PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:  

	BOARD DATE:           10 August 2000
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR2000043541

	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. Mark D. Manning		Chairperson	
	Mr. John Saputo		Member	
	Ms. Karen A. Heinz		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 WD AGO Form 53-55 (Enlisted Record and Report of Separation) to show award of the Bronze Star Medal based on award of the Combat Infantryman Badge, the World War II Victory Medal, and the Army of Occupation Medal.

3.  The applicant states that these medals were not received prior to his discharge.

4.  The applicant’s military records (WD AGO Form 24) show that he was inducted on 22 September 1941.  He served in the European-African-Middle Eastern Theater of Operations from 16 January 1942 to 6 September 1945.  He was honorably discharged on 22 September 1945.

5.  The applicant’s WD AGO Form 53-55 does not show the Bronze Star Medal, the World War Victory Medal or the Army of Occupation Medal as authorized awards.

6.  Item 31 (Military Qualification and Date) of the applicant’s WD AGO Form 
53-55 shows that he was awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge. 

7.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 provides, in pertinent part, that the Bronze Star Medal is awarded for heroism and for meritorious achievement or service in military operations against an armed enemy.  The Bronze Star Medal is authorized for each individual who was cited in orders or awarded a certificate for exemplary conduct in ground combat between 7 December 1941 and 2 September 1945 or whose achievement or service, during that period, was confirmed by documents executed prior to 1 July 1947.  An award of the Combat Infantryman Badge is considered to be a citation in orders.  This means, in effect, that the Bronze Star Medal is to be awarded to individuals who were authorized this badge for service during World War II.

8.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 provides, in pertinent part, for award of the World War II Victory Medal.  It is awarded for service between 7 December 1941 and 31 December 1946, both dates inclusive.

9.  The applicant’s military records do not show occupation credit while he was stationed in Germany.  His WD AGO Form 24 does not contain any entries showing entitlement to the Army of Occupation Medal.

10.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 provides, in pertinent part, that the Army of Occupation Medal is awarded for service of thirty consecutive days at a normal post of duty in a qualifying location.  Personnel at a qualifying location as an inspector, courier, escort, temporary or detached duty are precluded from eligibility.  For Germany service must have been between 9 May 1945 and 5 May 1955 and the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal must have been awarded prior to 9 May 1945.  Units receiving occupation credit during World War II are designated in Department of the Army Pamphlet 672-1, Unit Citation and Campaign Participation Credit Register.

11.  Department of the Army Pamphlet 672-1, Unit Citation and Campaign Participation Credit Register, dated 6 July 1961, shows, among other information, occupation credit during World War II.  This document shows the unit to which the applicant was assigned, the 194th Glider Infantry Regiment, did not receive occupation credit during World War II. 

12.  While researching the applicant’s claim to occupation credit, it was noted that the applicant’s unit made a combat glider assault on 24 March 1945 in Germany; however, the applicant’s WD AGO 53-55 does not show entitlement to the bronze arrowhead device to be worn on his European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal.  

13.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 (Military Awards) provides, in pertinent part, for the “arrowhead” to be worn on the appropriate service medal to denote participation in a combat parachute jump, helicopter assault landing, combat glider landing, or amphibious assault landing while assigned or attached as a member of an organized force carrying out an assigned tactical mission.  The regulation specifies that individual assault credit is tied directly to the combat assault credit decision for the unit to which the soldier is assigned.  The regulation requires that the unit must be credited with a combat assault in order for the soldiers to receive credit for a combat assault and the soldier must physically exit the aircraft or the watercraft as appropriate.  The regulation also specifies that the arrowhead is authorized for wear on the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, the Korean Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal, and the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The applicant was awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge during World War II, therefore, he is entitled to award of the Bronze Star Medal based on award of the Combat Infantryman Badge and correction of his records to show this award.

2.  Based on the applicant’s service during World War II, he is entitled to award of the World War II Victory Medal and correction of his records to show this award.

3.  The applicant’s unit did not receive occupation credit during World War II; therefore, the applicant is not eligible for award of the Army of Occupation Medal.

4.  The applicant’s records show that he participated in a combat glider assault during World War II.  Therefore, he is entitled to wear the bronze arrowhead device on his European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal and is entitled to correction of his records to show award of the bronze arrowhead device by War Department General Order 70-45.

5.  In view of the foregoing findings and conclusions, it would be appropriate to correct the applicant’s records, but only as recommended below.

RECOMMENDATION:

1.  That all of the Department of the Army records related to this case be corrected by showing the individual concerned was awarded the Bronze Star Medal based on award of the Combat Infantryman Badge, the World War II Victory Medal, and the bronze arrowhead device.

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

BOARD VOTE:  

________  ________  ________  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		____Mark D. Manning____
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2000043541	
SUFFIX		
RECON	YYYYMMDD	
DATE BOARDED	20000810	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE	HD	
DATE OF DISCHARGE	19450922	
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY	AR 615-365	
DISCHARGE REASON	DEMOBILIZATION	
BOARD DECISION	GRANT	
REVIEW AUTHORITY	MR SCHNEIDER	
ISSUES         1.	107.000	
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.