PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:  

	BOARD DATE:            20 March 2001    
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR2000049808

	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. Wanda L. Waller		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 item 27 (Decorations, Medals, Badges, Commendations, Citations and Campaign Ribbons Awarded or Authorized) on his DD Form 214 (Report of Separation from the Armed Forces of the United States) with an effective date of 9 January 1952 be corrected to show the Korean Service Medal with three bronze service stars and one bronze arrowhead, the National Defense Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the Parachute & Glider Wings, the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Ranger Tab, the Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation, the Purple Heart and the newly approved Korean War Service Medal.  He also requests that item 31 (Service Training Courses Successfully Completed) be corrected to show completion of Ranger Training.      

3.  The applicant’s request for the Korean War Service Medal was addressed by separate correspondence to the applicant.

4.  The applicant’s DD Form 214 with an effective date of 9 January 1952 shows the Parachute & Glider Wings, the Combat Infantryman Badge and the Purple Heart as authorized awards.  Therefore, this portion of the applicant’s requests will not be discussed further in these Proceedings. 

5.  The applicant states, in effect, that he is entitled to these awards and corrections to his DD Form 214.  In support of his application, he submits a copy of a certificate of constructive month’s service credit dated 11 March 1953; a Certificate of Training for Ranger Training dated 23 January 1998; and a copy of his DD Form 214 with an effective date of 9 January 1952.

6.  The applicant’s military records show that he completed over 20 years of active duty on 31 August 1966 when he retired in the rank of staff sergeant.  

7.  The applicant’s DD Form 214 with an effective date of 9 January 1952 covers his period of service from 9 January 1948 to 9 January 1952.  During this period of service the applicant served as a rifleman in Korea from 21 November 1950 until he was wounded in action on 24 June 1951 and later evacuated to the United States.  

8.  The applicant’s DD Form 214 with an effective date of 9 January 1952 does not show the Korean Service Medal with three bronze service stars and one bronze arrowhead, the National Defense Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the Ranger Tab or the Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation as authorized awards.  Item 31 (Service Training Courses Successfully Completed) shows the entry “None”.  The DD Form 214 does show the Korean Service Medal with one bronze service star as an authorized award.      

9.  The applicant served in Korea from 21 November 1950 to 24 June 1951 and participated in three campaigns (the Chinese Communist Forces Intervention from 3 November 1950 to 24 January 1951; the First United Nations Counteroffensive from 25 January to 21 April 1951; and Chinese Communist Forces Spring Offensive from 22 April to 8 July 1951).    

10.  Department of the Army Pamphlet 672-1 (Unit Citation and Campaign Participation Credit Register) lists the unit awards received by units serving in the Korean conflict.  This document shows the unit, to which the applicant was assigned, the 4th Ranger Infantry Company (Airborne), was cited for an assault landing in Munsan-ni, Korea, on 23 March 1951 by Department of the Army General Orders Number 80-54.  However, there is no evidence of record which shows that he participated in this airborne assault.

11.  The applicant provided a Certificate of Training, dated 23 January 1998, for completion of Ranger Training during the period September 1950 through September 1951 given at Fort Benning, Georgia.         

12.  Department of the Army Pamphlet 672-1 (Unit Citation and Campaign Participation Credit Register) lists the unit awards received by units serving in the Korean conflict.  This document shows the unit, to which the applicant was assigned, the 4th Ranger Infantry Company (Airborne), was cited for award of the Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation for actions during the period 
19 September 1950 to 31 July 1952 by Department of the Army General Orders Number 41-55. 

13.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 (Military Awards), in pertinent part, authorizes award of a bronze service star, based on qualifying service, for each campaign listed in Appendix B of this regulation and states that authorized bronze service stars will be worn on the appropriate service medal.

14.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 provides, in pertinent part, for the “arrowhead” to be worn on the appropriate service medal to denote participation in a combat parachute jump, helicopter assault landing, combat glider landing, or amphibious assault landing while assigned or attached as a member of an organized force carrying out an assigned tactical mission.  The regulation specifies that individual assault credit is tied directly to the combat assault credit decision for the unit to which the soldier is assigned.  The regulation requires that the unit must be credited with a combat assault in order for the soldiers to receive credit for a combat assault and the soldier must physically exit the aircraft or the watercraft as appropriate.  The regulation also specifies that the arrowhead is authorized for wear on the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, the Korean Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal, and the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal.

