show that he was inducted into the Army of the United States on 25 February 1943 and that he served honorably until his discharge on 9 November 1945.  At the time of this discharge the applicant attained the rank of private first class in military occupational specialty 677 while performing duties as a military policeman.  

5.  The applicant’s War Department (WD) Adjutant General Office (AGO) Form 372 A (Final Payment Work Sheet) verifies that the applicant was assigned to the 56th MP Company during his service in the ETO.  This is the only unit listed on this form.  

6.  The record also contains a WD AGO Form 53-55 (Enlisted Record and Report of Separation-Honorable Discharge) which was issued to the applicant on 
9 November 1945, at Fort Meade, Maryland.  This document shows, in block 
6 (Organization) that the applicant was assigned to the 198th MP Company on the date of his discharge.  

7.  The applicant was honorably discharged on 7 November 1945 after completing 2 years and 5 days of foreign service in the ETO with the 56th MP Company and a total 2 years, 8 months, and 7 days of active military service. 

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  Although the applicant was technically assigned to the unit listed on his separation documents at the time of his discharge, the Board was persuaded, by the evidence of record and the independent evidence submitted by the applicant, that he performed the preponderance of his service during World War II with the 56th MP Company.  In addition, it appears that the unit listed on his separation document was where he was attached to complete administrative discharge processing. 

2.  Further, given the applicant’s emotional connection with the unit he served with in the ETO and his strong desire to have this codified in his records, the Board determined relief is warranted in this case.  Therefore, in the interest of equity and compassion, the Board concluded that it would be appropriate to change the unit of assignment on his separation documents to the 56th MP Company at this time.

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 by showing that individual concerned was a member of the 56th Military Police Company on the date he was discharged and by issuing him corrected separation documents that reflect this change.  

BOARD VOTE:  

___be___  __eb____  ___jhk___  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		___Elizabeth Buchanon___
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2000035243	
SUFFIX		
RECON		
DATE BOARDED	2000/06/13	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE	HD	
DATE OF DISCHARGE	1945/11/09	
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY	AR 615-365	
DISCHARGE REASON	Demobilization	
BOARD DECISION	GRANT	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1. 189	110.0000	
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.