PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:       

	BOARD DATE:            11 September 2001
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR2001059811

	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. Jessie B. Strickland		Analyst	

The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Ms. Celia L. Adolphi		Chairperson	
	Mr. Curtis L. Greenway		Member	
	Mr. Donald P. Hupman, Jr.		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 his separation document (WD AGO Form 53-55) be corrected to reflect his award of the American Campaign Medal.

3.  The applicant states, in effect, that he was awarded the American Campaign Medal; however, his records fail to show his entitlement to that award.  In support of his application he submits a copy of his WD AGO Form 53-55.

4.  The applicant’s military records were destroyed in the 1973 fire at the National Personnel Records Center at St. Louis, Missouri, which destroyed millions of service records.  However, the documents submitted by the applicant show that he enlisted at Fort Hayes, Ohio on 16 July 1942.  He completed his training and departed for the European Theater of Operations (ETO) on 20 September 1944.

5.  He participated in the Rhineland, Central Europe and Ardennes-Alsace Campaigns, was advanced to the rank of technical sergeant and returned to the Continental United States on 29 May 1945.

6.  On 10 October 1945 he was honorably discharged at Fort Story, Virginia.  He had served 3 years, 2 months and 24 days of total active service and was awarded the Bronze Star Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, the European-African-Middle Eastern Theater Service Ribbon with two bronze service stars, the World War II Victory Medal and the POW Medal.  There is no indication that he was awarded the American Campaign Medal. 

7.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 provides the criteria for award of the American Campaign Medal.  It provides, in pertinent part, that the American Campaign Medal is awarded for service within the American Theater between 7 December 1941 and 2 March 1946 if on permanent assignment outside the Continental United States or in active combat against the enemy and was awarded a combat decoration.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  While there is no evidence in the available records to show that the applicant was awarded the American Campaign Medal, there is sufficient evidence to show that he was entitled to that award.  Accordingly, the Board accepts his contention that he was awarded the medal and that it would be in the interest of justice to correct his records at this time to reflect that award.

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 showing that the individual concerned was awarded the American Campaign Medal.

BOARD VOTE:  

___dh ___  ___clg__  ___cla___  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		_____Celia L. Adolphi_____
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2001059811	
SUFFIX		
RECON	YYYYMMDD	
DATE BOARDED	2001/09/11	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE		
DATE OF DISCHARGE		
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY		
DISCHARGE REASON		
BOARD DECISION	GRANT	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1.  109	107.0063/ACM	
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.