PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:  

	BOARD DATE:           6 February 2001   
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR2000045272

	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:

	Mr. Raymond V. O’Connor, Jr.		Chairperson	
	Mr. Walter T. Morrison		Member	
	Mr. Thomas Lanyi		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 military records be corrected to show all awards earned for his service in the Republic of Vietnam (RVN).

3.  The applicant states that his Armed Forces of the United States Report of Transfer or Discharge (DD Form 214) does not show all of the awards that he earned.

4.  The applicant’s military records show that he enlisted in the Army on            18 November 1966 for 3 years.  He successfully completed basic combat training, advanced infantryman training and the basic airborne course and was awarded military occupational specialty (MOS) 11B1P (Infantryman with parachute qualification).

5.  The applicant was assigned to the RVN for duty as an infantryman with the 2nd Battalion, 506th (Airborne) Infantry, 101st Airborne Division, from 2 December 1967 to 29 November 1968.  During this period of service, he participated in Phase II through Phase VI of the Counteroffensive Campaign and in the Tet Counteroffensive Campaign, totaling 6 offensive campaigns.

6.  The applicant’s DD Form 214 shows that he was only awarded the National Defense Service Medal.  He completed 2 years, 11 months and 25 days of creditable active service and was honorably separated on 19 December 1969.

7.  Department of the Army General Orders 38, dated 1971, announced award of the Presidential Unit Citation (PUC) to the 2nd Battalion, 506th Infantry for the period from 13 June to 23 September 1968.

8.  Department of the Army General Orders 22, dated 1976, announced award of the Meritorious Unit Citation (MUC) to the 2nd Battalion, 506th Infantry for the period from 14 March 1968 to 3 October 1968.

9.  Department of the Army General Orders 24, dated 1972, announced award of the RVN Gallantry Cross with Palm Unit Citation Badge to the 2nd Battalion, 506th Infantry for the period from 31 January to 3 February 1968.

10.  Department of the Army General Orders 48, dated 1971, announced award of the RVN Civil Actions Honor Medal, First Class to the 2nd Battalion, 506th Infantry for the period from 3 October 1968 to 2 May 1970.

11.  Army Regulation 672-5-1 provides, in pertinent part, that to be eligible for the Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB) an individual must be an infantryman with an infantry MOS and must perform primary duties as an infantryman, as a member of an infantry unit of brigade, or smaller size, during any period in which that unit was engaged in active ground combat.  Battle participation credit alone is not sufficient. 

12.  Army Regulation 672-5-1 provides, in pertinent part, that the Vietnam Service Medal (VSM) is awarded to all members of the Armed Forces of the United States serving in the RVN and contiguous waters or airspace thereover, after 3 July 1965 through 28 March 1973.  To qualify for award of the VSM an individual must be attached to or regularly serve for 1 or more days with an organization participating in or directly supporting military operations.  That regulation further provides that service stars are worn on campaign and service ribbons to denote additional awards.

13.  Army Regulation 672-5-1 provides, in pertinent part, that the RVN Campaign Medal (VCM) with Device (1960) is awarded to members of the United States Armed Forces who served in the RVN for 6 months or more from 1 March 1961 through 28 March 1973.  It is also awarded to those members serving less than  6 months who were wounded, captured or killed by hostile forces.

14.  Army Regulation 672-5-1 provides, in pertinent part, that the Parachutist Badge is awarded to individuals who satisfactorily complete the prescribed proficiency tests while assigned or attached to an airborne unit or the Airborne Department of the Infantry School.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  While the evidence of record does not show that the applicant actually participated in combat against an enemy ground force, he did hold an infantry MOS and was assigned to an infantry unit of brigade size or smaller in a combat zone for almost a year.  However, the evidence does show that his unit was highly decorated for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enemy.  Therefore, it is reasonable to presume that the applicant did engage the enemy in ground combat, and probably did so on more than one occasion.  His records should be corrected to show award of the CIB.

2.  The applicant successfully completed the basic airborne course and was awarded an MOS with the skill qualification identifier “P”.  Therefore his records should be corrected to show award of the Parachutist Badge.

3.  The applicant served in the RVN during 6 different campaigns and is therefore entitled to award of the VSM with 1 silver and 1 bronze service star.

4.  The applicant served in the RVN for more than the prescribed 6 months and is therefore entitled to award of the RVN Campaign Medal with Device (1960).

5.  The applicant served with the 2nd Battalion, 506th Infantry during the time it was awarded the PUC, MUC, RVN Gallantry Cross with Palm Unit Citation Badge, and the RVN Civil Actions Honor Medal, First Class.  Therefore, he is entitled to permanent award of the same.

6.  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, particularly the DD Form 214 of the individual concerned, be corrected by showing that he was awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Parachutist Badge, the Vietnam Service Medal with 1 silver and 1 bronze service star, the Presidential Unit Citation, the Meritorious Unit Citation, the RVN Campaign Medal with Device (1960), the RVN Gallantry Cross with Palm Unit Citation Badge, and the RVN Civil Actions Honor Medal, First Class.

BOARD VOTE:  

__RVO__  __WTM__  ___TL___  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		_Raymond V. O’Connor, Jr.     
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2000045272	
SUFFIX		
RECON	YYYYMMDD	
DATE BOARDED	20010206	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE	(HD, GD, UOTHC, UD, BCD, DD, UNCHAR)	
DATE OF DISCHARGE	YYYYMMDD	
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY	AR . . . . .  	
DISCHARGE REASON		
BOARD DECISION	(NC, GRANT , DENY, GRANT PLUS)	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1.	107.00	
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.