PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:      

	BOARD DATE:           25 April 2002
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR2002067908

	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. William Blakely		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Ms. JoAnn H. Langston		Chairperson	
	Mr. George D. Paxson		Member	
	Mr. Charles Gainor		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 military records be corrected to show award of the Army Good Conduct Medal (AGCM). 

3.  The applicant states, in effect, that the AGCM was omitted from his separation document (WD AGO Form 53-55) at the time of his discharge from the Army.  In support of his application, he submits 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.  The information herein was gleaned from a copy of the applicant’s WD AGO Form 53-55.

5.  The applicant’s WD AGO Form 53-55 shows that he enlisted in the Army and entered active duty on 8 December 1945.  He continuously served on active duty for 1 year, 1 month, and 16 days until being honorably separated, in the rank of private first class, on 23 January 1947.  This document also confirms that he was trained and served in military occupational specialty 345 (Light Truck Driver) and that he earned the Army of Occupational Medal and the World War II Victory Medal during his active duty tenure.  The list of authorized awards contained in Item 33 (Awards and Citations) does not include the AGCM.

6.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 (Military Awards) prescribes Army policy and criteria concerning individual military awards.  Paragraph 4-4 establishes that in order to earn the AGCM, the character of service throughout a qualifying period must show a soldier willingly complied with the demands of the military environment; was loyal and obedient to superiors; faithfully supported the goals of the organization and the Army.  Paragraph 4-5 defines periods of service which qualify for award of the AGCM and states, in pertinent part, that for the first award only, a period of 1 year or more served entirely during the period between 
7 December 1941 to 2 March 1946 is a qualifying period for the AGCM.  

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The Board notes the applicant’s contention that he is entitled to the AGCM based on his honorable service in an enlisted status and it finds this claim has merit. 

2.  The available evidence confirms that the applicant honorably served on active duty in an enlisted status for 1 year, 1 month, and 16 days, as evidenced by the WD AGO Form 53-55 on file.  Absent a unit commander disqualification or derogatory information that would disqualify him from receiving the award, the Board concludes that it would be appropriate to award him the first award of the AGCM, for his honorable period of active duty enlisted service from 8 December 1945 to 23 January 1947.

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 earned the first award of the Army Good Conduct Medal, for his honorable service from 8 December 1945 to 
23 January 1947; and by providing him a corrected separation document that reflects this change.

BOARD VOTE:  

    JHL         GDP            CG         GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		       JoAnn H. Langston
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2002067908	
SUFFIX		
RECON	YYYYMMDD	
DATE BOARDED	2002/04/25	
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.	107.0056	
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.