PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:  

	BOARD DATE:           6 June 2002
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR2002067774

	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. Stanley Kelley		Chairperson	
	Mr. John T. Meixell		Member	
	Mr. Thomas E. O’Shaughnessy, 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, in effect, that the unit listed in Item 6 (Organization) of his separation document (WD AGO Form 53-55) be corrected.   

3.  The applicant states, in effect, that the unit listed in his separation document, the 562nd Quartermaster Company, is incorrect.  He claims that the unit he served in was actually designated the 562nd Railhead Quartermaster Company.  He also indicates that his reason for requesting this change is that his unit was a combat unit that continually served on the front, providing support to the infantry, and he would like to receive all the awards to which he is entitled based on his service in this unit. 

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 includes a separation document (WD AGO Form 
53-55) that confirms that the applicant was inducted into the Army of the United States and entered active duty on 26 July 1943, and that he continuously served on active duty until being honorably separated, in the rank of corporal, on 
24 October 1945.

6.  Item 6 (Organization) of the applicant’s WD AGO Form 53-55 contains the entry “562nd QM Co”, which indicates this was his unit of assignment.  The separation document also confirms that the applicant served in the European Theater of Operations (ETO), from 26 April 1944 through 18 October 1945, and that he participated in the Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, and Central Europe campaigns of World War II.  This document also lists the following awards earned by the applicant during his tenure on active duty:  European-African-Middle Eastern Service Medal with 4 bronze service stars and a bronze arrowhead, denoting his participation in four campaigns and his receiving assault landing credit for Normandy; and the Good Conduct Medal, for his honorable active duty service.  

7.  During the review of this case, the Board staff reviewed unit historical files maintained at the National Archives.  These historical records confirm the 
562nd Railhead Quartermaster Company was assigned to the 562nd Quartermaster Battalion, 562nd Quartermaster Group.  While the applicant’s assignment could not be verified using these records, they do confirm that there was no unit that was designated simply as the 562nd Quartermaster Company, as indicated in the applicant’s separation document.  

8.  Technical Manual 12-235, which prescribed the policy and procedure for the preparation and distribution of separation documents during the period in question, states that the last unit, or similar element to which the individual was assigned will be entered in item 6 (Organization) of the WD AGO Form 53-55.  

9.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 (Military Awards) prescribes Army policy, criteria, and administrative instructions concerning individual military awards.  Paragraph 5-11 contains guidance on awarding the World War II Victory Medal.  It states, in pertinent part, that it is awarded for service between 7 December 1941 and 
31 December 1946, both dates inclusive. 

10.  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.  This source confirms that the 562nd Railhead Quartermaster Company received assault landing credit for Normandy, occupation of Germany credit, and the French Croix de Guerre during his tenure of assignment in the ETO.  The unit listing contained in this publication contains no other company sized Quartermaster unit with a number designation 562nd.  

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The Board notes the applicant’s contention that the unit listed in his separation document is incorrect and it finds this claim has merit.  While the available evidence does not firmly establish that the applicant was assigned to the 562nd Railhead Quartermaster Company, as he alleges, it does verify that there was no other company sized Quartermaster unit with a number designation of 562nd or a specific unit identified as simply the 562nd Quartermaster Company, as is indicated in his separation document.  

2.  Historical records maintained at the National Archives does confirm that the there was a unit designated the 562nd Railhead Quartermaster Company that was part of the 562nd Quartermaster Battalion, and the unit listings in DA Pamphlet 672-1 contain only one company listing for a Quartermaster Company with a number designation of 562nd, which is the 562nd Railhead Quartermaster Company.  

3.  In the opinion of the Board, the available evidence sufficiently corroborates the applicant’s claim that his unit was the 562nd Railhead Quartermaster Company and not simply the 562nd Quartermaster Company, as is currently recorded in his separation document.  Therefore, the Board concludes it would be appropriate to correct his records accordingly at this time.  

4.  In addition, based on his World War II service, and the determination of the Board that he served in the 562nd Railhead Quartermaster Company during his tenure of assignment in the ETO, the Board also finds that he is entitled to have the Army of Occupation Medal-Germany, French Croix de Guerre, and World War II Victory Medal added to the awards already listed in his separation document.  

5.  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 amending Item 6 (Organization) of the WD AGO 53-55 of the individual concerned to read 562nd Railhead Quartermaster Company; by showing he earned the Army of Occupation Medal-Germany, French Croix de Guerre, and World War II Victory Medal; and by issuing him a corrected separation document that reflects these changes.  

BOARD VOTE:  

_SK___  ___JTM__  __TEO____  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		          Stanley Kelley     _
		         CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR200206777774	
SUFFIX		
RECON		
DATE BOARDED	2002/06/06	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE	HD	
DATE OF DISCHARGE	1945/10/24	
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY	AR 615-365	
DISCHARGE REASON	Demobilization	
BOARD DECISION	GRANT	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1.  1021	100.0000	
2.  46	107.0000	
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.