PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:  

	BOARD DATE:           26 September 2000                   
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR2000044110

	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	
	Mrs. Nancy Amos		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Mr. Arthur A. Omartian		Chairperson	
	Mr. Melvin H. Meyer		Member	
	Mr. Thomas F. Baxter		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, in effect, that he be given credit for three battle stars, the Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB), and the Bronze Star Medal (BSM).

3.  The applicant makes no additional statement.

4.  The applicant’s military records were lost or destroyed in the National Personnel Records Center fire in 1973.  Information contained herein was obtained from alternate sources.

5.  The applicant was inducted into the Army and entered active duty on 11 July 1944.  He arrived in the European-African-Middle Eastern Theater of Operations (EAMETO) on 1 February 1945.  He departed the EAMETO on 24 March 1946 and separated on 9 April 1946.  His Enlisted Record and Report of Separation, WD AGO Form 53-55, shows that he served in the Infantry in military occupational specialty 607, Squad Leader.  Item 31 of his WD AGO Form 53-55 shows he was awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge.  Item 32 shows he served in the Rhineland and Central Europe campaigns. 

6.  Authorization for Issuance of Awards, DA Form 1577, dated 7 October 1988 authorized issuance of the BSM to the applicant based on the award of the CIB.

7.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 provides, in pertinent part, for the award of the BSM to members of the armed forces who, after 6 December 1941 and prior to   3 September 1945, have been cited in orders or in a formal certificate for meritorious or exemplary conduct in ground combat against the armed enemy.  A citation in orders for the Combat Infantryman Badge or Medical Badge awarded in the field during the period of actual combat against the armed enemy is considered as a citation for exemplary conduct in ground combat

8.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 also provides for the wear of one bronze service star on the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal for each campaign credited.  Four campaigns are recognized in the EAMETO during the period of time the applicant served in that Theater – Northern Apennines           10 September 1944 – 4 April 1945; Rhineland 15 September 1944 – 21 May 1945; Central Europe 22 March – 11 May 1945; and Po Valley 5 April – 8 May 1945.  

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The applicant’s WD AGO Form 53-55 already credits him with award of the CIB.

2.  The applicant is authorized the BSM based upon award of the CIB and it would be appropriate to amend his WD AGO Form 53-55 to show he was awarded the BSM.
3.  Four campaigns are listed for the time period the applicant served overseas.  Two of them were in the Italian peninsula and two of them outside of Italy.  Since the applicant’s WD AGO Form 53-55 credits him with the two campaigns outside of Italy, the Board concludes that it would be unlikely he would have served in either of the two Italian campaigns.  Item 33 of his WD AGO Form 53-55 should be amended to show he was awarded the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with 2 bronze service stars.

4.  In view of the foregoing, the applicant’s records should be corrected as recommended below.

RECOMMENDATION:

1.  That the applicant’s WD AGO Form 53-55 be amended to delete the EAMETO Medal and to add the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with 2 bronze service stars and the Bronze Star Medal.

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

BOARD VOTE:  

__aao___  __mhm___  __tfb___  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

			Arthur A. Omartian
		______________________
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2000044110	
SUFFIX		
RECON		
DATE BOARDED	20000926	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE		
DATE OF DISCHARGE		
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY		
DISCHARGE REASON		
BOARD DECISION	(GRANT)	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1.	107.0014	
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.