PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:  

	BOARD DATE:           8 January 2002 
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR2001060574

	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. Joseph A. Adriance		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Mr. Luther L. Santiful		Chairperson	
	Mr. Roger Able		Member	
	Mr. Terry L. Placek		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, that an error in his military occupational specialty (MOS) be corrected. 

3.  The applicant states, in effect, that there is an error in his MOS and his record should be corrected.  

4.  The applicant’s military records were not available to the Board for review.  A fire destroyed approximately 18 million service members’ records at the National Personnel Records Center in 1973.  It is believed that the applicant’s records were lost in that fire.  

5.  The available evidence does include an Enlisted Record and Report of Separation-Honorable Discharge (WD AGO Form 53-55) and Separation Qualification Record (WD AGO Form 100), dated 7 September 1945; a 
Report of Separation from the Armed Forces of the United States 
(DD Form 214), dated 30 August 1951; and various other documents from two separate periods of active duty service performed by the applicant.

6.  The WD AGO Form 53-55, issued to and authenticated by the applicant on 
7 September 1945, the date he was separated from the first period of active duty service in question, shows that he enlisted in the Army on 30 July 1940.  It also confirms that he continuously served on active duty for 5 years, 1 month, and 
8 days, until being honorably separated on 7 September 1945.  It also indicates that on the date of his separation, he held the rank of private first class (PFC) and that this was the highest grade he attained while serving on active duty during this period.

7.  The WD AGO Form 53-55 also verifies that on the date of his separation, the applicant held and was serving in MOS 641 (Field Lineman) and that he had served overseas for 1 year, 4 months, and 9 days.  Finally, it contains an entry that confirms that the applicant’s permanent service record was not available on the date this separation document was prepared. 

8.  The WD AGO Form 100 on file, also dated 7 September 1945, which accompanied the WD AGO Form 53-55 of the same date, also verifies that the applicant’s military specialties included 521 (Basic Field Artillery), which he held and served in as a private for 2 months; and MOS 641 (Field Lineman), which he held and served in for 5 years as a corporal.  It also confirms that on the date of his separation, he held the MOS 641 (Field Lineman) and that he had served in this capacity in the European Theater of Operations (ETO) for 1 year.  Finally, this document verifies that he was a prisoner of war (POW) for 6 months.  

9.  The applicant’s POW status is further evidenced by a Western Union Telegram of notification to his wife and a document extract, prepared by the unit commander, First Army Provisional Military Government Detachment Number 8, APO 230, dated 6 May 1945, that requested the applicant’s evacuation as soon as possible.  This document extract also confirms that the applicant, who was assigned to Battery B, 687th Field Artillery, was an American POW who had completed screening by the Military Government and it recommended that he be evacuated as soon as possible.  In addition, an accompanying affidavit confirms the applicant was a POW from 19 December 1944 to 6 May 1945.  

10.  The available evidence also includes two WD AGO Forms 58, dated 29 May and 6 July 1942, respectively, that confirm the applicant was promoted from PFC to technician fifth grade (TEC 5), effective 16 May 1942; and that he was appointed to corporal, effective 6 July 1942.  

11.  There is also a document titled Campaigns for the Liberation of France (June-December 1944), Decision No. 332, on file, dated 25 January 1945, that was issued by General de Gaulle, President of the Provisional Government of the French Republic.  This document cites the applicant in the Order of the Regiment for exceptional services of war rendered during the course of the operations of the liberation of France and it confirms that this citation included the award of the Croix de Guerre with a bronze star.  

12.  There is also a DD Form 214 on file that documents the applicant’s active duty service as an enlisted member of the Army Reserve between 26 August 1950 and 30 August 1951.  This document confirms that on his separation date he held the rank of sergeant first class and that he was serving in MOS 1641 (Field Wireman), which was a conversion of the MOS 641 (Field Lineman) he held during World War II.  In 1975, a correction to this separation document was issued that included the Korean Service Medal with 3 bronze service stars.  

