PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:  

	BOARD DATE:           5 February 2002
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR2001064743

	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. Hubert S. Shaw, Jr.		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Ms. June Hajjar		Chairperson	
	Ms. Karol A. Kennedy		Member	
	Mr. Roger W. Able		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 award of the Purple Heart.

3.  The applicant states that he earned the Purple Heart in Vietnam, but it was never put on his discharge.

4.  The applicant’s military records show that the applicant was inducted on 23 May 1968 and completed training as an infantryman.  He served in Vietnam from 20 October 1968 to 2 April 1969.  The applicant was honorably separated from active duty on 25 November 1970.  

5.  The applicant’s DD Form 214 (Armed Forces of the United States Report of Transfer or Discharge) does not show the Purple Heart as an authorized award in item 24 (Decorations, Medals, Badges, Commendations, Citations and Campaign Ribbons Awarded or Authorized).  His discharge document also does not show any unit awards.

6.  The applicant’s records contain a Western Union Telegram, dated 17 March 1969, which notified his parents that he was wounded in action on 16 March 1969 in Vietnam. 

7.  Department of the Army Pamphlet 672-3 (Unit Citation and Campaign Participation Credit Register) lists the unit awards received by units serving in Vietnam.  This document shows that, at the time of the applicant’s assignment to the 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry, the unit was cited for award of the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm Unit Citation by Headquarters Department of the Army General Orders Number 2, dated 1971.

8.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 provides, in pertinent part, that the Purple Heart is awarded for a wound sustained as a result of hostile action.  Substantiating evidence must be provided to verify that the wound was the result of hostile action, the wound must have required treatment, and the medical treatment must have been made a matter of official record.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  Evidence of record shows the applicant was wounded as a result of hostile action on 16 March 1969 in Vietnam.  Therefore, the applicant is entitled to award of the Purple Heart and correction of his records to show this award.

2.  Orders show that the applicant was awarded the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm Unit Citation; therefore, he is entitled to correction of his records to show this foreign unit award.

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 Purple Heart for wounds sustained on 16 March 1969 and by showing that he was awarded the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm Unit Citation.

BOARD VOTE:  

__RWA__  __JH___  __KAK___  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		_____Ms. June Hajjar____
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2001064743	
SUFFIX		
RECON	YYYYMMDD	
DATE BOARDED	20020205	
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.	107.0000.0000	
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.