PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:  

	BOARD DATE:           12 September 2000
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR2000042067

	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. Hubert S. Shaw, Jr.		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Mr. Calvin M. Fowler		Chairperson	
	Mr. Fred Eichorn		Member	
	Mr. Carol Jo Suiter		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 correction of his records to show award of the Purple Heart.

3.  The applicant states that the Purple Heart should be added to item 24 (Decorations, Medals, Badges, Commendations, Citations and Campaign Ribbons Awarded or Authorized) of his DD Form 214 (Armed Forces of the United States Report of Transfer or Discharge).  In support of his application, he submitted a copy of an award certificate for the Purple Heart and a copy of his discharge document. 

4.  The applicant’s military records show that he was inducted on 8 September 1966 and completed training as an infantry indirect fire crewman.  He served in Vietnam from 2 March 1967 though 28 March 1968.  The applicant was honorably separated from active duty on 6 September 1968 and transferred to the Army Reserve Control Group. 

5.  The applicant’s DD Form 214 does list the Purple Heart as an authorized award.  There are no orders in the applicant’s records which show that he was awarded the Purple Heart.  

6.  The applicant submitted an award certificate for the Purple Heart which shows that he received the Purple Heart for wounds sustained in April 1967 in Vietnam. The applicant’s DA Form 20 (Enlisted Qualification Record) shows in item 40 (Wounds) the entry “Frag [fragments] Both Legs 19Apr67”.  The applicant’s service personnel records contain a casualty report which shows that he was wounded by an enemy booby trap at 1145 hours on 19 April 1967 during a search and destroy mission in Vietnam.  This report indicated that he was admitted to the 24th Evacuation Hospital  

7.  Department of the Army Pamphlet 672-3 (Unit Citation and Campaign Participation Credit Register) lists the unit awards received by units serving in Vietnam.  This document shows the unit, to which the applicant was assigned, was cited for award of the Valorous Unit Award for actions from 31 January 1968 to 19 February 1968 by Department of the Army General Orders Number 48, dated 1968.  This unit award is not shown on his DD Form 214.

8.  Department of the Army Pamphlet 672-3 (Unit Citation and Campaign Participation Credit Register) shows the applicant is entitled to award of the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm Unit Citation based on Department of the Army General Orders Number 43, dated 1970.  This unit award is not shown on his DD Form 214.

9.  Department of the Army Pamphlet 672-3 (Unit Citation and Campaign Participation Credit Register) also shows the applicant is entitled to award of the Republic of Vietnam Civil Actions Honor Medal First Class Unit Citation based on Department of the Army General Orders Number 51, dated 1971.  This unit award is not shown on his DD Form 214.

10.  The Board also notes that the applicant was awarded the Army Commendation Medal for meritorious service for the period March 1967 to February 1968 by 199th Infantry Brigade General Orders Number 567, dated 7 June 1968.  However, this award is incorrectly spelled on his DD Form 214.

11.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 provides, in pertinent part, that the Purple Heart is awarded for a wound sustained as a result of hostile action.  Substantiating evidence must be provided to verify that the wound was the result of hostile action, the wound must have required treatment, and the medical treatment must have been made a matter of official record.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The applicant was wounded as a result of hostile action in Vietnam on 19 April 1967; therefore, he is entitled to correction of his records to show award of the Purple Heart.

2.  The applicant is entitled to award of the Valorous Unit Award, the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm Unit Citation, and the Republic of Vietnam Civil Actions Honor Medal First Class Unit Citation.

3.  The applicant is entitled to award of the Army Commendation Medal which is misspelled as “ARMY CONNEMDATION MEDAL” in item 24 of his DD Form 214. Therefore, he is entitled to correction of his DD Form 214 to show the correct spelling of Army Commendation Medal.

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:

	a.  by correcting the records of the individual concerned to show that he was awarded the Purple Heart for wounds sustained in Vietnam on 19 April 1967; 

	b.  by correcting the records of the individual concerned to show that he was awarded the Valorous Unit Award, the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm Unit Citation, and the Republic of Vietnam Civil Actions Honor Medal First Class Unit Citation; and 
	c.  by correcting the entry “ARMY CONNEMDATION MEDAL” in item 24 of his DD Form 214 to read “Army Commendation Medal”.

BOARD VOTE:  

__CMF__  ___FE___  __CJS___  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		____Calvin M. Fowler____
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2000042067	
SUFFIX		
RECON	YYYYMMDD	
DATE BOARDED	20000912	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE	HD	
DATE OF DISCHARGE	19680906	
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY	AR 635-200	
DISCHARGE REASON	ETS	
BOARD DECISION	GRANT PLUS	
REVIEW AUTHORITY	MR CHUN	
ISSUES         1.	107.000	
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.