PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF: 

	BOARD DATE:  5 April 2001
	DOCKET NUMBER:  AR2001052321

	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. Vic Whitney		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Ms. June Hajjar		Chairperson	
	Mr. Harry B. Oberg		Member	
	Ms. Celia L. Adolphi		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 his discharge characterization of under other than honorable conditions be upgraded to under honorable conditions.

3.  The applicant states that he only served for 4 months and could not complete infantry training because of back problems.  He tried to change his service to a mechanic but he was discharged instead.

4.  The applicant’s military records were lost or destroyed in the 1973 fire at the National Personnel Records Center.  This review was accomplished with records from alternate sources.

5.  The applicant was recalled (inducted) on 25 June 1943.  He was assigned to Camp Croft, South Carolina for infantry training but it appears that he failed to complete training.  Effective 30 October 1943, he was discharged in the rank of private under the authority of Army Regulation 615-360, section eight, for inadaptability.  There is no discharge document in the available record.

6.  The applicant’s final pay voucher states that he received a discharge (“Without Honor) after 4 months and 8 days creditable service.  The form also states that he had no lost time.

7.  A Certificate of Military Service prepared by the National Personnel Records Center on 29 June 1998, states that the applicant’s service was characterized as other than honorable.  The form states that it was issued in the absence of a copy of the actual Report of Separation (discharge document).

8.  Army Regulation 615-360, in effect at the time, provided for the discharge of enlisted personnel.  Section eight provided for the discharge of soldiers for inaptness, lack of adaptability, enuresis, habits or traits of undesirable character, and physically disqualified through own misconduct.  A Blue Discharge was considered normal.

8.  Historical information maintained by the staff of the Board shows that the “Blue Discharge” came into use in 1918.  It was printed on blue paper and replaced the “Discharge Without Honor”.  Its use was also expanded to include a discharge for unfitness and to characterize service that had been less than “good”.  Historical records also show that Blue Discharges were issued to individuals whose service was not dishonorable, but were not entitled to an Honorable Discharge Certificate.

9.  In July 1947 the Army adopted two replacement discharges for the Blue Discharge.  The general discharge was designed to eliminate criticism of the Blue Discharge that was issued to those who simply could not adjust to military life but was viewed as without honor.  The undesirable discharge replaced the true Blue Discharge.
10.  The DD Form 303A (Certificate in Lieu of Lost or Destroyed Discharge) is authorized to be issued in those circumstances when there is no discharge form to be corrected.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  It appears from the available evidence that the applicant was discharged for inadaptability on 30 October 1943, after 4 months and 8 days service.  The reason and authority for the discharge appear correct.  There is no record of lost time by the applicant.  Prior to 1947, there was no general discharge available for the separation of soldiers found to be inept or lacking adaptability to military service.

2.  It would now be in the interest of fairness and equity to upgrade the applicant’s discharge to reflect a separation under honorable conditions (general).

3.  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 for the individual concerned be corrected by issuing a DD Form 303A which shows that he was discharged on 30 October 1943 at Camp Croft, South Carolina under honorable conditions (general).

BOARD VOTE:  

__jh___  __ho____  __ca____  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		____June Hajjar_____
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2001052321	
SUFFIX		
RECON		
DATE BOARDED	20010405	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE	UOTHC	
DATE OF DISCHARGE	19431030	
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY	AR 615-360, section VIII	
DISCHARGE REASON	A78.00	
BOARD DECISION	GRANT	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1.	110.02	
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.