13.  On 22 August 1988, Department of the Army (DA) published a DA Form 1577 that authorized the issue of the POW Medal to the applicant.  On 2 March 2001, a second DA Form 1577, issued by the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC), St. Louis, Missouri, authorized the issue or reissue of the following awards to the applicant:  POW Medal; Good Conduct Medal; Presidential Unit Emblem; American Campaign Medal; European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with 4 bronze service stars; World War II Victory Medal; Army of Occupation Medal; National Defense Service Medal; Korean Service Medal with 3 bronze service stars; Armed Forces Reserve Medal; United Nations Service Medal; and Honorable Service Lapel Button WWII.

14.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 (Military Awards) prescribes Army policy, criteria, and administrative instructions concerning individual military awards.  Paragraph 2-9 contains guidance on awarding the POW Medal and states, in pertinent part, that it is awarded to any member who was taken prisoner and held captive after 
5 April 1917.  Paragraph 2-10 contains guidance on awarding the National Defense Service Medal (NDSM) and states, in pertinent part, that the award is authorized to any member for any period of honorable service performed between 27 June 1950 27 July 1954.

15.  Chapter 4 contains guidance on awarding the Army Good Conduct Medal and Paragraph 4-5 defines periods of service which qualify for this award.  It states, in pertinent part, that it may be awarded for each 3 year period of active military service completed on or after 27 August 1940.  

16.  Paragraph 5-8 contains guidance on awarding the Korean Service Medal and it states it is awarded to members who served in Korea between 27 June 1950 and 27 July 1954, it also stipulates that one bronze service star is authorized for this award for each campaign of the Korean Conflict a member participated in.  

17.  Paragraph 5-10 (Army of Occupation Medal) states, in pertinent part, that the Army of Occupation Medal-Germany is awarded to members who were assigned in Germany for 30 consecutive days between 9 May 1945 and 5 May 1955.  It also specifies that service between 9 May and 8 November 1945 only counted if the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal was awarded before 
9 May 1945.  

18.  Paragraph 5-11 contains guidance on awarding the World War II Victory Medal and it states, in pertinent part, that it is awarded to members who served between 7 December 1941 and 31 December 1946.  Paragraph 5-12 contains guidance on the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal and it states, in pertinent part, that it is awarded to members who served in the ETO between 
7 December 1941 and 31 December 1946.  It further indicates that one bronze service star is authorized with this medal for each campaign a member participated while serving in the ETO.  

19.  Paragraph 9-12 contains guidance on the award of the United Nations Service Medal and it states, in pertinent part, that it is awarded to members dispatched for to Korea for service in that action.  It also specifies that members who were awarded the Korean Service Medal are automatically entitled to this award.  

20.  The French Croix de Guerre was awarded by the French government as either a unit or individual award.  When awarded to an individual, the Croix de Guerre was presented to the individual concerned for wear as a personal decoration. 

21.  Department of the Army Pamphlet 672-1 (Unit Campaign Participation Credit Register-World War II) establishes the eligibility of individual members for campaign participation credit, assault landing credit, and unit citation badges awarded during World War II.  The award listing contained in this source publication for the 687th Field Artillery, the applicant’s unit in the ETO, confirms that during his assignment tenure with the unit it participated in the following 
4 campaigns of World War II:  Ardennes-Alsace; Central Europe; Normandy; Northern France; and Rhineland.  In addition, it also verifies that the unit earned the Distinguished Unit Citation for the period 16 to 23 December 1944, as authorized in War Department General Order (WDGO) Number 11, issued in 1946; and that it received occupation credit for Germany for the period 2 May through 31 October 1945.  

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The available evidence confirms that on 7 September 1945, the date the applicant was separated from his first period of active duty, he held and was serving in MOS 641 (Field Lineman).  It also verifies that on 30 August 1951, the date he was separated from the second period of active duty in question, he held and was serving in MOS 1641 (Field Wireman), which was the MOS number and title that his original MOS 641 (Field Lineman) had been converted to at that time.  Therefore, the Board finds no error or injustice related to the MOS number and title listed in either of the separation documents in question. 

