PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:       

	BOARD DATE:            20 March 2001
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR2000049695

	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. Jessie B. Strickland		Analyst	

The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Mr. Fred N. Eichorn		Chairperson	
	Mr. Raymond J. Wagner		Member	
	Mr. William D. Powers		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, in effect, that he be awarded the Combat Medical Badge (CMB).

3.  The applicant states that he served as a senior medical aidman in combat and was awarded the CMB.  He also states that he wore the CMB during his 11 years of active duty; however, he has no orders and it was not included on his report of separation (DD Form 214). 

4.  The applicant’s military records show that he enlisted in Albuquerque, New Mexico on 20 January 1951 for a period of 3 years.  He successfully completed his training as a medical aidman and remained on active duty through a series of continuous reenlistments.  He was promoted to the pay grade of E-5 on 24 December 1953.

5.  His records also show that he served in Korea from 27 November 1951 to 10 November 1952 and was awarded the Bronze Star Medal with “V” device for heroic achievement under fire while assigned as an aidman to an infantry unit on 11 August 1952.

6.  His Service Record (DA Form 24) which was prepared on 20 July 1959 due to the unserviceable condition of his original DA Form 24 indicates that he was awarded the CMB, the Korean Service Medal (KSM) with two bronze service stars, the United Nations Service Medal (UNSM), the Army Occupation Medal (AOM) (Germany), the National Defense Service Medal (NDSM), the Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB), the Good Conduct Medal (GCMDL) and the Bronze Star Medal with “V” device (BSM w/”V” device).

7.  The applicant continued to serve until he was discharged under honorable conditions on 15 February 1962.  The available DD Form 214s present in the records show that he was awarded the CIB, BSM w/”V” device, AOM, KSM, NDSM, UNSM, GCMDL and the Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation.  There is no indication on those documents which show that he was awarded the CMB.  Additionally, there are no orders present to indicate its award; however, orders are not present for several other awards which include the CIB.

8.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 provides the criteria for award of the CMB.  It states, in pertinent part, that the CMB was created by the War Department on 1 March 1945.  Its evolution stemmed from a requirement to recognize medical aidmen who shared the same hazards and hardships of ground combat on a daily basis with infantry soldiers.  As with the CIB, the infantry unit to which the medical personnel are assigned or attached must engage the enemy in active ground combat.  The medical personnel must be personally present and under fire to be eligible for award of the CMB. 

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The evidence of record clearly shows that the applicant served as a medic in combat and was awarded a BSM for valor for his actions with an infantry unit in combat in Korea.  Therefore he met all of the criteria necessary for the award.  

2.  Inasmuch as the CMB is the first award indicated on his Service Records under authorized awards and since there are also other awards indicated for which orders are not present, it is reasonable to presume that orders were at some time published which authorized the award of the CMB.  

3.  Therefore, the Board finds that it would be in the interest of justice to memorialize the award of the CMB as an authorized award by including it on his DD Form 214.

4.  Inasmuch as the DD Form 214 is an official document, it will serve in the absence of orders to show the applicant’s entitlement to that award. 

5.  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 CMB.

BOARD VOTE:  

___fe ___  ___rjw___  __wdp __  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		_____Fred N. Eichorn_____
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2000049695	
SUFFIX		
RECON	YYYYMMDD	
DATE BOARDED	2001/03/20	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE		
DATE OF DISCHARGE		
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY		
DISCHARGE REASON		
BOARD DECISION	GRANT	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1.  189	110.0000/corr 214	
2.  159	107.0113/cmb	
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.