PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:  

	BOARD DATE:           9 April 2002                   
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR2002067973

	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. Nancy Amos		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Mr. Raymond V. O’Connor, Jr.		Chairperson	
	Mr. Raymond J. Wagner		Member	
	Mr. Donald P. Hupman, 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 reconsideration of his request for award of the Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB).  He provides a Combat Service Citation from the 2d Battalion (Airborne), 503d Infantry Regiment of the 173d Airborne Brigade (Separate) and a statement from his former company commander as new supporting evidence.

3.  Incorporated herein by reference are military records which were summarized in a memorandum prepared to reflect the Board’s previous consideration of the case on 6 February 2001 (docket number AR2000047316) and the Board’s previous reconsideration of the case on 18 October 2001 (docket number AR2001056081).

4.  The applicant provides a letter from his former company commander, now Lieutenant General (retired) C___ J. C___, who states that the applicant served as an infantryman in the Weapons Platoon of Company A, 2d Battalion (Airborne), 503d Infantry in Vietnam from September 1965 until January 1966 and that he participated in numerous combat operations.  

5.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 provides for the award of the CIB to a soldier who is an infantryman satisfactorily performing infantry duties, who is assigned to an infantry unit during such time as the unit is engaged in active ground combat, and must actively participate in such ground combat.  Campaign or battle credit alone is not sufficient for award of the CIB.

6.  Department of the Army Pamphlet 672-3 shows that the 2d Battalion, 503d Infantry was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for action on 16 March 1966, the Meritorious Unit Citation for the period 5 May 1965 – 4 May 1967, and the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm Unit Citation for the period 5 May 1965 – 26 September 1970.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The Board concludes that the sum of the evidence provided substantiates the applicant’s contention that he was an infantryman performing infantry duties with an infantry unit during such time as that unit was engaged in active ground combat for approximately four months prior to his being reassigned to armorer duties.  Therefore, it would be equitable to now award him the CIB.

2.  The applicant was assigned to a unit during a period of time that unit was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation, the Meritorious Unit Citation, and the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm Unit Citation and so is authorized these awards, also.

3.  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 be corrected by awarding the applicant the Combat Infantryman Badge.

2.  That the applicant’s Report of Transfer or Discharge, DD Form 214, be amended to add the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Presidential Unit Citation, the Meritorious Unit Citation, and the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm Unit Citation.

BOARD VOTE:  

__rvo___  __rjw___  __dph___  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		Raymond V. O’Connor, Jr.
		______________________
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2002067973	
SUFFIX		
RECON		
DATE BOARDED	20020409	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE		
DATE OF DISCHARGE		
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY		
DISCHARGE REASON		
BOARD DECISION	(GRANT)	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1.	107.0111	
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.