PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:           

	BOARD DATE:                28 September 2000
	DOCKET NUMBER:       AR2000044234

	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. Joyce A. Wright		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Mr. Raymond V. O’Connor, Jr.		Chairperson	
	Mr. Ernest M. Willcher		Member	
	Mr. Donald P. Hupman, Jr.		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, correction of his WD AGO Form 
53-55 (Enlisted Record and Report of Separation) to show his organization 
as “Company B, 327th Engineer Combat Battalion, 102nd Infantry Division” instead of “Company C, 322 Engineer Combat Battalion”.

3.  The applicant states, in effect, that his last unit of assignment is incorrect.
In support of his application he submits a copy of his WD AGO Form 53-55 and a copy of a historical document pertaining to the 327th Engineer Combat Battalion.

4.  The applicant's military records were destroyed or lost during the National Personnel Records Center fire of 1973.  Records available to the Board were obtained from alternate sources and show he entered active duty on 9 July 1942.
He served in the European Theater of Operations from 24 September 1944 to 21 January 1946 and was honorably discharged on 7 February 1946. 

5.  The applicant’s WD AGO Form 53-55, which was authenticated in his
own hand, shows “322 ENGR (C) BN“ [322nd Engineer Combat Battalion]
as his last unit of assignment.  The applicant’s Honorable Discharge Certificate, dated 15 February 1946, shows 322D Engineer Combat Battalion as his unit.

6.  The applicant provided a copy of a historical document pertaining to the 
327th Engineer Combat Battalion.  This document lists the applicant as a member of Company B, 327th Engineer Combat Battalion, 102nd Infantry Division.

7.  The applicant’s WD AGO Form 53-55 shows he that he served in the European-African-Middle Eastern Theater and participated in the Central Europe and Rhineland Campaigns.  The Board notes that he is entitled to the Ardennes-Alsace Campaign, which occurred from 16 December 1944 to 25 January 1945 and the Army of Occupation Medal with Germany Clasp which are not shown on his WD AGO Form 53-55.

8.  Department of the Army Pamphlet 672-1, Unit Citation and Campaign Participation Register, dated 6 July 1961, shows the applicant’s unit 
(327th Engineer Combat Battalion, 102nd Infantry Division) received occupation credit for qualifying service in Germany from 20 May 1945 to 31 October 1945.

9.  Based on regulation in effect at the time, a service member’s unit of assignment at the time of his separation from the service was entered in Item 
6 (Organization) of the WD AGO Form 53-55.  The unit shown in item 6 was not necessarily the same unit with which the applicant served during World War II.  
If the service member was transferred to a unit at a separation center for the purpose of discharge processing, then the unit shown in item 6 was the unit 
from which the soldier was separated.  This is an important entry because it assists in locating a soldier’s military records.
10.  Army Regulation 600-8-22, provides, in pertinent part, that the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal is awarded for service within the European-African-Middle Eastern Theater between 7 December 1941 and 8 November 1945.  This medal is awarded to any service member who was permanently assigned in the theater, who was in a passenger status or on temporary duty for 30 consecutive days or 60 nonconsecutive days, or who 
was in active combat against the enemy and was awarded a combat decoration, or who was furnished a certificate by the commanding general of a corps or higher unit or independent force showing that he actually participated in combat.

11.  Army Regulation 600-8-22, in pertinent part, authorizes award of the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal for qualifying service in the European-African-Middle Eastern Theater of Operations for the period 7 December 1941 to 8 November 1945.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 also authorizes a bronze service star, based on qualifying service, for each campaign listed in Appendix B of this regulation or listed in item 32 (Battles and Campaigns) of the WD AGO Form 53-55.  The regulation states that authorized
bronze service stars will be worn on the appropriate campaign or service medal including the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal.  

12.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 provides, in pertinent part, that the Army of Occupation Medal is awarded for service of thirty consecutive days at a normal post of duty in a qualifying location.  Personnel at a qualifying location as an inspector, courier, escort, temporary or detached duty are precluded from eligibility.  For Germany service must have been between 9 May 1945 and 5 May
1955 and the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal must have been awarded prior to 9 May 1945.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  Evidence of record provided by the applicant shows that he was assigned to Company B, 327th Engineer Combat Battalion, 102nd Infantry Division during 
World War II and that Company C, 322nd Engineer Combat Battalion was likely a transitional unit based on the short period of time between his departure from the European-African-Middle Eastern Theater of Operations and his separation from active duty.  Therefore, he is entitled to correction of item 6 (Organization) of his WD AGO Form 53-55 to show the entry “Company B, 327th Engineer Combat Battalion, 102nd Infantry Division” and correction of his Honorable Discharge Certificate to show Company B, 327th Engineer Combat Battalion as his last unit.

2.  The applicant served in the Ardennes-Alsace Campaign.  Therefore, he is
entitled to one additional bronze service star for a total of three bronze service stars to be worn on his European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal and is entitled to correction of item 32 (Battles and Campaigns) of his WD AGO Form 53-55 to show the Ardennes-Alsace Campaign.
3.  The applicant was awarded the Army of Occupation Medal with Germany Clasp; therefore, he is entitled to correction of his record to show this award.

4.  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:

a.  by showing the entry “Company B, 327th Engineer Combat Battalion, 102nd Infantry Division” in item 6 (Organization) of his WD AGO Form 53-55;

b.  by amending his Honorable Discharge Certificate to show his last unit of assignment as Company B, 327th Engineer Combat Battalion, 102nd Infantry Division; and

c.  by showing in item 32 (Battles and Campaigns) that he participated in the Ardennes-Alsace Campaign and in item 33 (Decorations and Awards) of his WD AGO Form 53-55 that he was awarded the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with three bronze service stars and the Army of Occupation Medal with Germany Clasp.

BOARD VOTE:  

RVO____  EMW____  DPH____  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		RAYMOND V. O’CONNOR, JR.
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2000044234	
SUFFIX		
RECON	YYYYMMDD	
DATE BOARDED	20000928	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE	HD	
DATE OF DISCHARGE	19460207	
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY	AR . . . . .  	
DISCHARGE REASON		
BOARD DECISION	GRANT	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1.  1021		
2.  46		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.