MEMORANDUM OF CONSIDERATION

	IN THE CASE OF:   

	BOARD DATE:           3 April 2001
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR2000049835

	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	
	Mr. Michael L. Engle		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Mr. Walter T. Morrison		Chairperson	
	Mr. Thomas F. Baxter		Member	
	Mr. John T. Meixell		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 his military records be corrected to show award of the Purple Heart (PH).

APPLICANT STATES:  That in 1952, while advancing up a hill, he received shrapnel in both eyes. He contends that he was transported by jeep and helicopter to the 121st Hospital.  He is unsure, but thinks he spent about a month in that hospital, was released back to his unit and then sent home.  For years he has had a small lesion in his right eye which progressively enlarged until he had surgery on it in May 1999.  In support of his application he provides copies of his Transcript of Military Record (TAGO Form 01254) and medical records from the Illinois Masonic Medical Center.

EVIDENCE OF RECORD:  The applicant's military records were not available to the Board.  If they were located at the National Personnel Records Center on 
12 July 1973, they would have been in the area that suffered the most damage in the fire on that date and may have been destroyed.  Information herein was obtained from alternate record sources.

He was inducted into the Army on 9 August 1951.  He completed his initial training and was assigned as a light weapons infantryman with Company K, 65th Infantry.  He was honorably discharged in Puerto Rico on 13 June 1953.  He completed 1 year, 10 months and 4 days of creditable active service and attained the rank of master sergeant.

The applicant’s TAGO Form 01254 shows that his awards include the Korean Service Medal with 3 bronze service stars, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, and the Combat Infantryman Badge.

That form also indicates that the applicant was not wounded in action against the enemy.

Army Regulation 672-5-1 provides, in pertinent part, that the PH is awarded for a wound sustained as a result of hostile action.  Substantiating evidence must be provided to verify that the wound was the result of hostile action, the wound must have required treatment by a medical officer, and the medical treatment must have been made a matter of official record.

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 available records do not establish that the applicant received any wounds as a result of enemy action.  Furthermore, the applicant has not provided any substantiating evidence to support his contention that the injuries to his eyes were the result of being wounded in action while in Korea.

2.  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

__WTM__  __TFB       __JTM __  DENY APPLICATION

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

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2000049835	
SUFFIX		
RECON	YYYYMMDD	
DATE BOARDED	20010403	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE	(HD, GD, UOTHC, UD, BCD, DD, UNCHAR)	
DATE OF DISCHARGE	YYYYMMDD	
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY	AR .  .  .  .  .  	
DISCHARGE REASON		
BOARD DECISION	DENY	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1.	107.00	
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.