PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:          

	BOARD DATE:                25 September 2001  
	DOCKET NUMBER:       AR2001057292

	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. Beverly A. Young		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Mr. John N. Slone		Chairperson	
	Mr. Ronald E. Blakely		Member	
	Mr. Lester Echols		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, correction of his records to show he participated in the “France” campaign.  The applicant requested to appear before the Board.

3.  The applicant states, in effect, that he contributed to liberating France.  He states that from Marseille (France) his unit traveled north to Nancy (France), to Germany, and to Austria.  He also contends that his unit liberated more of France than the troops who landed at Normandy.  In support of his application, he submits a copy of his AGO Form 01254 (Transcript of Military Record) and a map of France.  

4.  The applicant’s military records were destroyed or lost in the National Personnel Records Center fire of 1973.  Records available to the Board were obtained from alternate sources and show that he enlisted on 23 April 1942.  He served in the European-African-Middle Eastern Theater of Operations from 19 August 1942 to 4 September 1945 and was honorably discharged from active duty on 20 September 1945.

5.  The applicant provided a copy of his Transcript of Military Record.  This document shows he received credit for participation in the Algeria-French Morocco, Central Europe, Tunisia, Naples-Foggia, Rome-Arno, and Rhineland campaigns in item 26 (Battles and Campaigns).  The Board notes that the applicant is entitled to award of the Army of Occupation Medal (Germany) which is not listed on his Transcript of Military Record.

6.  Department of the Army Pamphlet 672-1, Unit Citation and Campaign Participation Credit Register, dated 6 July 1961, shows, among other information, campaign credit during World War II.  This document shows the unit to which the applicant was assigned, the 2756th Engineer Combat Battalion, only received campaign credit for the Ardennes-Alsace Campaign (16 December 1944–25 January 1945), the Rhineland Campaign (15 September 1944-21 March 1945), and the Central Europe Campaign (22 March 1945-11 May 1945).  This document does not show that the applicant’s unit received campaign credit for the Normandy, Northern France or Southern France campaigns.

7.  Department of the Army Pamphlet 672-1, Unit Citation and Campaign Participation Credit Register, dated 6 July 1961, will also show whether or not a World War II unit was authorized occupation credit, thus entitlement to the Army Occupation Medal.  This document shows the applicant’s unit received occupation credit for Germany for the period from 2 May to 4 July 1945.

8.  Army Regulation 15-185 governs operations of the Army Board for Correction of Military Records (ABCMR).  Paragraph 2-11 of this regulation states that applicants do not have a right to a hearing before the ABCMR.  The regulation provides that the Director of the ABCMR or the ABCMR may grant a formal hearing before which the applicant, counsel and witnesses may appear whenever justice requires.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The Board noted the applicant’s contentions regarding his participation in the liberation of France; however, there is no evidence available to the Board which shows the applicant’s unit received campaign credit for any of the three campaigns conducted in France.  Therefore, there is no basis for correcting his records to show campaign credit for Normandy, Northern France or Southern France campaigns.

2.  While the applicant was assigned to the 2756th Engineer Combat Battalion, the unit received occupation credit for Germany; therefore, the applicant is entitled to award of the Army of Occupation Medal (Germany) and correction of his records to show this award.

3.  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 the individual concerned was awarded the Army of Occupation Medal (Germany).

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

BOARD VOTE:  

JNS____  LE______  REB_____  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		John N. Slone_________
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2001057292	
SUFFIX		
RECON	YYYYMMDD	
DATE BOARDED	20010925    	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE	(HD, GD, UOTHC, UD, BCD, DD, UNCHAR)	
DATE OF DISCHARGE	YYYYMMDD	
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY	AR . . . . .  	
DISCHARGE REASON		
BOARD DECISION	GRANT IN PART	
REVIEW AUTHORITY	Mr. Schneider	
ISSUES         1.	100.0000	
2.	107.0067	
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.