PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:  

	BOARD DATE:                 15 August 2000
	DOCKET NUMBER:        AR2000036153

	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. Joyce A. Wright		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Mr. Thomas D. Howard, Jr.		Chairperson	
	Mr. Arthur A. Omartian		Member	
	Ms. Gail J. Wire		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 DD Form 215 (Correction to DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) to show award of the Bronze Star Medal, the French Fourragere and a bronze service star for the Battle of Lorraine.

3.  The applicant states, in effect, that he is entitled to correction of his records to show the aforementioned awards.  In support of his application he submits a copy of his WD AGO Form 53-55 (Enlisted Record and Report of Separation),
an award certificate for the Bronze Star Medal, a copy of a DA Form 1577 (Authorization for Issuance of Awards) and several documents pertaining to the history of the 104th Infantry Regiment.

4.  The applicant's military records were lost or destroyed in the National Personnel Records Center fire of 1973.  Records available to the Board were obtained from alternate sources and show he was inducted on 10 May 1944 as a rifleman (745).  He served in the European-African-Middle Eastern Theater of Operations from 2 November 1944 to 21 April 1945 and was honorably discharged on 10 May 1946.

5.  The applicant’s discharge document shows he was awarded the World War II Victory Medal, the American Theater Campaign Medal, the Purple Heart, the European-African-Middle Eastern Theater Medal and the Combat Infantryman Badge.  His discharge document does not show the Bronze Star Medal, the French Fourragere or any bronze service stars.

6.  The applicant provided a copy of an award certificate, which shows that he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for meritorious achievement in ground combat against the armed enemy during World War II in the European-African-Middle Eastern Theater of Operations. 

7.  A DA Form 1577 (Authorization for Issuance of Awards), dated 12 January 1978, shows the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis, Missouri, determined the applicant was entitled to the Bronze Star Medal based on award of the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Good Conduct Medal, the Marksman Marksmanship Badge with Rifle Bar and the French Croix de Guerre.

8.  The available records failed to show that the applicant’s unit (104th Infantry Regiment, 26th Infantry Division) had been cited twice for award of the French Croix de Guerre which is a requirement for award of the French Fourragere 
by the French Government.

9.  Department of the Army Pamphlet 672-1, Unit Citation and Campaign Participation Credit Register, dated 6 July 1961, shows, among other information, unit awards authorized for units which served during World War II.  This document shows the unit to which the applicant was assigned, the 104th Infantry Regiment, 26th Infantry Division, received the French Croix de Guerre (embroidered LORRAINE) for actions during the period 8 November 1944 to 11 December 1944 by Department of the Army General Order 43, dated 1950.

10.  Department of the Army Pamphlet 672-1, Unit Citation and Campaign Participation Credit Register, dated 6 July 1961, also shows the applicant’s unit was cited for the Citation in the Order of the Day of the Belgian Army during the period 20 December 1944 to 26 January 1945.  His unit was cited for this unit award by the Department of the Army General Order 43, dated 1950.

11.  The applicant provided a copy of a Department of the Army General Orders Number 24, dated 10 December 1947, which show that the applicant’s unit, 104th Infantry Regiment, 26th Infantry Division was awarded the Belgian Croix de Guerre for actions from 20 December 1944 to 26 January 1945.

12.  The applicant’s WD AGO Form 53-55 shows that he served in the European-African-Middle Eastern Theater of Operations and participated in the Rhineland Campaign.  The Board notes that he is entitled to credit for participation in the Ardennes-Alsace Campaign, which occurred from 16 December 1944 to 25 January 1945 and the Central Europe Campaign, which occurred from 22 March 1945 to 11 May 1945.

13.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 (Military Awards) provides for award of the French Fourragere as an approved foreign unit award.  The French Fourragere may be awarded by the French Government when a unit has been cited twice for award of the French Croix de Guerre.  When a unit is cited twice for the Croix de Guerre, then the colors of the fourragere are red and green.  When a unit is cited four times, the colors of the fourragere are yellow and green.  Award of the fourragere is not automatic and requires a decree by the French Government, and persons who were only in one action are not authorized to wear the fourragere.  

