PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:  

	BOARD DATE:           31 October 2000   
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR2000043405

	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. Wanda L. Waller		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Mr. Elzey J. Arledge		Chairperson	
	Mr. Allen L. Raub		Member	
	Ms. Brenda F. Hirschi		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 additional awards of the Air Medal.

3.  The applicant states, in effect, that he is entitled to additional awards of the Air Medal that were earned during his service in Vietnam.  In support of his application, he submits a copy of his DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) with an effective date of 31 March 1981; a copy of DA Form 759 (Individual Flight Record and Flight Certificate Army (Part I)) for the period covering August 1968 through February 1969; four DA Forms 759-1 (Individual Flight Record and Flight Certificate Army (Part II)) for the periods covering August 1968 through February 1969; and thirteen DA Forms 759 (Individual Flight Record - Army Aviator) for the periods covering January 1968 through August 1968 and September 1965 through August 1966.  

4.  The applicant’s military records show that he served as a helicopter pilot in Vietnam from 9 September 1965 through 31 August 1966 and from 6 March 1968 through 15 March 1969.  He completed 20 years of active duty as a Reserve officer on 31 March 1981 when he retired in the rank of major.

5.  The applicant’s retirement DD Form 214 with an effective date of 31 March 1981 shows 24 authorized awards of the Air Medal.  

6.  General Orders confirm the applicant received 22 awards of the Air Medal during the period 22 September 1965 through 28 August 1966 and two awards of the Air Medal with “V” Device for actions on 29 March 1968 and 4 September 1968.      

7.  DA Form 759 (Individual Flight Record and Flight Certificate Army (Part I)) for the period August 1968 through February 1969 shows the applicant had
1067 combat flight hours during this period.  There are no General Orders which show the applicant was awarded any Air Medals for sustained operations during his second assignment in Vietnam.  

8.  U.S Army Vietnam (USARV) Regulation 672-1 (Decorations and Awards) provided, in pertinent part, guidelines for award of the Air Medal.  It established that passenger personnel who did not participate in an air assault were not eligible for the award based upon sustained operations.  It defined terms and provided guidelines for the award based upon the number and types of missions or hours.  Twenty five Category I missions (air assault and equally dangerous missions) and accrual of a minimum of 25 hours of flight time while engaged in Category I missions was the standard established for which sustained operations were deemed worthy of recognition by an award of the Air Medal.  However, the regulation was clear that these guidelines were considered only a departure point.  Nothing created an entitlement to the award.  There was no provision for making the award simply because an aircraft was struck by enemy fire.  Arabic numerals are now used instead of oak leaf clusters for the second and succeeding awards.  The numeral 2 denotes the second award.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The applicant’s DD Form 214 with an effective date of 31 March 1981 shows 24 authorized awards of the Air Medal.

2.  General Orders confirm the applicant received 22 awards of the Air Medal during his first assignment in Vietnam and 2 awards of the Air Medal with “V” Device during his second assignment in Vietnam.

3.  However, evidence of record also shows the applicant flew an additional
1067 combat flight hours during his second assignment in Vietnam for which he received no awards of the Air Medal.  Therefore, the applicant is entitled to correction of his DD Form 214 with an effective date of 31 March 1981 to show an additional 42 awards of the Air Medal, a total of 66 awards of the Air Medal with “V” Device.

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 the Air Medal with Numeral “66” with “V” Device.

BOARD VOTE:  

EJA____  ALR_____  BFH____  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		Elzey J. Arledge_____
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2000043405	
SUFFIX		
RECON		
DATE BOARDED	20001031	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE	(HD)	
DATE OF DISCHARGE	19810331	
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY	  	
DISCHARGE REASON		
BOARD DECISION	(GRANT)	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1.	107.0018	
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.