2.  However, during the review of this case, the Board did discover that significant information had been incorrectly entered or omitted from the separation documents in question.  In the first separation document, issued to the applicant at the completion of his active duty service on 7 September 1945, his grade and the highest grade he held was incorrectly listed as PFC.  Further, he was given no campaign participation credit and the awards he earned were omitted because his permanent service record was not available at the time of this documents preparation. 

3.  There are two WD AGO Forms 58 on file, dated 29 May and 6 July 1942 respectively, that confirm the applicant was promoted from PFC to TEC 5 on 
16 May 1942 and that he was appointed to the grade of corporal on 6 July 1942. Therefore, the Board concludes it would be appropriate to correct his records to show that he held the rank of corporal on the date of his separation, 7 September 1945, and that this was the highest rank he held during that period of service. 

4.  In addition, the evidence includes a document titled Campaigns for the Liberation of France (June-December 1944), Decision No. 332, dated 25 January 1945, that was issued by General de Gaulle, President of the Provisional Government of the French Republic.  This document confirms that the applicant was cited in the Order of the Regiment for exceptional services of war rendered during the course of the operations of the liberation of France and it confirms that as a result he was awarded the Croix de Guerre with a bronze star.  In addition, the applicant’s unit earned the Distinguished Unit Citation during his assignment tenure.

5.  The available evidence also confirms that the applicant earned and 
DA authorized him to receive the following awards based on his World War II service:  POW Medal; Good Conduct Medal; Distinguished Unit Citation; American Campaign Medal; European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with 4 bronze service stars; World War II Victory Medal; Army of Occupation Medal-Germany; and Honorable Service Lapel Button WWII. 

6.  In addition, the evidence verifies that the applicant participated in the following World War II campaigns:  Ardennes-Alsace; Central Europe; Normandy; Northern France; and Rhineland.  Therefore, the Board concludes this information should be included in his record at this time. 

7.  The available evidence further verifies that the applicant was authorized to receive the following awards based on his second period of service that ended on 30 August 1951:  National Defense Service Medal; Korean Service Medal with 
3 bronze service stars; and United Nations Service Medal.

8.  In view of the foregoing, the applicant’s records should be corrected as recommended below.

RECOMMENDATION:

1.  That all of the Department of the Army records related to this case, particularly the separations documents in question, be corrected by amending the item numbers in the WD AGO 53-55 of the individual concerned, dated 
7 September 1945, as indicated:  Item 3 (grade) - corporal; Item 32 (battles and campaigns - Ardennes-Alsace; Central Europe; Normandy; Northern France; and Rhineland; Item 33 (awards and citations) - POW Medal; Good Conduct Medal; Distinguished Unit Citation; European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with 4 bronze service stars; Croix de Guerre with a bronze star; World War II Victory Medal; Army of Occupation Medal-Germany; and Honorable Service Lapel Button WWII; and Item 36 (highest grade held) - corporal.  

2.  That the DD Form 214 of the individual concerned, dated 30 August 1951, be corrected by listing the following awards in item 26 (decorations, medals, badges, commendations, citations, and campaign ribbons awarded or authorized):  National Defense Service Medal; Korean Service Medal with 3 bronze service stars; and United Nations Service Medal.

3.  That the individual concerned be provided corrected separation documents that reflect the corrections indicated in the preceding paragraphs. 

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

BOARD VOTE:  

___LLS__  __RA____  __TLP__  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		__Luther L. Santiful_____
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2001060574	
SUFFIX		
RECON		
DATE BOARDED	2002/01/08	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE	HD	
DATE OF DISCHARGE	1945/09/07 & 1951/08/30	
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY	AR 615-365 & AR 615-365	
DISCHARGE REASON	Demobilization & Conv of Government	
BOARD DECISION	GRANT PARTIAL 	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1.  6	100.0500	
2.  46	107.0000	
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.