PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:  

	BOARD DATE:           27 July 2002
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR2002072212

	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. Irene N. Wheelwright		Chairperson	
	Ms. Kathleen A. Newman		Member	
	Mr. Richard T. Dunbar		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 Army of Occupation Medal with Japan clasp.

3.  The applicant states that he was in the 81st Signal Company, part of the 81st Infantry Division which was in Japan from September 1945 to January 1946.

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 10 May 1943 and entered active service on 17 May 1943.  He attended training at the Signal School.  He arrived in the Pacific Theater of Operations on 1 July 1945 and departed on 30 January 1946.  He separated on 20 February 1946.  His Report of Separation, WD AGO Form 53-55, shows his organization as the 81st Signal Company as does his Honorable Discharge Certificate.  His WD AGO Form 53-55 also shows his military occupational specialty as telephone and telegraph installer.

6.  An undated letter from the National Personnel Records Center to the applicant informed him that the unit with which he served was not credited with occupation service during the period assigned.

7.  Department of the Army Pamphlet 672-1 shows that the 81st Signal Company, 81st Infantry Division was awarded the Republic of the Philippines Presidential Unit Citation for two periods, one of which was 17 October 1944 through 4 July 1945.  It was also given occupation credit for Japan for the period 25 October 1945 through 20 January 1946. 

8.  Technical Manual 12-235, which prescribed the policy and procedures for the preparation and distribution of separation documents during the period in question, stated that the last unit, or similar element to which the individual was assigned, rather than the element of which he was a part while moving to a separation activity, would be entered in item 6 (organization) of the WD AGO Form 53-55.  

9.  On 11 December 1980, the Reserve Component Personnel and Administration Center authorized issuance to the applicant of all the awards listed on his WD AGO Form 53-55 plus the Republic of the Philippines Presidential Unit Citation.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  According to item 6 of the applicant’s WD AGO Form 53-55, his last unit of assignment was the 81st Signal Company.  Since he departed the Pacific Theater of Operations on 30 January 1946, and since Department of the Army Pamphlet 672-1 gives the 81st Signal Company occupation credit for the period 25 October 1945 through 20 January 1946, it is unlikely that the applicant was assigned to the unit after 20 January 1946 (which would have made it more the element of which he was a part while moving to a separation activity rather than his assigned unit).  The Board believes that there is sufficient evidence to show the applicant met the eligibility criteria for award of the Army of Occupation Medal with Japan clasp.

2.  The 81st Signal Company was also awarded the Republic of the Philippines Presidential Unit Citation.

3.  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 Army of Occupation Medal with Japan clasp and the Republic of the Philippines Presidential Unit Citation.

BOARD VOTE:  

__INW__  __KAN__  __RTD___  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		____Irene N. Wheelwright ___
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2002072212	
SUFFIX		
RECON		
DATE BOARDED	2002/06/27	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE		
DATE OF DISCHARGE		
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY		
DISCHARGE REASON		
BOARD DECISION	GRANT	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1.	107.0067	
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.