MEMORANDUM OF CONSIDERATION

	IN THE CASE OF:   

	BOARD DATE:           21 November 2000
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR2000045941

	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	
	Ms. Wanda L. Waller		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Mr. Thomas A. Pagan		Chairperson	
	Mr. Roger W. Able		Member	
	Mr. Thomas E. O’Shaughnessy		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:  Award of the Combat Infantryman Badge.  

APPLICANT STATES:  That he should have been awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge based on the fact that he was part of the initial action in the Aleutian Islands against the Japanese during World War II.  He also contends that he participated in the invasion of Germany during 1945 and that he was sent to the front as an infantryman in a box car.  In support of his application, he submits a copy of a note to a Member of Congress dated 19 April 2000; a copy of his WD AGO Form 53-55 (Enlisted Record and Report of Separation); copies of his WD AGO Form 24 (Service Record); a letter from the applicant, dated 6 April 1982, to Headquarters DAPC-MSS-A; a copy of an Addendum to DA Form 1577 (Authorization for Issuance of Awards) dated 12 April 2000; a letter dated 19 April 2000 from the applicant; a copy of a Reply to National Personnel Records Center Inquiry dated 10 March 2000; and a transcript of a two-page diary the applicant kept while going into a battle zone in Adak, Alaska.

EVIDENCE OF RECORD:  The applicant's military records show:

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 the applicant enlisted on 27 February 1940.  He served as an administrative noncommissioned officer (NCO) in military occupational specialty (MOS) 502 in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater from 3 August 1942 through 9 August 1944.  The applicant also served in the European Theater of Operations from 18 March 1945 through 27 July 1945 and was honorably separated on 6 August 1945.  

The applicant’s WD AGO Form 53-55, which was authenticated in his own hand, does not show the Combat Infantryman Badge as an authorized award.  

Item 30 (Military Occupational Specialty and No.) on the applicant’s WD AGO Form 53-55 shows the entry “ADMINISTRATIVE NCO 502”.  

There is no evidence in the available records which shows the applicant served in an infantry MOS.  

There are no orders in the available records which show the applicant was awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge.

There is no evidence in the available records which shows the applicant received combat infantry pay during World War II while assigned in the Asiatic-Pacific or while assigned in the European Theater. 

War Department Circular 269-1943 established the Combat Infantryman Badge and the Expert Infantryman Badge to recognize and provide an incentive to infantrymen.  The Expert Infantryman Badge was to be awarded for attainment of certain proficiency standards or by satisfactory performance of duty in action against the enemy.  The Combat Infantryman Badge was awarded for exemplary conduct in action against the enemy.  War Department Circular 186-1944 further provided that the Combat Infantryman Badge was to be awarded only to infantrymen serving with infantry units of brigade, regimental or smaller size.  Additionally, World War II holders of the Combat Infantryman Badge received a monthly pay supplement known as combat infantry pay and holders of the Expert 
Infantryman Badge were entitled to expert infantry pay.  Therefore, soldiers had economic as well as intangible reasons to ensure that their records were correct. Thus, pay records are frequently the best available source to verify entitlement to this award.  The Awards Branch, Total Army Personnel Command, has advised in similar cases that, during World War II, the Combat Infantryman Badge was normally awarded only to enlisted individuals who served in the following positions:

    a.  Light machine gunner (604)
    b.  Heavy machine gunner (605)
    c.  Platoon sergeant (651)
    d.  Squad leader (653)
    e.  Rifleman (745)
     f.  Automatic rifleman (746)
    g.  Heavy weapons NCO (812)
    h.  Gun crewman (864)

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.  The Board noted the applicant’s contention that he served as an infantryman in the Asiatic-Pacific and European Theaters of Operation during World War II.  However, evidence of record shows that he served in MOS 502 (administrative NCO), not in an infantry MOS.  

2.  Evidence of record also shows that the applicant signed his discharge document attesting to the fact that his MOS was 502 (administrative NCO).  Therefore, the applicant is not entitled to correction of his military records to show award of the Combat Infantryman Badge.   

3.  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.

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

TAP____  RWA____  TEO_____  DENY APPLICATION

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

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2000045941	
SUFFIX		
RECON		
DATE BOARDED	20001121	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE	(HD)	
DATE OF DISCHARGE	19450806	
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY	AR 615-365  	
DISCHARGE REASON	Convenience of the Government RR 1-1 Demobilization 	
BOARD DECISION	(DENY)	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1.	107.0111	
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.