MEMORANDUM OF CONSIDERATION

	IN THE CASE OF:   

	BOARD DATE:            3 April 2001
	DOCKET NUMBER:    AR2001052576

	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. William Blakely		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 he be awarded the Purple Heart (PH).

APPLICANT STATES:  That he was awarded the PH while assigned to Korea.

EVIDENCE OF RECORD:  The applicant's military records show:

The applicant’s military records were lost or destroyed in the National Personnel Records Center fire in 1973.  The information herein was gleaned from a copy of the applicant’s DD Form 214 (Report of Separation from the Armed Services of the United States).  The file did contain Standard Form 88 (Report of Medical Examination).

His separation document shows he was inducted on 8 September 1952 and was trained and served as an Infantryman.  He was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation, the Korean Service Medal with 1 bronze service star, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, and the Combat Infantryman Badge.  He attained the rank of sergeant and was honorably released from active duty on 18 August 1954.

The applicant’s Standard Form 88 dated 17 August 1954, that cleared him for separation, did not indicate that he had sustained a combat wound.

The applicant’s separation document does not show the PH as an authorized award nor that he was wounded.

On 9 May 1997 DA Form 1577 (Authorization for Issuance of Awards) issued the applicant the Good Conduct Medal, and reissued to the applicant the Korean Service Medal with 1 bronze service star, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Combat Infantryman Badge, and the Presidential Unit Citation.

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.

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.  From a review of available personnel records, there is no evidence to show that the applicant suffered any wounds that would entitle him to the PH.

2.  The applicant’s medical examination dated 17 August 1954 cleared him for separation and did not indicate that he had sustained a combat wound.

3.  The applicant did not provide evidence that he was wounded as a result of hostile action, that his wounds required medical treatment by a medical officer, and that the medical treatment was a made a matter of official record.

4.  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	AR2001052576	
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.