PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:  

	BOARD DATE:            20 March 2001                   
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR2000049939

	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 correction of his discharge document to show the Purple Heart, the World War II Victory Medal, the American Defense Service Medal, the “ATM”, the “CAR” and the Combat Infantryman Badge. 

3.  The applicant states that these awards were omitted from his discharge document.

4.  The applicant’s military records were destroyed or lost during the National Personnel Records Center fire of 1973.  Records available to the Board were obtained from alternate sources and show that the applicant enlisted on 
16 February 1942.  He served as a rifleman in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and was honorably discharged by reason of disability on 23 September 1943.

5.  The applicant’s Enlisted Record, which was authenticated in his own hand, does not show the Purple Heart, the World War II Victory Medal, the American Defense Service Medal, the “ATM”, the “CAR” or the Combat Infantryman Badge as authorized awards.

6.  The applicant’s Enlisted Record shows the entry “Wounds received in service unknown”.  There is no evidence in the available records that shows the applicant was awarded the Purple Heart or was wounded as a result of hostile action during World War II.  

7.  There is no evidence in the available records which shows the applicant served a period of qualifying service for award of the American Defense Service Medal.

8.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 (Military Awards) does not show “ATM” or “CAR” as authorized acronyms for any awards or decorations which are authorized.  Since the acronyms cannot be identified, they will not be discussed further in these Proceedings.      

9.  The applicant’s Enlisted Record and medical records show that he served as a rifleman while assigned to Company E, 169th Infantry Regiment of the
43rd Infantry Division.  However, there are no orders for the Combat Infantryman Badge in the available records.  

10.  The applicant’s medical records show that he was diagnosed with psychoneurosis, war neurosis, on 16 July 1943.  Subsequently, a Board of Medical Officers found the applicant unfit for service because of psychoneurosis, mixed, type, severe, and recommended that he be discharged by reason of disability.  The applicant’s medical records show that his symptoms became extreme during a combat experience and that he “went to pieces” when the boat he was on was torpedoed and bombed as they pulled into Guadalcanal on
17 February 1943.  Medical records also show that the applicant was evacuated from the SWP (Southwest Pacific) in August 1943 because of mixed psychoneurosis due to battle reaction.

11.  Department of the Army Pamphlet 672-1, Unit Citation and Campaign Participation Credit Register, dated 6 July 1961, shows, among other information, units awards authorized for units which served during World War II.  This document shows the unit to which the applicant was assigned, the 169th Infantry Regiment, received the Philippine Presidential Unit Citation for actions during the period 7 December 1941 to 10 May 1942.  This award is not shown on his Enlisted Record.

12.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 provides, in pertinent part, that the Purple Heart 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, and the medical treatment must have been made a matter of official record.

13.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 provides, in pertinent part, for award of the World War II Victory Medal.  It is awarded for service between 7 December 1941 and 31 December 1946, both dates inclusive.

14.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 provides, in pertinent part, for award of the American Defense Service Medal for service within the American Theater between 8 September 1939 and 7 December 1941 under orders to active duty for a period of 12 months or longer.

15.  War Department Circular 269-1943 established the Combat Infantryman Badge and the Expert Infantryman Badge to recognize and provide an incentive to infantrymen.  The Expert Infantryman Badge was to be awarded for attainment of certain proficiency standards or by satisfactory performance of duty in action against the enemy.  The Combat Infantryman Badge was awarded for exemplary conduct in action against the enemy.  War Department Circular 186-1944 further provided that the Combat Infantryman Badge was to be awarded only to infantrymen serving with infantry units of brigade, regimental or smaller size.  Additionally, World War II holders of the Combat Infantryman Badge received a monthly pay supplement known as combat infantry pay and holders of the Expert Infantryman Badge were entitled to expert infantry pay.  Therefore, soldiers had economic as well as intangible reasons to ensure that their records were correct. Thus, pay records are frequently the best available source to verify entitlement to this award.  The Awards Branch, Total Army Personnel Command, has advised in similar cases that, during World War II, the Combat Infantryman Badge was normally awarded only to enlisted individuals who served in the following positions:

    a.  Light machine gunner (604)
    b.  Heavy machine gunner (605)
    c.  Platoon sergeant (651)
    d.  Squad leader (653)
    e.  Rifleman (745)
     f.  Automatic rifleman (746)
    g.  Heavy weapons NCO (812)
    h.  Gun crewman (864)

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  There is no evidence of record, and the applicant has provided no evidence, which shows he was wounded or treated for wounds as a result of hostile action during World War II.  Therefore, the applicant is not entitled to correction of his military records to show award of the Purple Heart.

2.  The applicant is entitled to the World War II Victory Medal for his service between 16 February 1942 and 23 September 1943.  Therefore, he is entitled to correction of his military records to show this medal.

3.  There is no evidence of record which shows the applicant served within the American Theater between 8 September 1939 and 7 December 1941.  Therefore, he is not entitled to correction of his military records to show the American Defense Service Medal.       

4.  Evidence of record shows the applicant served in an infantry military occupational specialty while assigned to an infantry company during World War II.  However, there is no evidence of record which shows that the applicant demonstrated “exemplary conduct in action against the enemy” or that his chain of command awarded him the Combat Infantryman Badge or authorized him combat infantry pay.  In view of medical evidence indicating the applicant’s performance in combat did not meet the criteria for award of the Combat Infantryman Badge the Board is not predisposed to overrule the decision of the chain of command not to award the Combat Infantryman Badge to the applicant. Therefore, the Board finds that the applicant was not entitled at the time of his service and is not now entitled to award of the Combat Infantryman Badge because he did not meet the regulatory criteria for award of this badge.   

5.  The applicant’s unit was cited for the Philippine Presidential Unit Citation while  he was a member of it.  Therefore, the applicant is entitled to correction of his military records to show this citation. 

6.  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 by showing that the individual concerned was awarded the World War II Victory Medal and the Philippine Presidential Unit Citation.

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	AR2000049939	
SUFFIX		
RECON		
DATE BOARDED	20010320	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE	(HD)	
DATE OF DISCHARGE	19430923	
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY	  	
DISCHARGE REASON	Disability	
BOARD DECISION	(GRANT)	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1.	107.0066	
2.	107.0091	
3.	107.0015	
4.	107.0061	
5.	107.0111	
6.