PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:        

	BOARD DATE:            08 OCTOBER 2002                  
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR2002073509

	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:

	Ms. Jennifer L. Prater		Chairperson	
	Mr. Melvin H. Meyer		Member	
	Mr. James E. Anderholm		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 DD Form 214 (Report of Separation from the Armed Forces of the United States) be corrected to show award of the Purple Heart.  He also requests any other awards to which he is entitled.

3.  The applicant refers to a letter to his mother informing her that he was wounded in action, and provides a copy of that letter.  He states that he already has the Purple Heart [Medal]. 

4.  The applicant's military records were lost or destroyed in the National Personnel Records Center fire of 1973.  Information herein was obtained from the applicant and a member of this agency.

5.  The applicant’s DD Form 214 shows that he was inducted into the Army on  21 February 1952, that he was an infantryman, and that he had 11 months and 18 days of foreign service.  He was awarded the Korean Service Medal with two bronze service stars, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, and the Good Conduct Medal.  He was released from active duty on 20 November 1953 in the grade of Sergeant.  He had 1 year and 9 months of service.

6.  In a 1 December 1952 letter, Major General Smythe, the Commanding General of 3d Infantry Division, informed the applicant’s mother that the applicant, a member of Company L, 15th Infantry Regiment, was wounded in action on 16 November 1952, and that he awarded the Purple Heart to him on the following day.  He stated that the applicant was in excellent spirits and was feeling very well. 

7.  A member of this agency reviewed the historical files of Company L,           15th Infantry Regiment, at the National Archives in College Park, and could find no evidence that the applicant was entitled to award of the Purple Heart.  He did, however, verify that Major General Symthe was in fact the 3d Infantry Division commanding general on 1 December 1952.

8.  The Combat Infantryman Badge is awarded to infantry officers and to enlisted and warrant officer persons who have an infantry specialty.  They must have served in active ground combat while assigned or attached to an infantry unit of brigade, regimental or smaller size.   

9.  The Unit Citation and Campaign Participation Credit Register shows that the 15th Infantry Regiment was awarded the Bravery Gold Medal of Greece for its actions during the Korean War.

10.  As a matter of information, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Korean War, the Government of the Republic of Korea issued the Korean War Service Medal to pay tribute to eligible Korean War veterans for their historic endeavors to preserve the freedom of the Republic of Korea and the free world.  On 20 August 1999, the Department of Defense approved acceptance and wear of this foreign award to eligible US veterans of the Korean War, or their surviving next of kin.  The medal is provided at no cost to the veterans.

11.  The Department of Defense has assigned responsibility to the Department of the Air Force for distribution of the Korean War Service Medal to eligible veterans or their surviving next of kin.  To apply, veterans must provide a copy of their discharge paper (DD Form 214) to the Awards and Decorations Section, Headquarters, Air Force Personnel Center, 550 C Street West, Suite 12, Randolph Air Force Base, Texas 78150-4714.  A sample request form is being provided to the applicant.  Once the Korean War Service Medal has been authorized by the Department of the Air Force, the applicant may apply to the Army Board for Correction of Military Records to add this foreign award to his   DD Form 214.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The 1 December 1952 letter from the 3d Infantry Division commanding general to the applicant’s mother is prima facie evidence that the applicant was wounded in action.  He is entitled to award of the Purple Heart and his record should reflect that award.   

2.  Furthermore, and based on the evidence shown in that letter and the evidence contained in his DD Form 214, it is apparent that the applicant was an infantryman, assigned to an infantry company, who was engaged in combat.  He is entitled to award of the Combat Infantryman Badge.  

3.  The applicant is entitled to award of the Bravery Gold Medal of Greece.

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 that the individual concerned was awarded the Purple Heart, the Combat Infantryman Badge, and the Bravery Gold Medal of Greece.

BOARD VOTE:  

__JLP  __  __MHM__  __JEA __  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		____Jennifer L. Prater_____
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2002073509	
SUFFIX		
RECON	YYYYMMDD	
DATE BOARDED	20021008	
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.