PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:     

	BOARD DATE:           5 September 2002                  
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR2002069051

	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. W. E. Schnupp		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Ms. Celia L. Adolphi		Chairperson	
	Mr. Melvin H. Meyer		Member	
	Mr. John T. Meixell		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 the World War II Victory Medal be added to his discharge.

3.  The applicant states it was omitted from his record.

4.  The applicant’s military records show that he enlisted on 12 October 1939, was trained as an infantryman (light machine gunner) and served with the 18th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division in the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign from 24 October 1942 to 27 February 1945.  He was honorably discharged at demobilization on 4 October 1945 in the rank of sergeant.

5.  Awards shown on his WD AGO Form 53-55, Enlisted Record and Report of Separation, are the Bronze Star Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, the American Defense Service Medal, the European-African-Middle Eastern Service Medal, the Purple Heart with one oak leaf cluster, the bronze service arrowhead, the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Marksman Badge M1 rifle, bar and the Sharpshooter Badge auto machine gun.

6.  The available records do not show the reason for award of the Bronze Star Medal, however, it was awarded by a Headquarters, 1st Infantry Division, General Order dated in 1944.

7.  Army Regulation 600-8-22, Military Awards, provides that the American Campaign Medal will be awarded for service in the American Theater between 7 December 1941 and 2 March 1946; and, the World War II Victory Medal for any service between 7 December 1941 and 31 December 1946.

8.  The same regulation provides that on 1 July 1947, the regulation governing the award of the Bronze Star Medal was changed, in part, to provide for the award of this decoration to those individuals who had been awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge or the Combat Medical Badge for meritorious achievement in ground combat against the armed enemy between 7 December 1941 and 2 September 1945.

9.  Oak leaf clusters are issued to denote award of second and succeeding awards of decorations.

10.  Department of the Army Pamphlet 672-1, Unit Citation and Campaign Participation Credit Register, shows that during his assignment to the 18th Infantry Regiment from 24 October 1942 to 27 February 1945, the unit was awarded the Distinguished Unit Citation (now the Presidential Unit Citation) for the period 6 through 16 June 1944; occupation credit for Germany for the period 2 May to 4 June and 5 July to 31 October 1945; and the French and Belgium Fourragere for multiple periods during 1943 and 1944 to include 6 June 1944.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  Based on the applicant’s active duty service during World War II, he is certainly entitled to award of the World War II Victory Medal.  Additionally, he is also authorized the American Campaign Medal, the Presidential Unit Citation, the Army of Occupation Medal with Germany clasp and the French and Belgium Fourragere.

2.  Furthermore, since his Bronze Star Medal was awarded in 1944, and he was discharged in 1945, and provisions to award the Bronze Star Medal based on the Combat Infantryman Badge were not enacted until 1947, it would appear that he is entitled to a second award (1st oak leaf cluster) of the Bronze Star Medal.

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:

	a.  showing that the individual concerned was awarded the Bronze Star Medal with 1st oak leaf cluster, the World War II Victory Medal, the American Campaign Medal, the Presidential Unit Citation, the Army of Occupation Medal with Germany clasp and the French and Belgium Fourragere; and

	b.  issuing the foregoing awards to him.

BOARD VOTE:  

____mhm  ____jtm_  ___cla___  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		___________Celia L. Adolphi_______
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2002069051	
SUFFIX		
RECON	YYYYMMDD	
DATE BOARDED	200210905	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE	(HD, GD, UOTHC, UD, BCD, DD, UNCHAR)	
DATE OF DISCHARGE	YYYYMMDD	
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY	AR . . . . .  	
DISCHARGE REASON		
BOARD DECISION	(GRANT PLUS)	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1.  107.00		
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.