PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF: 

	BOARD DATE:           17 August 2000                   
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR2000036528

	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. Robert J. McGowan		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Ms. Sherri V. Ward 		Chairperson	
	Mr. Melvin H. Meyer		Member	
	Ms. Linda D. Simmons 		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 his WD AGO 53-55, Enlisted Record and Report of Separation, be corrected by changing Item #6 (Organization) to "5th Company."

3.  The applicant states that he can find no record of the 10th Infantry and asks that he be provided information concerning the unit..

4.  The applicant's military records were lost or destroyed in the National Personnel Records Center fire of 1973.  Information herein was obtained from alternate sources.

5.  The applicant enlisted in the Regular Army on 22 March 1941 and was originally trained as an anti-aircraft artillery (AAA) gun crewman.  He served in the Continental United States until 11 August 1944 when he departed for the European Theater of Operations (ETO).

6.  Arriving in the ETO on 22 August 1944, the applicant was assigned to the 10th Infantry Regiment, 5th Infantry Division.  The 5th Infantry Division, the "Red Devils," was originally activated on 11 December 1917 to meet the needs of the expanding US Army for service in France during World War I.  The Division saw action in France from May through November 1918.  After the Armistice, the Division moved into Luxembourg on 27 November 1918 for occupation duty.  Six months later, in the summer of 1919, the 5th Infantry Division returned to the United States and was deactivated on 4 October 1921 at Camp Jackson, South Carolina.

     The 5th Division was reactivated 16 October 1939, at Fort McClellan, Alabama as a "triangular" division based on three infantry regiments - the 2nd, 10th and 11th Infantry Regiments - with an authorized strength of approximately 15,000 officers and men.  Immediately after reactivation, the division spent several months of intensive training which culminated in a series of maneuvers.  The Fifth went through further intensive training until the spring of 1940 when the various units returned to their home stations for a few months of garrison duty.

     In August 1940, the division again assembled at Camp McCoy, Wisconsin for field problems and weapons firing.  Following was another return to unit stations in preparation for final assembly at the division's new permanent station - Fort Custer, Michigan.  The first troops arrived at Fort Custer in mid-September.  By April 1941, the arrival of the first Selective Service draftees - 5,000 in number - brought the Division up to strength.  Two maneuvers were held in Tennessee and Louisiana during the spring and summer of 1941.  In August, a Regimental Combat Team, composed of the 10th Infantry Regiment, 46th Field Artillery Battalion, and supporting units was deployed to Iceland, arriving there on/about 16 September 1941.  The remainder of the Division deployed piecemeal, with the last units arriving on 16 May 1942.
     While in Iceland, the 5th Division performed arduous and monotonous duties comprised of manning observation posts, construction of roads and buildings, stevedoring, and maintaining training schedules.  Finally in August 1943, the Division moved from Iceland to Tidworth Barracks, England, then in October 1943, to Northern Ireland for advanced training for the invasion of France.  The 5th Division landed in France at Utah Beach in the St. Mere Eglise area on 9 July 1944.  It was assigned to the V Corps, First Army, and relieved the 1st Infantry Division in the Coumont area.  The division launched its first attack on the town of Vidouville, France on 26 July 1944.  Following the attack on Vidouville, the Division was assigned to the XXth Corps of the newly operational Third Army, commanded by Lieutenant General George S. Patton, Jr.  For the remainder of the war, the 5th Division remained in either the XIIth or XXth Corps of the Third Army.

     After the breakthrough at St. Lo, the 5th Division was ordered to the Vire River to seize bridgeheads across the Loire and Maine Rivers, and finally to capture the city of Angers.  The Division met only light resistance at the Maine and Loire Rivers and prepared for the assault on Angers.  The town fell quickly as many of the defenders had already withdrawn and the offensive was a success.  From Angers, the 5th Division moved to the Northwest and captured St. Calais and Chartes by 19 August 1944.

     The next objectives of the Red Devils were Etamps, south of Paris; Fountainbleau, sixty miles distant on the Seine River; and Montereau, seventy-two miles away.  Etamps fell to the 2nd Infantry Regiment on 22 August, and the 11th Infantry Regiment attacked and captured Fountainbleau.  The 10th Infantry Regiment attacked and captured the city of Montereau on 25 August 1944.

     Following these successes, the Division continued the drive eastward.  The 2nd Infantry Regiment crossed the Marne River and captured Reims on 29 August while the 11th Infantry Regiment was alerted for a move to Verdun on 31 August.  The 11th attacked and captured the city on 1 September.  In 27 days, the 5th Division had covered 700 miles and was poised to enter Germany; however, at Verdun, all forward advance was halted due to Third Army having run out of supplies.  A resupply of ammunition and gasoline was received on 6 September and Third Army continued its drive eastward. However, the lull in the activities during this short period enabled the Germans to halt their retreat and prepare a strong defensive line on the east side of the Moselle River.  The next 25 days saw the 5th Division work to establish a bridgehead across the Moselle.

