MEMORANDUM OF CONSIDERATION

	IN THE CASE OF:   

	BOARD DATE:           14 December 2000                   
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR2000048137

	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. Nancy Amos		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Ms. June Hajjar		Chairperson	
	Mr. Hubert O. Fry, Jr.		Member	
	Mr. Richard T. Dunbar		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:  That he be awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge.

APPLICANT STATES:  That he was in Saipan with the 23d Infantry Replacement Depot from 23 August to 7 September 1945.  His military occupational specialty (MOS) was 745, Infantry Rifleman.  His unit was engaged in active ground combat against the enemy and an officer said they would be eligible for the CIB.  The 23d Infantry Replacement Depot received the Legion of Merit for exceptional meritorious conduct; the Meritorious Service Unit Plaque for outstanding devotion to duty from 12 February to 30 September 1945; a Bronze Service Star for action against the enemy on Saipan; and battle participation credit for the Western Pacific Campaign.

EVIDENCE OF RECORD:  The applicant's military records were lost or destroyed in the National Personnel Records Center fire in 1973.  The information contained herein was obtained from reconstructed records.

The applicant was inducted into the Army and entered active duty on                 22 December 1944.  He completed training at the Infantry Replacement Training Center, Camp Hood, TX on 21 April 1945.  He arrived in the Pacific Theater of Operations on 4 August 1945 and departed the theater on 25 August 1946.  He was demobilized on 1 November 1946.  His Enlisted Record and Report of Separation, WD AGO Form 53-55, shows that his MOS was 238, Telephone Lineman and his arm of service was Quartermaster Corps.

Department of the Army Pamphlet 672-1 shows that the 23d Replacement Depot was awarded ground campaign credit for the Western Pacific from 28 June through 31 July 1945.

Army Regulation 600-8-22 prescribes Army policy and criteria concerning individual military awards.  In pertinent part, it states that the CIB was established during World War II to provide special recognition of the unique role of the Army infantryman, the only soldier whose daily mission is to close with and destroy the enemy and to seize and hold terrain.  The badge was intended as an inducement for individuals to join the infantry while serving as a morale booster for infantrymen.  In developing the CIB, the War Department did not dismiss or ignore the contributions of other branches.  Their vital contributions to the overall war effort were noted, but it was decided that other awards and decorations were sufficient to recognize their contributions.  From the beginning, Army leadership have taken care to retain the badge for the unique purpose for which it was established.  There are basically three requirements for award of the CIB.  The soldier must be an infantryman satisfactorily performing infantry duties, must be assigned to an infantry unit during such time as the unit is engaged in active ground combat, and must actively participate in such ground combat.  

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.  While the evidence of record shows that the applicant completed infantry training in April 1945, all soldiers during World War II received this training.  The evidence of record further shows that he held MOS 238, not 745.

2.  The evidence shows that the 23d Replacement Depot was not designated an infantry unit.  The awards cited by the applicant as being received by the 23d Replacement Depot do not state that they were awarded for combat action.  The unit was officially awarded ground campaign credit for the Western Pacific from 28 June through 31 July 1945, prior to the applicant’s arrival.  The Board acknowledges the valuable service he performed during his tour of duty in the Pacific Theater of Operations; however, they do not qualify him for award of the CIB.

3.  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____  __HOF___  __RTD___  DENY APPLICATION

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

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2000048137	
SUFFIX		
RECON		
DATE BOARDED	20001214	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE		
DATE OF DISCHARGE		
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY		
DISCHARGE REASON		
BOARD DECISION	(DENY)	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1.	107.0015	
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.