15.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 provides, in pertinent part, that the National Defense Service Medal is awarded for honorable active service for any period between 27 July 1950 through 27 July 1954, 1 January 1961 through 14 August 1974, and 2 August 1990 through 30 November 1995.

16.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 provides for award of the United Nations Service Medal.  In pertinent part, the regulation states that the period of eligibility for the United Nations Service Medal was between 27 June 1950 and 27 July 1954.  The regulation provides that this service medal was awarded to members of the Armed Forces of the United States dispatched to Korea or adjacent areas on behalf of the United Nations.  Award of the Korean Service Medal automatically establishes eligibility for award of the United Nations Service Medal.

17.  Army Regulation 600-8-22, in pertinent part, sets forth the requirements for award of the Ranger Tab.  The Ranger Tab is awarded for successful completion of a Ranger Course conducted by the U.S. Army Infantry School or the Ranger Training Command or award of the Combat Infantryman Badge while serving in World War II as a member of a Ranger Battalion (1st to 6th inclusive) or in the 5307th Composite Unit (Merrill’s Marauders).

18.  Army Regulation 635-5 (Separation Documents) establishes the policies and procedures for completion and distribution of the DD Form 214.  In pertinent part, it states that item 31 (Service Training Courses Successfully Completed) will list formal in-service training courses successfully completed during the period of service.  This information is to assist the soldier after separation in job placement and counseling.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The applicant’s DD Form 214 shows the Korean Service Medal with one bronze service star as an authorized award.  However, evidence of record shows the applicant participated in three campaigns during his assignment in Korea which are not correctly shown by award of three bronze service stars for wear on his Korean Service Medal. Therefore, in accordance with the governing regulation, the applicant is entitled to the Korean Service Medal with three bronze service stars and correction of his DD Form 214 with an effective date of
9 January 1952 to show these awards.

2.  Evidence of record shows that the applicant’s unit was cited for an assault landing in Korea on 23 March 1951.  However, there is no evidence of record available to the Board, and the applicant has provided no evidence, which shows that he participated in this airborne assault.  Therefore, the applicant is not entitled to the bronze arrowhead to be affixed to his Korean Service Medal. 

3.  The applicant served a period of qualifying service for award of the National Defense Service Medal.  Therefore, the applicant is entitled to correction of his DD Form 214 with an effective date of 9 January 1952 to show this medal.

4.  The applicant is entitled to award of the United Nations Service Medal based on his award of the Korean Service Medal.  Therefore, the applicant is entitled to correction of his DD Form 214 with an effective date of 9 January 1952 to show this medal. 

5.  The applicant completed a Ranger Course conducted by the U.S. Army Infantry School at Fort Benning, Georgia.  Therefore, the applicant is entitled to award of the Ranger Tab and correction of his DD Form 214 with an effective date of 9 January 1952 to show this tab. 

6.  The applicant’s unit was cited for the Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation while he was assigned to it.  Therefore, the applicant is entitled to correction of his DD Form 214 with an effective date of 9 January 1952 to show this unit citation.    

7.  In view of the foregoing findings and conclusions, it would be appropriate to correct the applicant’s records, but only as recommended below.

RECOMMENDATION:

1.  That all of the Department of the Army records related to this case be corrected:

	a.  by deleting the entry “Korean Service Medal W/1 Bronze Star” from item 27 (Decorations, Medals, Badges, Commendations, Citations and Campaign Ribbons Awarded or Authorized) on the DD Form 214 with an effective date of 9 January 1952 of the individual concerned; and 

	b.  by adding the entries “Korean Service Medal with three bronze service stars”, “National Defense Service Medal”, “United Nations Service Medal”, “Ranger Tab” and “Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation” in item 27 on the DD Form 214 with an effective date of 9 January 1952; and

	c.  by adding the entry “Ranger Training” in item 31 (Service Training Courses Successfully Completed” on his DD Form 214 with an effective date of
9 January 1952.

2.  That so much of the application as is in excess of the foregoing be denied.

BOARD VOTE:  

FNE____  RJW___  WDP_____  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		__Fred N. Eichorn______
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2000049808	
SUFFIX		
RECON		
DATE BOARDED	20010320	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE	(HD)	
DATE OF DISCHARGE	19660831	
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY	Title 10 United States Code 3914	
DISCHARGE REASON	Retirement	
BOARD DECISION	(GRANT)	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1.	107.0070	
2.	107.0069	
3.	107.0085	
4.	107.0123	
5.	107.0092	
6.	107.0000