PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:  

	BOARD DATE:           19 October 2000                  
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR2000043765

	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. Ernest W. Lutz, Jr.		Chairperson	
	Mr. Christopher J. Prosser		Member	
	Ms. Tracey L. Pinson 		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 an unspecified number of Air Medals.

3.  The applicant states that his DD Form 214 (Report of Transfer or Discharge) with an effective date of 15 December 1971 does not reflect his Air Medals.  He contends that he was evacuated out of Vietnam and no orders were given for the medals.  In support of his application, he submits a copy of his DD Form 214 with an effective date of 15 December 1971; two DA Forms 759-1 (Individual Flight Record and Flight Certificate Army (Part II)) for the periods covering April through June 1970; and a copy of DA Form 759 (Individual Flight Record and Flight Certificate Army (Part I)) for the period covering February through June 1970.

4.  The applicant’s military records show that he entered active duty on 
15 December 1969.  He served as a pilot in Vietnam from 16 March 1970 through 17 June 1970 and was honorably released from active duty on 
15 December 1971.

5.  The applicant’s DD Form 214 with an effective date of 15 December 1971 does not show any authorized awards of the Air Medal.

6.  The applicant’s personnel records contain DA Form 759 (Individual Flight Record and Flight Certificate Army (Part I)) for the period April through June 1970 which shows the applicant had 166 combat flight hours. 

7.  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.  Evidence of record shows the applicant flew 166 combat flight hours in Vietnam.  Therefore, the applicant is entitled to correction of his DD Form 214 with an effective date of 15 December 1971 to show 6 awards of the Air Medal (correctly known as the Air Medal with Numeral “6”).

2.  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 “6”.

BOARD VOTE:  

EWL____  CJP____  TLP_____  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		Ernest W. Lutz, Jr._____
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2000043765	
SUFFIX		
RECON		
DATE BOARDED	20001019	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE	(HD)	
DATE OF DISCHARGE	19711215	
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY	DA Msg 011631Z Dec 70	
DISCHARGE REASON	Early release of Warrant Officers for Convenience of the Government	
BOARD DECISION	(GRANT)	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1.	107.0018	
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.