PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:      

	BOARD DATE:           9 January 2001                  
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR2000044069

	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. W. E. Schnupp		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Mr. Mark D. Manning		Chairperson	
	Mr. Eric N. Andersen		Member	
	Mr. Curtis L. Greenway		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 he be awarded the Purple Heart.

3.  The applicant states that his discharge paper is incorrect in that it does not show the Purple Heart.  In support of his request, he submits a copy of his WD AGO Form 53-55, Enlisted Record and Report of Separation.

4.  The applicant’s military records were lost or destroyed in the 1973 fire at the National Personnel Records Center.  Information herein is derived from documents submitted by the applicant and from alternate official sources.

5.  The record shows that he enlisted on 3 February 1942 with over 3 years of prior active service.  He served in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater of Operations from June 1943 to April 1945.  He was honorably discharged with a Certificate for Disability Discharge on 9 August 1945 in the grade of private first class.

6.  His awards include the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with 2 Bronze Battle Stars, the Good Conduct Medal, the Philippine Liberation Ribbon with One Bronze Star, the World War II Honorable Service lapel Button and the Marksman Badge with Rifle Bar.  The record does not show that he was awarded the Purple Heart.

7.  Block 34 (wounds received in action) of the WD AGO Form 53-55 contains an entry indicating that he was wounded on 8 February 1945 in the South Pacific Theater.

8.  Information obtained from Hospital Admission Cards maintained by the Office of the Surgeon General for the years 1942 – 1945 shows that the applicant was admitted to a hospital in the Southwest Pacific on 8 February 1945 as a battle casualty with a diagnosis of penetrating bullet or missile wounds to the right lung. 

9.  Army Regulation 600-8-22, Military Awards, provides that the World War II Victory Medal is awarded for service between 7 December 1941 and 31 December 1946.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  Evidence of record shows that the applicant is entitled to the Purple Heart by virtue of the wounds he suffered in the Southwest Pacific on February 1945.

2.  Additionally, considering his period of active duty service, he is also entitled to the World War II Victory Medal, which is currently not shown on his WD AGO Form 53-55.

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 by showing that the individual concerned was awarded the Purple Heart for wounds suffered on 8 February 1945, and the World War II Victory Medal.

BOARD VOTE:  

___mdm_  ____ena_  ___clg __  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		_________Mark D. Manning_____
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2000044069	
SUFFIX		
RECON	YYYYMMDD	
DATE BOARDED	20010109	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE	(HD, GD, UOTHC, UD, BCD, DD, UNCHAR)	
DATE OF DISCHARGE	YYYYMMDD	
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY	AR . . . . .  	
DISCHARGE REASON		
BOARD DECISION	(GRANT PLUS)	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1.  107.00		
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.