14.  In a 28 March 1983 letter, the U.S. Army Military Personnel Center published the policy regarding awards of the French Croix de Guerre to U.S. Army veterans who had served in World War I and World War II.  Essentially, this guidance states that there is no individual emblem presented to or worn by Army soldiers who were in a unit cited by the French Government for the Croix de Guerre.  Thus, former members of any American units which appear in Department of the 

Army Pamphlet 672-1 (Unit Citation and Campaign Credit Register) are not authorized an individual device.  This is also true of the Belgian Citation in the Order of the Day and the Netherlands Military Order of William.  As a result, the only European foreign unit awards which a former Army service member may wear are the French Fourragere, the Belgian Fourragere and the Netherlands Orange Lanyard.

15.  Army Regulation 600-8-22, provides, in pertinent part, that the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal is awarded for service within the European-African-Middle Eastern Theater between 7 December 1941 and 8 November 1945.  This medal is awarded to any service member who was permanently assigned in the theater, who was in a passenger status or on temporary duty for 30 consecutive days or 60 nonconsecutive days, or who was 
in active combat against the enemy and was awarded a combat decoration, or who was furnished a certificate by the commanding general of a corps or higher unit or independent force showing that he actually participated in combat.

16.  Army Regulation 600-8-22, in pertinent part, authorizes award of a bronze service star, based on qualifying service, for each campaign listed in Appendix B of this regulation or in item 32 (Battles and Campaigns) of his WD AGO 53-55.
The Regulation also states authorized bronze service stars will be worn on the appropriate service or campaign medal and that one silver service star will be awarded in lieu of five bronze service stars.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The applicant was awarded the Bronze Star Medal based on award of the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Good Conduct Medal, the Marksman Marksmanship Badge with Rifle Bar and the French Croix de Guerre; therefore, he is entitled to correction of his records to show these awards.

2.  There is no evidence in the available records that shows the applicant’s
unit was cited twice for award of the French Croix de Guerre.  Therefore, he is not entitled to correction of his records to show the French Fourragere.

3.  The applicant’s unit received the Citation in the Order of the Day of the Belgian Army which resulted in award of the Belgian Croix de Guerre to his unit.
Therefore he is entitled to correction of his records to show award of the Belgian Croix de Guerre.

4.  The applicant served in the Ardennes-Alsace and Central Europe Campaigns. Therefore, he is entitled to two additional bronze service stars for a total of three bronze service stars to be worn on his European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal.  He is also entitled to correction of item 32 (Battles and Campaign) of his WD AGO Form 53-55 to show the Ardennes-Alsace and Central Europe Campaigns.

5.  In view of the foregoing findings and conclusions, it would be appropriate to correct the applicant’s record, but only as recommended below.

RECOMMENDATION:

1.  That all of the Department of the Army records related to this case be corrected by showing in item 33 (Awards and Decorations) of his WD AGO 
53-55 that the individual concerned was awarded the Bronze Star Medal based on award of the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Marksman Marksmanship Badge with Rifle Bar, the French Croix De Guerre, the Belgian Croix de Guerre, the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with three bronze service stars and by showing in item 32 (Battles and Campaigns) that he participated in the Ardennes-Alsace and Central Europe Campaigns.

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

BOARD VOTE:  

TDH____  AAO_____  GJW____  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		THOMAS D. HOWARD, JR._____
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2000036153	
SUFFIX		
RECON	YYYYMMDD	
DATE BOARDED	20000815	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE	HD	
DATE OF DISCHARGE	19460510	
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY	AR . . . . .  	
DISCHARGE REASON		
BOARD DECISION	GRANT	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1.  60		
2.  102		
3.  46		
4.		
5.		
6.