PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:          

	BOARD DATE:               18 September 2001              
	DOCKET NUMBER:       AR2001057485

	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:

	Ms. JoAnn Langston		Chairperson	
	Mr. Melvin H. Meyer		Member	
	Ms. Karen A. Heinz		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 WD AGO Form 53-55 (Enlisted Record and Report of Separation) to show award of the Bronze Star Medal.

3.  The applicant states, in effect, that his records should be corrected to show the Bronze Star Medal.  In support of his application, he submits a newsletter from the Disabled American Veterans and a copy of his WD AGO Form 53-55.

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 was inducted in the Enlisted Reserve Corps (ERC) on 26 January 1944.  He entered active duty on 16 February 1944.  The applicant served in the European-African-Middle Eastern Theater of Operations from 26 November 1944 to 10 May 1946 and was honorably discharged from active duty on 23 May 1946.

5.  The applicant’s WD AGO Form 53-55 does not show the Bronze Star Medal as an authorized award.

6.  The applicant’s WD AGO Form 53-55 shows he was awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge during World War II. 

7.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 also provides, in pertinent part, that the Bronze Star Medal is awarded for heroism and for meritorious achievement or service in military operations against an armed enemy.  The Bronze Star Medal is authorized for each individual who was cited in orders or awarded a certificate for exemplary conduct in ground combat between 7 December 1941 and 2 September 1945 or whose achievement or service, during that period, was confirmed by documents executed prior to 1 July 1947.  An award of the Combat Infantryman Badge or the Combat Medical Badge is considered to be a citation in orders.  This means, in effect, that the Bronze Star Medal is to be awarded to individuals who were authorized either badge for service during World War II.  This provision did not go into effect until 10 September 1947 when Change 12 to Army Regulation 600-45 (Decorations) was published.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The applicant’s discharge document shows he was awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge during World War II.  

2.  Based on award of the Combat Infantryman Badge, the applicant is entitled to award of the Bronze Star Medal; therefore, his WD AGO Form 53-55 will be amended to show this decoration.

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 be corrected by showing the individual concerned was awarded the Bronze Star Medal based on award of the Combat Infantryman Badge.

BOARD VOTE:  

JL_____  MHM_____  KAH____  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		JoAnn Langston________
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2001057485	
SUFFIX		
RECON	YYYYMMDD	
DATE BOARDED	20010918	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE	(HD, GD, UOTHC, UD, BCD, DD, UNCHAR)	
DATE OF DISCHARGE	YYYYMMDD	
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY	AR . . . . .  	
DISCHARGE REASON		
BOARD DECISION	GRANT	
REVIEW AUTHORITY	Mr. Schneider	
ISSUES         1.	107.0014	
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.