PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:        

	BOARD DATE:            11 July 2002
	DOCKET NUMBER:    AR2002073338

	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. Hubert S. Shaw, Jr.		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Mr. Ted S. Kanamine		Chairperson	
	Mr. Harry B. Oberg		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 it was announced at the 103rd Division reunion that the Bronze Star Medal was presented to the division/unit.  He states that members of the division have sent in and received their medals.

4.  The applicant’s military records were lost or destroyed in the 1973 fire at the National Personnel Records Center.  Records available to the Board were obtained from alternate sources and show that the applicant entered active duty on 18 December 1942.  He served in the European Theater of Operations from 20 October 1944 to 4 September 1945.  The applicant was honorably discharged on 15 November 1945.

5.  The applicant’s WD AGO Form 53-55 (Enlisted Record and Report of Separation and Honorable Discharge) does not show the Bronze Star Medal in item 33 (Decorations and Citations).  There are no orders in the records available to the Board which show the Bronze Star Medal was awarded to the applicant.

6.  The applicant’s WD AGO Form 53-55 shows in item 31 (Military Qualification and Date) shows that the applicant was awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge.

7.  The Board noted that the applicant was entitled to the World War II Victory Medal which is not shown on his WD AGO Form 53-55.

8.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 also provides, in pertinent part, that the Bronze Star Medal is awarded for heroism and for meritorious achievement or service in military operations against an armed enemy.  The Bronze Star Medal is authorized for each individual who was cited in orders or awarded a certificate for exemplary conduct in ground combat between 7 December 1941 and 2 September 1945 or whose achievement or service, during that period, was confirmed by documents executed prior to 1 July 1947.  An award of the Combat Infantryman Badge or the Combat Medical Badge is considered to be a citation in orders.  This means, in effect, that the Bronze Star Medal is to be awarded to individuals who were authorized either badge for service during World War II.

9.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 provides, in pertinent part, for award of the World War II Victory Medal.  It is awarded for service between 7 December 1941 and 31 December 1946, both dates inclusive.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  There is no evidence that the applicant was awarded the Bronze Star Medal during his service in World War II.  

2.  Contrary to the applicant’s contention that his unit or the division received the Bronze Star Medal, the Bronze Star Medal is a decoration awarded to individuals for meritorious achievement, meritorious service or heroism in action.  

3.  The Board noted that the applicant was awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge during World War II.  Based on his award of the Combat Infantryman Badge, the applicant is entitled to award of the Bronze Star Medal and correction of his records to show this award.

4.  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 the individual concerned was awarded the Bronze Star Medal based on award of the Combat Infantryman Badge.

BOARD VOTE:  

__JTM__  __TSK___  __HBO___  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		___Mr. Ted S. Kanamine__
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2002073338	
SUFFIX		
RECON	YYYYMMDD	
DATE BOARDED	20020711	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE	(HD, GD, UOTHC, UD, BCD, DD, UNCHAR)	
DATE OF DISCHARGE	YYYYMMDD	
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY	AR . . . . .  	
DISCHARGE REASON		
BOARD DECISION	(NC, GRANT , DENY, GRANT PLUS)	
REVIEW AUTHORITY	MR SCHNEIDER	
ISSUES         1.	107.0000.0000	
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.