PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:  

	BOARD DATE:           19 October 2000   
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR2000044139

	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 additional awards of the Air Medal.

3.  The applicant states that he was only awarded one Air Medal for his service in Vietnam.  He contends that he is entitled to more than one Air Medal as evidenced by his DA Form 759 (Individual Flight Record and Flight Certificate Army (Part I)) for the period covering August 1971 through February 1972.  In support of his application, he submits a copy of DA Form 759 for the period covering August 1971 through February 1972; four DA Forms 759-1 (Individual Flight Record and Flight Certificate Army (Part II)) for the periods covering December 1971, November 1971, October 1971 and August through September 1971; orders for the Air Medal; and a copy of his DD Form 214 (Report of Transfer or Discharge).  

4.  The applicant’s military records show that he entered active duty on 26 July 1971.  He served as a pilot in Vietnam from 3 August 1971 through 28 February 1972 and was honorably released from active duty on 7 March 1972.

5.  The applicant’s DD Form 214 shows one Air Medal as an authorized award.

6.  DA Form 759 (Individual Flight Record and Flight Certificate Army (Part I)) for the period August 1971 through February 1972 shows the applicant had
542 flight hours of combat time. 

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.  The applicant’s DD Form 214 shows one award of the Air Medal.

2.  Evidence of record shows the applicant flew 542 combat flight hours in Vietnam.  Therefore, the applicant is entitled to correction of his DD Form 214 to show an additional 20 awards of the Air Medal, a total of 21 awards of the Air Medal.

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 Air Medal with numeral “21”. 

BOARD VOTE:  

EWL____  CJP____  TLP_____  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		Ernest W. Lutz, Jr.______
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2000044139	
SUFFIX		
RECON		
DATE BOARDED	20001019	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE	(HD)	
DATE OF DISCHARGE	19720307	
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.