PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:  

	BOARD DATE:         14 December 2000
	DOCKET NUMBER: AR2000044675

	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. Michael L. Engle		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Ms. June Hajjar		Chairperson	
	Mr. Hubert O. Fry, Jr.		Member	
	Mr. Richard T. Dunbar		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 records be corrected to reflect award of the Purple Heart.

3.  The applicant states that he was wounded in action and that his separation document does not reflect he was awarded the Purple Heart.  In support of his application he provides a copy of a letter dated 28 March 1953 from The Adjutant General (TAG) to his wife, custom tags showing delivery of the Purple Heart, a copy of the Western Union telegram identifying his wounds, and a copy of his Report of Separation from the Armed Forces of the United States (DD Form 214).

4.  The applicant’s records show that he was called from inactive duty with the Illinois Army National Guard into the Army on 14 January 1952 and served honorably until his release from active duty on 19 September 1953.

5.  According to TAG letter dated 28 March 1953, the applicant was wounded in action on 24 March 1953.  He sustained flesh wounds of the face from enemy artillery fire.  Information from the hospital admission cards created by the Office of The Surgeon General for the year 1953 show that the applicant was hospitalized and treated for his wounds.

6.  Item 29 (Wounds Received) of the applicant’s DD Form 214 shows “None” and item 27 (Decorations/Awards) does not list the Purple Heart.

7.  Army Regulation 672-5-1 provides, in pertinent part, that the Purple Heart is awarded for a wound sustained as a result of hostile action.  Substantiating evidence must be provided to verify that the wound was the result of hostile action, the wound must have required treatment by a medical officer, and the medical treatment must have been made a matter of official record.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The applicant’s medical records clearly show that he was wounded in action by the enemy on 24 March 1953 while serving in Korea, and the wound required medical treatment, which was made a matter of record.  Accordingly, he meets the criteria for award of the Purple Heart.

2.  In view of the foregoing, it would be appropriate to correct the applicant’s records as recommended below.

RECOMMENDATION:

That all of the Department of the Army records related to this case, particularly the DD Form 214, dated 19 September 1953, be corrected:

a.  by showing in block 29 that the individual concerned received a flesh wound to the face on 24 March 1953, and;

b.  by showing in block 27 that he was awarded the Purple Heart.

BOARD VOTE:  

   JH         HOF       RTD   GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

                                          GRANT FORMAL HEARING
  
                                          DENY APPLICATION

		____June Hajjar____
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2000044675	
SUFFIX		
RECON	YYYYMMDD	
DATE BOARDED	20001214	
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.