PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF: 

	BOARD DATE:            13 July 2000      
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR2000035638

	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	
	Ms. Deborah L. Brantley		Senior Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Ms. Jennifer L. Prater		Chairperson	
	Mr. Melvin H. Meyer		Member	
	Mr. James E. Anderholm		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, award of the World War II Victory Medal and a “Mediterranean Occupation Medal.”  He states he was awarded the decorations while in “Leghorn, Italy” but they were never recorded on his “discharge document.”

3.  The applicant’s records were apparently lost or destroyed during the 1973 fire at the National Personnel Records Center.  Information contained herein was reconstructed entirely from the applicant’s WD AGO Form 53-55 (Enlisted Records and Report of Separation Honorable Discharge).

4.  The applicant entered active duty on 16 April 1946 and served in “Leghorn, Italy” from 1 December 1946 until 3 November 1947.  He was honorably discharged on 15 April 1949.  At the time of his separation he was assigned to the 104th Finance Disbursing Section at Fort Belvoir, Virginia.  His WD AGO Form 53-55 does not reflect any military decorations.

5.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 states that the World War II Victory Medal was awarded for service between 7 December 1941 and 31 December 1946, both dates inclusive.

6.  While there is no military decoration known as the “Mediterranean Occupation Medal” there is a decoration known as the Army of Occupation Medal.  Entitlement to the award, based on service in Italy, required service in Venezia Giulia E. Zara, the Province of Udine, or in specifically designated units in Italy between 9 May 1945 an 15 September 1947.

7.  A review of Department of the Army Pamphlet 672-1 (Unit Citation and Campaign Participation Credit Register) does not indicate the applicant’s unit (104th Finance Disbursing Section) was ever granted occupation credit.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The evidence confirms the applicant is entitled to the World War II Victory Medal based on his military service during the qualifying period.

2.  While the applicant was assigned to Italy he was not assigned to either Venezia Giulia E. Zara or the Province of Udine (both located in Northern Italy).  Additionally, based on the limited amount of information available to the Board it is impossible to determine if the applicant was assigned to any unit designated for receipt of the Army of Occupation Medal for service in Italy.  If he was assigned to the 104th Finance Disbursing Section while overseas that unit was not credited with occupation credit and as such there is no basis to award the applicant an Army of Occupation Medal.

3.  In view of the foregoing, the applicant’s records 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 individual concerned is entitled to a World War II Victory Medal.

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

BOARD VOTE:  

____jlp_  ___mhm__  __jea__  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		______________________
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2000035638	
SUFFIX		
RECON	YYYYMMDD	
DATE BOARDED	20000713	
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.	107.00	
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.