     The 11th Infantry Regiment first made the attempt on 7 September 1944 at Dornot and, after a short advance, encountered 26 enemy counterattacks and suffered heavy casualties.  It was necessary to withdraw from the beachhead.  The attacking battalion, 2/11th Infantry, lost 50% of its force in the beachhead attempt.  The 10th Infantry Regiment then made a crossing several miles south of the initial crossing, near Arnaville and, joined by the 1/11 and 3/11 Infantry, spent 5 days repulsing the counterattacking enemy.  The bridgehead was finally secured on 15 September at a cost of 1400 casualties.

     The 5th Division was now at Metz, the gateway to the Siegfried Line.  The city was fortified by twenty-two forts assembled during the wars between France and Germany in 1870 and 1914.  The battle for the city of Metz continued through November and early December.  The attack began on November 9th against a determined enemy.  Some of the forts surrendered and others were by-passed.  The converging regiments of the Division finally closed in on the city forcing it to surrender on 21 November 1944.  Fort Driant, the last of the forts to surrender, fell to the 2nd Infantry Regiment on 8 December 1944.

     With Fort Driant's surrender, the Moselle Operation came to an end and the Division, although having suffered heavy losses, opened the road to the Saar River, the Siegfried Line and Germany.  The Third Army plan was to attack the Siegfried Line along the Saar River and drive eastward through the Saar Palatinate to the Rhine River and the 5th Division was in position to carry out the attack.  However, at 0530 hours on 6 December 1944, German forces began their famous counteroffensive in the Ardennes Forest of Luxembourg known as the "Battle of the Bulge."  They struck a sector known to be a quiet area with very little military activity.  The drive was along an 85-mile front from Echternach in the south to Monschau in the north.

     The Third Army received orders to provide relief by attacking the southern flank of the newly formed salient.  The 5th Division received orders to withdraw from its positions at Saarlautern and make the 100-mile move to the northwest on 20 December.  Moving through the bitter cold and snow of winter, the Division arrived in the Luxembourg City area within a 24-hour period and relieved the hard hit 4th Infantry Division.  The 5th was given the order to strike the south flank of the new "Bulge" and hurl the Germans back across the Sauer River in the Echternach area.  The Division's attack protected Luxembourg City and sent two German divisions into confusion.  In the process, they recaptured a great quantity of American equipment, captured 830 prisoners and wiped out the enemy threat to the southern flank of the salient.

     Moving north, the Division made a surprise crossing of the Sauer River near Diekirch, Luxembourg, on 18 January 1945.  By the end of the Bulge campaign, the Division had driven north to the Our River.  The next assignment for the 5th Division was to drive into Germany.  Acting as the spearhead of the XII Corps, the 5th moved across the Sauer River, breached the Siegfried Line, drove north to Bitburg and attacked eastward to the Rhine River.

     The next objective was Frankfurt-on-Main.  On 27 March 1945, the 5th Division entered the city over a bridge they had found still standing even though it was under intense artillery fire.  Advancing between artillery barrages on the bridge, the troops entered the city under heavy tank and sniper fire and cleared it of enemy troops within 4 days.  Shortly thereafter, on 7 April 1945, the 5th was ordered to move a hundred miles northward to join the First Army's III Corps to assist in reducing what became known as "The Ruhr Pocket", three trapped German divisions that were working their way back to Germany for the defense of the Homeland.  The 5th attacked the center of the "pocket" until all resistance ceased.  The Ruhr Pocket had the 5th occupied until 23 April when it was relieved and returned to XII Corps control.

     The next move for the Red Devils was to be a long one - 300 miles to the town of Regen, near a point where Germany, Austria and Czechoslovakia joined borders.  Arriving on 30 April, the Division was ordered to attack eastward into southern Czechoslovakia and northern Austria to clear the area of German troops that had retreated to that area.  Progress was rapid against light resistance.  The 2nd Infantry Regiment, in the area of Volary, Czechoslovakia on the morning of 7 May 1945, was poised to continue the attack against elements of the German 11th Panzer Division when word of a cease fire was received.  In Reims, France, at 0241 hours, 7 May 1945, Germany signed an unconditional surrender ending hostilities.

     After a short stay in Czechoslovakia, the 5th Division was transferred to the point of embarkation, LeHavre, France and set sail for the United States, arriving at Camp Campbell, Kentucky in late July 1945.  The troops were immediately given a 30-day leave.  At the conclusion of the leave period, the 5th assembled at Camp Campbell to be refitted and to prepare for reassignment to the Pacific Theater of Operations.  Fortunately for the men of the 5th Infantry Division, the war in the Pacific ended and the Division was inactivated on 20 September 1946 at Camp Campbell.

