PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF: 

	BOARD DATE:            7 November 2000   
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR2000044041

	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. George D. Paxson		Chairperson	
	Mr. Melvin H. Meyer		Member	
	Ms. Paula Mokulis		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 father, a deceased former servicemember, be awarded the Purple Heart. 

3.  Records available to the Board indicate the former servicemember entered active duty on 24 July 1943 and arrived overseas in January 1945.  According to treatment records and a Western Union Telegram, provided by the applicant, the former servicemember was slightly wounded in action on 31 January 1945.  He was ultimately evacuated from the overseas theater and on 15 October 1945 was released from active duty under a certificate of disability for discharge.  His WD AGO Form 53-55 (Enlisted Record and Report of Separation Honorable Discharge) confirms he was wounded but does not reflect entitlement to the Purple Heart.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The evidence confirms the former servicemember was wounded in action and as such is entitled to an award of the Purple Heart.

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 awarding the individual concerned the Purple Heart for wounds sustained on 31 January 1945 during World War II.

BOARD VOTE:  

__gdp___  ___mhm__  __pm___  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		______________________
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2000044041	
SUFFIX		
RECON	YYYYMMDD	
DATE BOARDED	20001107	
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.