PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF: 

	BOARD DATE:            21 November 2000  
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR2000043126

	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. Deborah L. Brantley		Senior Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Mr. Thomas A. Pagan		Chairperson	
	Mr. Roger W. Able		Member	
	Mr. Thomas E. O’Shaughnessy		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 records be corrected to reflect award of the Purple Heart and the Combat Infantryman Badge.  He states he was awarded the Purple Heart after being wounded in Vietnam and that he served as an infantryman in Vietnam and as such should have been awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge.

3.  Records available to the Board indicate the applicant entered active duty on 
10 July 1969 and was assigned to Vietnam as a rifleman (specialty 11B) in March 1970 with the 1st Cavalry Division.  On 26 April 1970 the applicant was wounded as a result of hostile action and awarded the Purple Heart.  The 93rd Evacuation Hospital issued orders confirming award of the Purple Heart.

4.  In August 1970 the applicant returned to the United States and was honorably discharged on 27 July 1971.  His DD Form 214 (Armed Forces of the United States Report of Transfer or Discharge) does not reflect entitlement to the Purple Heart or the Combat Infantryman Badge.

5.  There are basically three requirements for award of the Combat Infantryman Badge.  The soldier must be an infantryman (11 series specialty), assigned to an infantry unit during such time as the unit is engaged in active ground combat, and must have actively participated in such ground combat.  As a matter of historical information, on 1 July 1965, the 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile) was officially activated.  It was made up of resources of the 11th Air Assault Division (Test) and brought to full strength by transfer of specialized elements of the 2nd Infantry Division.  Based on the 1st Cavalry’s infantry heritage members of its organization were traditionally awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge during the Vietnam era.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The evidence confirms the applicant was awarded the Purple Heart for wounds sustained as a result of hostile action while in Vietnam.  The award, however, was omitted from his DD Form 214.

2.  The applicant is also entitled to an award of the Combat Infantryman Badge based on his service as an infantryman while in Vietnam.

3.  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 showing that the individual concerned was awarded the Purple Heart for wounds sustained as a result of hostile action while in Vietnam; and

	b.  by awarding him the Combat Infantryman Badge.

BOARD VOTE:  

___tap__  _rwa___  __teo___  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		______________________
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2000043126	
SUFFIX		
RECON	YYYYMMDD	
DATE BOARDED	20001121	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE	(HD, GD, UOTHC, UD, BCD, DD, UNCHAR)	
DATE OF DISCHARGE	YYYYMMDD	
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY	AR . . . . .  	
DISCHARGE REASON		
BOARD DECISION	Grant	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1.	107.00	
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.