PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:           

	BOARD DATE:                7 September 2000
	DOCKET NUMBER:       AR2000039923

	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:

	Ms. Celia L. Adolphi		Chairperson	
	Mr. Walter T. Morrison		Member	
	Mr. Thomas B. Redfern, III		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, correction of his WD AGO Form 
53-55 (Enlisted Record and Report of Separation) to show his organization 
as “BTRY D 563RD AAA AW BN” [Battery D 563RD Anti Aircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons Battalion] instead of “BTRY D 565TH AAA AW BN” [Battery D 565TH Anti Aircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons Battalion].

3.  The applicant states, in effect, that his last unit of assignment is incorrect.
In support of his application he submits a copy of his WD AGO Form 53-55.

4.  The applicant's military records were destroyed or lost during the National Personnel Records Center fire of 1973.  Records available to the Board were obtained from alternate sources and show he entered active duty on 28 April 1943.  He served in the European Theater of Operations from 23 October 1944 to 8 January 1946 and was honorably discharged on 2 February 1946. 

5.  The applicant’s WD AGO Form 53-55, which was authenticated in his
own hand, shows “BTRY D 563RD CA BN” [Battery D, 563rd Coastal Artillery Battalion] as his organization.  

6.  Available records show that the applicant enlisted in the Coastal Artillery Corps and served with the 563rd Coastal Artillery Battalion in the United States.

7.  Department of the Army Pamphlet 672-1, Unit Citation and Campaign Participation Credit Register, dated 6 July 1961, list all units which served in World War II and the Korean Conflict.  This register shows the applicant’s unit 
was designated as the “563d Anti Aircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons Battalion”
during its service in Europe.

8.  Department of the Army Technical Manual TM 12-235 (Discharge Procedures and Preparation of Separation Forms) established the policies and procedures for completion and distribution of the WD AGO Form 53-55 (Enlisted Record and Report of Separation) during World War II.  This regulation states the last unit, or similar element, to which an individual was assigned, rather than the element of which he was a part while moving to a separation activity, will be entered in item 6 (Organization) of the WD AGO Form 53-55.  The regulation also notes that assignment to units for the purpose of transfer from a theater to the United States is considered part of the movement to a separation activity.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The Board noted the applicant’s contention that he served in Battery D, 563rd 
Anti Aircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons Battalion not the 565th Anti Aircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons Battalion.  There is no evidence in the available 

records, and the applicant has provided no evidence which shows he served or was assigned to the 565th Anti Aircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons Battalion during World War II.  

2.  Evidence of record shows that the applicant enlisted in the Coastal Artillery Corps and served and was separated from the 563rd Coastal Artillery Battalion.  

3.  The Department of the Army Register list the applicant’s unit as 563d Anti Aircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons Battalion.  However, during World War II service in Europe his unit was also known as the 563rd Coastal Artillery Battalion and which is shown on his WD AGO Form 53-55.  Therefore, he is entitled to correction of item 6 (Organization) of his WD AGO Form 53-55 to show the entry “BTRY D 563RD AAA AW BN” [Battery D 563rd Anti Aircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons Battalion] instead of the entry “BTRY D 563RD CA BN” [Battery D 563rd Coastal Artillery Battalion].

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 the entry “BTRY D 563RD AAA AW BN” in item 6 (Organization) of the WD AGO Form 53-55 of the individual concerned.

BOARD VOTE:  

CAL____  WTM____  TBR____  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		____________________
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2000039923	
SUFFIX		
RECON	YYYYMMDD	
DATE BOARDED	20000907	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE	HD	
DATE OF DISCHARGE	19460202	
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY	AR . . . . .  	
DISCHARGE REASON		
BOARD DECISION	GRANT	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1.  1021		
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.