MEMORANDUM OF CONSIDERATION

	IN THE CASE OF:   

	BOARD DATE:           25 January 2001                   
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR2000044690

	I certify that hereinafter is recorded the record of consideration of the Army Board for Correction of Military Records in the case of the above-named individual.

	Mr. Carl W. S. Chun		Director	
	Mrs. Joyce A. Hall		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Ms. June Hajjar		Chairperson	
	Mr. Lester Echols		Member	
	Ms. Karen A. Heinz		Member	

	The Board, established pursuant to authority contained in 10 U.S.C. 1552, convened at the call of the Chairperson on the above date.  In accordance with Army Regulation 15-185, the application and the available military records pertinent to the corrective action requested were reviewed to determine whether to authorize a formal hearing, recommend that the records be corrected without a formal hearing, or to deny the application without a formal hearing if it is determined that insufficient relevant evidence has been presented to demonstrate the existence of probable material error or injustice.

	The applicant requests correction of military records as stated in the application to the Board and as restated herein.

	The Board considered the following evidence:

	Exhibit A - Application for correction of military 
                records
	Exhibit B - Military Personnel Records (including
	            advisory opinion, if any)

APPLICANT REQUESTS:  In effect, that he be awarded two oak leaf clusters to his Purple Heart award.

APPLICANT STATES:  In effect, that he was wounded several times; however, his discharge document only shows the Purple Heart award.  He believes that he is entitled to two oak leaf clusters, one for each additional combat injury.

EVIDENCE OF RECORD:  The applicant's military records were lost or destroyed in the National Personnel Records Center fire of 1973.  Information herein was obtained from alternate sources.

The applicant was inducted into the Army on 3 June 1941.  His Enlisted Record and Report of Separation Honorable Discharge (WD AGO 53-55) shows that he served in the European-African-Middle-Eastern Theater from August 1942 to July 1945.  

The Office of the Surgeon General Hospital Admission Cards shows that the applicant was admitted/treated on three different occasions for an illness/injury.  The first admission occurred in March 1944, for an illness, which was characterized as (Non-Battle).  The second admission occurred in June 1944, for a wound received as a result of hostile action.  The third report shows that the applicant was admitted and treated in November 1945 for an injury received while participating in a sporting event.  His WD AGO 53-55, item 34 (Wounds Received in Action) shows that he received a combat related injury in June 1944. It does not show any other subsequent combat related injuries.

On 8 November 1945, the applicant was honorably discharged.  He completed 
4 years, 5 months and 6 days of creditable active service.  His WD AGO 53-55 shows that he was awarded the Purple Heart for the injuries he received in June 1944.

Army Regulation 600-8-22 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.

DISCUSSION:  Considering all the evidence, allegations, and information presented by the applicant, together with the evidence of record, applicable law and regulations, it is concluded:

1.  In order to justify correction of a military record the applicant must show to the satisfaction of the Board, or it must otherwise satisfactorily appear, that the record is in error or unjust.  The applicant has failed to submit evidence that would satisfy this requirement.

2.  The applicant contends that he was wounded on two other occasions, 
which was caused by hostile action.  There is no available corroborating evidence to support his contentions of the two additional battle related injuries.  The Board is reluctant to award the oak leaf clusters without the authenticating documents. 

3.  The available evidence does support that the applicant was wounded in June 1944 as a result of hostile action entitling him to one award of the Purple Heart.  If the applicant can provide evidence that he was wounded on two separate occasions and those injuries resulted from hostile action, he can apply for reconsideration.

4.  In view of the foregoing, there is no basis for granting the applicant's request.

DETERMINATION:  The applicant has failed to submit sufficient relevant evidence to demonstrate the existence of probable error or injustice.

BOARD VOTE:

________  ________  ________  GRANT

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

__jh____  __le____  __kah___  DENY APPLICATION

		    Carl W. S. Chun
		    Director, Army Board for Correction
    of Military Records

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2000044690	
SUFFIX		
RECON		
DATE BOARDED	20010125	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE		
DATE OF DISCHARGE		
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY		
DISCHARGE REASON		
BOARD DECISION	DENY	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1.	107.0015	
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.