PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:  

	BOARD DATE:           27 August 2002
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR2002066830

	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. Joyce A. Hall		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Ms. Irene N. Wheelwright		Chairperson	
	Mr. Arthur A. Omartian		Member	
	Mr. Thomas Lanyi		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 his Enlisted Record and Report of Separation Honorable Discharge (WD AGO Form 53-55) be corrected to show the award of the Prisoner of War (POW) Medal.

3.  The applicant states, in effect, that he has always been granted the status of a POW.  He was presented the POW Medal in 1988 by the Secretary of the Army; however, the officials at the Veterans Health Center told him that his separation documents do not reflect the POW award. In support of his application, he submits a copy of a letter from the Secretary of the Army dated 19 May 1988 and a copy of his WD AGO Form 53-55.

4.  The applicant’s military records were lost or destroyed in the National Personnel Records Center fire in 1973.  Information contained herein was obtained from a reconstructed record and from the WD AGO Form 
53-55 provided by the applicant which shows that he entered active duty on 
18 March 1943.  

5.  The provided WD AGO Form 53-55 shows that the applicant was awarded military occupational specialty 776 (radio operator, low speed).  It also shows that the applicant departed for the European-African-Middle Eastern Theater (EAMET) on or about 13 May 1944.  He arrived in the EAMET on 24 May 
1944 and he was assigned to Company E, 314TH Infantry.  On 21 November 1945, the applicant was honorably discharged.  

6.  The applicant’s WD AGO Form 53-55 shows as authorized awards the American Campaign Medal, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with three bronze service stars, the Victory Medal (known as the WWII Victory Medal), the Combat Infantryman Badge and the Lapel Button (known as the WWII Lapel Button).  The WD AGO Form 53-55 does not show the award of the POW Medal.

7.  The applicant’s name appears on the POW Roster.  The roster shows that he was a POW from 20 January 1945 to 17 April 1945.

8.  Authorization for Issuance of Awards (DA Form 1577) dated 1 May 1989
filed in the applicant’s reconstructed record authorized him issuance of the POW Medal.

9.  A second DA Form 1577, dated 23 August 1990, filed in the applicant’s record shows that the Chief of the Army Reference Branch of the National Personnel 

Records Center determined that the applicant was entitled, in addition to the awards already listed on his WD AGO 53-55, to the Bronze Star Medal (based on his award of the Combat Infantryman Badge), the Presidential Unit Emblem (now known as the Presidential Unit Citation), the Meritorious Unit Emblem (now known as the Meritorious Unit Citation), and the Army of Occupation Medal with Germany Clasp.

10.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 provides, in pertinent part, for award of the POW Medal.  The regulation states that the POW Medal was authorized on 
8 November 1985 and is awarded to individuals who in past armed conflicts were taken prisoner or held captive.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The Board considered the applicant’s request for correction of his record to show the award of the POW Medal.

2.  After a review of all the facts in this case, this Board has determined that the letter provided by the applicant from the Secretary of the Army awarding him the POW Medal and the entry on the POW Roster are sufficient evidence to warrant correction of the applicant’s WD AGO 53-55.  Therefore, he is entitled to correction of his WD AGO 53-55 to show the award of the POW Medal.

3.  The Board noted that the DA Form 1577 dated 23 August 1990 authorized several awards that the applicant was entitled to based on his service in the European-African-Middle Eastern Theater.  Therefore, the applicant’s WD AGO
Form 53-55 should be amended to show the awards of the Bronze Star Medal,
the Presidential Unit Citation, the Meritorious Unit Citation, and the Army Occupation Medal with Germany Clasp.

4.  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 adding the POW Medal, the Bronze Star Medal, the Presidential Unit Citation, 

the Meritorious Unit Citation, and the Army Occupational Medal with Germany Clasp to the applicant’s WD AGO 53-55.

BOARD VOTE:  

__INW__  __AAO __  _ _TL__  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		___Irene N. Wheelwright__
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2002066830	
SUFFIX		
RECON	YYYYMMDD	
DATE BOARDED	2002/08/27	
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.	107.0029	
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.