PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:           

	BOARD DATE:               14 November 2000               
	DOCKET NUMBER:      AR2000046150

	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. Beverly A. Young		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Ms. Shirley Powell		Chairperson	
	Ms. Meta Waller		Member	
	Mr. Terry L. Placek		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 correction of his DD Form 214 (Report of Separation from Active Duty) to show “23” or “24” awards of the Air Medal.

3.  The applicant states that he was only awarded one Air Medal.  He contends that he is entitled to “23” or “24” awards of the Air Medal.  He states that he was a light scout pilot with Delta Troop 2nd Squadron, 1st Calvary, 55th Aviation Battalion.  He also states that he was infused into Delta Troop 1st Squadron, 10th Calvary, 4th Infantry Division.  In support of his application, he provides a copy of his DD Form 214, a copy of his DD Form 215 (Correction to DD Form 214) and a copy of his USAAVNC Form 759-1 (Individual Flight Record and Flight Certificate – Army).

4.  The applicant’s military records show that he initially enlisted in the Regular Army on 8 February 1954.  He completed training as a light weapons infantryman and served in Germany (14 December 1957-9 December 1960) and Vietnam (20 August 1965-22 April 1966).  On 26 September 1967, he was appointed as a Reserve Warrant Officer and served another tour in Vietnam (21 July 1968– 10 July 1969) as an helicopter pilot.  The applicant was retired in the rank of CW3 on 31 December 1974.

5.  The applicant’s personnel records contain four DD Forms 214.  His discharge document with an effective date of 31 December 1974 shows entitlement to one Air Medal.

6.  Headquarters, 4th Infantry Division General Orders Number 6180, dated 1 December 1968, awarded the applicant the basic Air Medal for the period 11 August 1968 through 9 September 1968.

7.  The applicant’s personnel records contain a DA Form 759 (Individual Flight Record and Flight Certificate - Part II) which shows he completed 558 flight hours of combat time during the period 14 September 1968 through 22 June 1969.  

8.  U.S Army Vietnam (USARV) Regulation 672-1 (Decorations and Awards) provided, in pertinent part, guidelines for award of the Air Medal.  It established that passenger personnel who did not participate in an air assault were not eligible for the award based upon sustained operations.  It defined terms and provided guidelines for the award based upon the number and types of missions or hours.  Twenty-five Category I missions (air assault and equally dangerous missions) and accrual of a minimum of 25 hours of flight time while engaged in Category I missions was the standard established for which sustained operations were deemed worthy of recognition by an award of the Air Medal.  However, the regulation was clear that these guidelines were considered only a departure point.  Nothing created an entitlement to the award.  There was no provision for making the award simply because an aircraft was struck by enemy fire. 

9.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 (Military Awards) provides that Arabic numerals are now used instead of oak leaf clusters for the second and succeeding awards of the Air Medal.  The numeral 2 denotes the second award of the Air Medal.  

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The applicant’s DD Form 214 shows one award of the Air Medal.

2.  Evidence of record shows the applicant flew 558 combat flight hours in Vietnam after his first award of the Air Medal.  Therefore, the applicant is entitled to correction of his DD Form 214, with an effective date of 31 December 1974, to show an additional 22 awards of the Air Medal (a total of 23 awards of the Air Medal).

3.  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 by showing that the individual concerned was awarded the Air Medal with numeral “23”.

BOARD VOTE:  

SP_____  MW______  TLP____  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		Shirley Powell________
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2000046150	
SUFFIX		
RECON	YYYYMMDD	
DATE BOARDED	20001114 	
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.	107.0018	
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.