PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:  

	BOARD DATE:           31 August 2000                   
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR2000041807

	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	
	Mrs. Nancy Amos		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Mr. Samuel A. Crumpler		Chairperson	
	Ms. Barbara J. Ellis		Member	
	Mr. Joe R. Schroeder		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 his Enlisted Record and Report of Separation, WD AGO Form 53-55, item 6 be corrected to show his organization as Company D, 36th Armored Infantry and that he be reissued his medals.

3.  The applicant states, in effect, that he served in Company D, 36th Armored Infantry.  Also, he requested a replacement of his medals but has not received them.

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

5.  The applicant was inducted and entered active duty on 13 December 1943.  (In August 1976, the National Personnel Records Center researched morning reports and sick reports for Company D, 36th Armored Infantry Regiment and discovered the applicant was assigned to that unit for an undetermined period of time.)  He was separated on 12 November 1945.  Item 6 of his WD AGO Form 53-55 shows his organization as Company A, 262d Infantry.

6.  Technical Manual 12-235, which prescribed the policy and procedures for the preparation and distribution of separation documents during the period in question, stated that the last unit, or similar element to which the individual was assigned, rather than the element of which he was a part while moving to a separation activity, would be entered in item 6 (organization) of the WD AGO Form 53-55.  It also noted that assignments to units for the purpose of transfer from a theater to the United States was considered part of the movement to a separation activity.

7.  On 18 February 2000, the National Personnel Records Center forwarded an Authorization for Issuance of Awards, DA Form 1577, to the U. S. Army Support Activity to issue to the applicant his awards.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The Board concludes that there is sufficient record of evidence to show that the applicant was assigned to Company D, 36th Armored Infantry Regiment and that his assignment to Company A, 262d Infantry was presumably only for transfer from the theater to the United States.  Item 6 of his WD AGO Form 53-55 should be corrected to reflect Company D, 36th Armored Infantry Regiment.

2.  The applicant was authorized issuance of his awards in February 2000.  If he has not yet received them, he should contact the U. S. Army Soldier and Biological Chemical Command, IMMC, Soldier Systems Directorate, 700 Robbins Avenue, PO Box 57997, Philadelphia, PA  19111-7997.

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 amending item 6 of the applicant’s WD AGO Form 53-55 to read Company D, 36th Armored Infantry Regiment.

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

BOARD VOTE:  

__sac___  __bje___  __jrs___  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

			Samuel A. Crumpler
		______________________
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2000041807	
SUFFIX		
RECON		
DATE BOARDED	20000831	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE		
DATE OF DISCHARGE		
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY		
DISCHARGE REASON		
BOARD DECISION	(GRANT)	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1.	100.00	
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.