PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:  

	BOARD DATE:           23 July 2002
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR2002068616

	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. Nancy L. Amos		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Ms. Jennifer L. Prater		Chairperson	
	Mr. Hubert O. Fry, Jr.		Member	
	Ms. Gail J. Wire		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 that his Report of Separation, WD AGO Form 53-55, be amended to add the Combat Infantryman Badge and the Bronze Star Medal.

3.  The applicant states that all his deserved awards are not on his WD AGO Form 53-55.  As supporting evidence, he provides what may be a reconstructed General Orders 3, Headquarters, 475th Infantry dated 25 August 1944 which indicates that unidentified members were awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge.

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 alternate sources.

5.  The applicant was inducted into the Army on 20 February 1943 and entered active service on 27 February 1943.  He arrived in the China-Burma-India Theater of Operations on 25 May 1944.  His WD AGO Form 53-55 shows his organization as the 5307th Composite Unit (unofficially known as Merrill’s Marauders) and his military occupational specialty as rifleman.  On 10 August 1944, the 5307th Composite Unit was consolidated with the 475th Infantry.  (Later, the 475th Infantry was redesignated the 75th Infantry, from which the present-day 75th Ranger Regiment traces its unit designation).  The applicant departed the theater on 27 November 1945 and separated on 2 January 1946.  His awards included the Purple Heart with 1st oak leaf cluster and the Distinguished Unit Badge (later redesignated the Presidential Unit Citation).

6.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 provides for the award of the Combat Infantryman Badge 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.  It provides for the award of the Bronze Star Medal to any person who distinguished himself or herself by heroic or meritorious achievement or service, not involving participation in aerial flight, in connection with military operations against an armed enemy.  It also provides for award of the Bronze Star Medal to members of the armed forces who, after 6 December 1941 and prior to 3 September 1945, have been cited in orders or in a formal certificate for meritorious or exemplary conduct in ground combat against the armed enemy.  A citation in orders for the Combat Infantryman Badge or Medical Badge awarded in the field during the period of actual combat against the armed enemy is considered as a citation for exemplary conduct in ground combat.  

7.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 also provides for award of the Ranger Tab to any person who has successfully completed a Ranger course conducted by the U. S. Army Infantry School or the Ranger Training Command at Fort Benning, GA or who was awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge while serving during World War II as a member of a Ranger Battalion or in the 5307th Composite Unit (Provisional).

8.  A review of the historical files of the 5307th Composite Unit failed to show that the applicant was awarded the Bronze Star Medal.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The provided General Orders 3 does not identify the applicant; however, the evidence of record shows he was an infantryman assigned to the 5307th Composite Unit (Provisional), a unit that was soon after his assignment consolidated with an infantry unit, and that he performed duties as an infantry rifleman.  Judging from his awards and the history of the 5307th Composite Unit (Provisional), presumably he actively participated in ground combat.  Therefore, he is eligible for award of the Combat Infantryman Badge.  

2.  Based upon award of the Combat Infantryman Badge, the applicant meets the eligibility criteria for award of the Bronze Star Medal.  There is no evidence to show that he was otherwise awarded the Bronze Star Medal.

3.  In addition, based upon award of the Combat Infantryman Badge and service in the 5307th Composite Unit (Provisional), the applicant meets the eligibility criteria for award of the Ranger Tab.

4.  In view of the foregoing, the applicant’s records should be corrected as recommended below.

RECOMMENDATION:

That the applicant’s WD AGO Form 53-55 be amended to add the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Bronze Star Medal, and the Ranger Tab.

BOARD VOTE:  

___JLP__  __HOF__  __GJW__  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		____Jennifer L. Prater ___
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2002068616	
SUFFIX		
RECON		
DATE BOARDED	2002/07/23	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE		
DATE OF DISCHARGE		
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY		
DISCHARGE REASON		
BOARD DECISION	PARTIAL GRANT	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1.	107.0014	
2.	107.0111	
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.