PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:       

	BOARD DATE:           30 October 2001
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR2001057746

	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	
	Mrs. Carolyn G. Wade		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Ms. Celia L. Adolphi;		Chairperson	
	Mr. Arthur A. Omartian		Member	
	Mr. Harry B. Oberg		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 that Block 6 (Organization) of his WD AGO Form 53-55, Enlisted Record and Report of Separation - Honorable Discharge, be corrected to show his actual World War II unit of assignment.

3.  The applicant states that he served in "C & Service Companies, 53rd Armored Infantry Battalion, 4th Armored Division" during the war.  However, he returned to the United States with the 40th Armored Infantry Battalion, 9th Armored Division, and that unit was recorded in Block 6 of his WD AGO Form 53-55.

4.  The applicant's military records were lost or destroyed in the National Personnel Records Center fire of 1973.  Information herein was obtained from the applicant's WD AGO Form 53-55 and unit historical records.

5.  The applicant served in the Army of the United States from 15 May 1941 to 19 October 1945 when he was honorably discharged.  His WD AGO 53-55 shows that he departed the US on 29 December 1943 and arrived in the ETO (European Theater of Operations) on 8 January 1944.  It also shows that he participated in the following campaigns:  Normandy, Northern France, Ardennes, Central Europe, and Rhineland.

6.  The Center for Military History shows that the 4th Armored Division departed the US on 29 December 1943 and arrived in Liverpool, England (and the ETO) on 8 January 1944.  The unit also participated in the Normandy, Northern France, Ardennes, Central Europe, and Rhineland campaigns.  On the other hand, the 9th Armored Division did not arrive in the ETO until 27 August 1944 and did not land on the continent of Europe until 25 September 1944.  The unit is credited with participation in the Ardennes, Central Europe, and Rhineland campaigns.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  Assuming that the applicant's WD AGO Form 53-55 is correct in all respects except Block 6 (Organization), it appears that the applicant was a member of the 4th Armored Division based upon his date of arrival in the ETO and the campaigns in which he participated.  The Board, therefore, accepts his contention that he was a member of "C & Service Companies, 53rd Armored Infantry Battalion, 4th Armored Division".

2.  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 issuing to the individual concerned a correction to his WD AGO Form 53-55 showing his organization in Block 6 as "4 AD  53RD AIBN  C & SVC CO's."

BOARD VOTE:  

_CLA___  _AAO___  __HBO__  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

 
		_    _Celia L. Adolphi__
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2001057746	
SUFFIX		
RECON		
DATE BOARDED	20011030	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE	HD	
DATE OF DISCHARGE	19451019	
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY	AR 615-365	
DISCHARGE REASON	Convenience of the Government	
BOARD DECISION	GRANT	
REVIEW AUTHORITY	DASA	
ISSUES         1.	100.1021	
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.