PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:      

	BOARD DATE:           25 APRIL 2002                   
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR2002068578

	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	
	Ms. Deborah L. Brantley		Senior Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Ms. Joann 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 award of the Purple Heart.  He states, in effect, that his wound is reflected on his separation document and as such he should have been awarded the Purple Heart.

3.  The applicant's military personnel file was likely lost or destroyed during the 1973 fire at the National Personnel Records Center.  Information contain herein was reconstructed entirely from his DD Form 214 (Report of Separation from the Armed Forces of the United States) and from information contained in files maintained by the Office of The Surgeon General, commonly referred to as the SGO Files.  The applicant served on active duty between 13 February 1952 and 
24 November 1953 and was overseas for 12 months where he was awarded the Korean Service Medal.  Item 29 (wounds received as a result of action with enemy forces) indicates the applicant sustained a shell fragment wound to his left shoulder on 16 November 1952.  His wound is confirmed in the SGO Files.  There is, however, no indication the applicant was ever awarded the Purple Heart.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The evidence confirms the applicant was wounded as a result of hostile action on 16 November 1952 and as such is entitled to the Purple Heart.  His records should be corrected accordingly.

2.  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 awarding the individual concerned the Purple Heart.

BOARD VOTE:  

__JL____  __GDP__  __CG ___  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		____Joann Langston____
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2002068578	
SUFFIX		
RECON	YYYYMMDD	
DATE BOARDED	20020425	
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.	107.00	
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.