PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:    

	BOARD DATE:          29 November 2001                  
	DOCKET NUMBER:  AR001059914

	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. Edmund P. Mercanti		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Mr. Raymond V. O'Connor		Chairperson	
	Mr. John P. Infante		Member	
	Mr. William D. Powers		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 Bronze Star Medal (BSM) be added to his WD AGO Form 53-55, Enlisted Record and Report of Separation, Honorable Discharge.

3.  The applicant states that in the haste to release soldiers from active duty after the termination of hostilities, his BSM was inadvertently omitted.

4.  In support of his request the applicant submits a listing of those soldiers from the 963rd Field Artillery Battalion who were awarded the BSM.  This listing is part of his unit’s history.  The applicant’s name is contained on this list as a member of Battery C who received the BSM.

5.  The applicant's military records show that he was inducted on active duty on 10 February 1942, was awarded the military occupational specialty of field lineman, and was promoted to Technician 5th grade.

6.  He arrived in the European theater of operations on 29 February 1944 and served in the Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, Central Europe, and Ardennes campaigns.

7.  He was honorably discharged on 28 September 1945 due to the demobilization of the force.  The WD AGO Form 53-55 he was issued shows that he was assigned to Battery C, 963rd Field Artillery Battalion, and was awarded the Good Conduct Medal and the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal.

8.  Army Regulation 600-8-22, Military Awards, provides, in pertinent part, that the Bronze Star Medal is awarded to any person who, while serving in any capacity in or with the Army of the United States after 6 December 1941, distinguished himself by heroic or meritorious achievement or service, not involving participation in aerial flight, in connection with military operations against an armed enemy; or while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent party.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The applicant’s separation document shows that he was assigned to the same battery and battalion as shown on the unit history, which he submitted in support of his request.

2.  The Board accepts the unit history as evidence that the applicant was probably awarded the BSM for meritorious service since there is no indication that it was awarded for valor.

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 that the individual concerned was awarded the BSM for Meritorious Service in World War II.

BOARD VOTE:  

_rvo_____  ___wdp_  ___jpi___  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		__________Raymond V. O'Connor_
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2001059914	
SUFFIX		
RECON	YYYYMMDD	
DATE BOARDED	YYYYMMDD	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE	(HD, GD, UOTHC, UD, BCD, DD, UNCHAR)	
DATE OF DISCHARGE	YYYYMMDD	
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY	AR . . . . .  	
DISCHARGE REASON		
BOARD DECISION	GRANT	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1.		
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.