7.  The applicant saw combat as an infantryman with Company C, 10th Infantry Regiment, 5th Infantry Division during two major campaigns, Northern France (25 July to 14 September 1944) and Rhineland (15 September 1944 to 21 March 1945).  In October 1944, he was hospitalized for 13 days suffering from a concussion as a result of blast effects from artillery shells.  He was returned to duty and on 28 January 1945, he was seriously wounded in the shoulder by shrapnel.  Hospitalized a second time, he was medically evacuated to the United States and sent to McCloskey General Hospital, Temple, Texas.  He was hospitalized for a total of 254 days before being discharged on 5 October 1945.  He was separated with an honorable discharge by reason of physical disability on 9 October 1945 as a Private First Class.  He had a total of 4 years, 6 months, and 18 days of creditable service, of which 3 years, 10 months, and 25 days were served in the Continental United States and 7 months and 23 days were served in the ETO.

8.  The applicant's WD AGO Form 53-55 lists his decorations and citations as the Purple Heart, the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with two Bronze Service Stars, the Combat Infantryman Badge, Expert Marksmanship Badge (Rifle), and 1 Overseas Service Bar.

9.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 prescribes Army policy, criteria, and administrative instructions concerning individual military awards.  It states, in pertinent part, that the Bronze Star Medal is awarded for heroism and for meritorious achievement or service in military operations against an armed enemy.  The Bronze Star Medal is authorized for each individual who was cited in orders or awarded a certificate for exemplary conduct in ground combat between 7 December 1941 and 2 September 1945 or whose achievement or service during that period was confirmed by documents executed prior to 1 July 1947.  An award of the Combat Infantryman Badge or the Combat Medical Badge is considered to be a citation in orders.  This means, in effect, that the Bronze Star Medal is to be awarded to individuals who were authorized either badge for service during World War II.

10.  The regulation also provides that the Army Good Conduct Medal is awarded to individuals who distinguish themselves by their conduct, efficiency and fidelity during a qualifying period of active duty enlisted service.  This period is 3 years except in those cases when the period for the first award ends with the termination of a period of Federal military service.  Although there is no automatic entitlement to the Army Good Conduct Medal, disqualification must be justified.

11.  The regulation further provides that the World War II Victory Medal was established by the act of Congress 6 July 1945 (59 Stat 461) to be awarded for service between 7 December 1941 and 31 December 1946, both dates inclusive. The American Campaign Medal was established by Executive Order 9265 (WD Bulletin 56, 1942), as amended by Executive Order 9706, 15 March 1947.  It is awarded for service within the American Theater between 7 December 1941 and 2 March 1946.  The American Defense Service Medal was established by Executive Order 8808, announced in War Department Bulletin 17, 1941.  It is awarded for service between 8 September 1939 and 7 December 1941 under orders to active duty for a period of 12 months or longer.

12.  Finally, the regulation provides that the Purple Heart was established by General George Washington at Newburgh, New York, on 7 August 1782, during the Revolutionary War.  It was reestablished by the President of the United States per War Department General Orders 3, 1932 and is currently awarded pursuant to Executive Order 11016, 25 April 1962, Executive Order 12464, 23 February 1984 and Public Law 98-525, 19 October 1984, to any member of an Armed Force or any civilian national of the United States who, while serving under competent authority in any capacity with one of the U.S. Armed Services after 5 April 1917, has been wounded or killed, or who has died or may hereafter die after being wounded.  The Purple Heart is authorized for the first wound suffered under conditions indicated above, but for each subsequent award an Oak Leaf Cluster will be awarded to be worn on the medal or ribbon.  A wound is defined as an injury to any part of the body from an outside force or agent.  A physical lesion is not required, however, the wound for which the award is made must have required treatment by a medical officer and records of medical treatment for wounds or injuries received in action must have been made a matter of official record.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The applicant's limited service records indicate that he served in the ETO as a member of Company C, 10th Infantry Regiment, 5th Infantry Division.  A limited history of that unit has been provided in the above discussion portion of this Proceedings.

2.  The applicant's WD AGO Form 53-55 does not properly reflect all of the awards and decorations to which the applicant is entitled.  His records should also reflect his entitlement to the Bronze Star Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, American Defense Service Medal, American Campaign Medal, and World War II Victory Medal.

3.  The applicant was twice wounded while serving with the 10th Infantry Regiment.  He received a concussion in October 1944 during an enemy artillery barrage and was hospitalized for 13 days.  In January 1945, he was wounded in the shoulder by shrapnel and spent almost 1 year in the hospital recuperating from his wounds.  He is entitled to a second award of the Purple Heart.

4.  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 the individual concerned was awarded an Oak Leaf Cluster to his Purple Heart, as well as the following medals:  the Bronze Star Medal, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the American Defense Service Medal, the American Campaign Medal, and the World War II Victory Medal.

BOARD VOTE:  

__svw___  __mhm__  __lds___  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		     __Sherri V. Ward___
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2000036528	
SUFFIX		
RECON		
DATE BOARDED	20000817	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE		
DATE OF DISCHARGE		
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY		
DISCHARGE REASON		
BOARD DECISION	GRANT	
REVIEW AUTHORITY	DASA	
ISSUES         1.	107.0014	
2.	107.0015	
3.	107.0056	
4.	107.0061	
5.	107.0063	
6.	107.0066