PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:      

	BOARD DATE:           20 JUNE 2002                   
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR2002069867

	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. Kenneth H. Aucock		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Mr. Raymond V. O’Connor, Jr.		Chairperson	
	Mr. Roger W. Able		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 award of the Bronze Star Medal. 

3.  The applicant states that he was informed that the award of the Combat Medical Badge, which he has, entitles him to award of the Bronze Star Medal.

4.  The applicant's military records were lost or destroyed in the National Personnel Records Center fire of 1973.  The only information available are a copy of the applicant’s WD AGO Form 53-55 (Enlisted Record and Report of Separation – Honorable Discharge), and a copy of his Honorable Discharge Certificate.

5.  The applicant was inducted into the Army on 22 January 1943, served in the European Theater of Operations from March to June 1945 and served in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater of Operations in September and October 1945.  The applicant served with the Medical Detachment, 341st Infantry Regiment, and was awarded the Good Conduct Medal, the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with one bronze service star, the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, the American Theater Campaign Medal, the World War II Victory Medal, and the Combat Medical Badge.  He was discharged on 6 December 1945.

6.  The Unit Citation and Campaign Participation Credit Register shows that the 341st Infantry Regiment was awarded the Army of Occupation Medal with Germany clasp for the period 2-30 May 1945.

7.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 provides for award of the Bronze Star Medal to each member of the Armed Forces of the United States who, after 6 December 1941 has been cited in orders or awarded a certificate for exemplary conduct in ground combat against an armed enemy between 7 December 1941 and            2 September 1945.  The award of a Combat Medical Badge is considered as a citation in orders.  

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The applicant is entitled to award of the Bronze Star Medal by virtue of his award of the Combat Medical Badge.

2.  It is more than likely that the applicant served with the 341st Infantry Regiment while in the European Theater of Operations.  The benefit of doubt should be in favor of the applicant.  Consequently, he is entitled to award of the Army of Occupation Medal with Germany clasp.

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 was awarded the Bronze Star Medal and the Army of Occupation Medal with Germany clasp. 

BOARD VOTE:  

__RVO__  __RWA__  __JTM __  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		Raymond V. O’Connor, Jr.
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2002069867	
SUFFIX		
RECON	YYYYMMDD	
DATE BOARDED	20020620	
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.