PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:  

	BOARD DATE:           24 April 2003                   
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR2003084065

	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. Luis Almodova		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Mr. Raymond V. O'Connor, Jr.		Chairperson	
	Mr. Terry L. Placek		Member	
	Mr. Robert L. Duecaster		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 Presidential Unit Citation.

3.  The applicant states, in effect, that the 176th Station Hospital, the unit to which he was assigned, was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation, and he would like to have his.  He states that he received the ribbon and now at the age of 80, he is asking that he receive the medal.

4.  In support of his application, he submitted a copy of a DA Form 1577, Authorization for Issuance of Awards, dated 26 August 2002.

5.  The applicant’s military records were lost or destroyed in the National Personnel Records Center fire of 1973.

6.  Records available to the Board were obtained from alternate sources and show he was inducted in the Army of the United States on 22 January 1943 and entered active duty on 29 January 1943.  The applicant’s WD AGO Form 53-55 shows that he served 3 years, and 3 days active Federal service of which 1 year, 4 months and 26 days were spent the Asiatic-Pacific Theater of Operations.  He was honorably discharged in the grade of Staff Sergeant under the provisions of Army Regulation 615-365 for the convenience of the government at demobilization on 11 January 1946.

7.  The applicant's WD AGO Form 53-55 does not show award of the Presidential Unit Citation in Block 33 (Decorations and Citations).  The discharge document shows that the applicant was awarded the American Service Medal, the Asiatic-Pacific Service Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, the World War II Victory Medal, and the Honorable Service Discharge Emblem on separation from the Army.

8.  The DA Form 1577 that the applicant submitted shows that he was entitled to award of the Good Conduct Medal, the American Campaign Medal, the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with 1 bronze service star, the World War II Victory Medal, and the Honorable Service Lapel Button WWII.

9.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 provides, in pertinent part, for award of the American Campaign Medal.  This campaign medal is awarded for qualifying service between 7 December 1941 and 2 March 1946.  Qualifying service includes permanent assignment outside the Continental United States or service within the Continental United States for an aggregate period of one year.

10.  The above regulation, in pertinent part, also authorizes award of a bronze service star, based on qualifying service, for each campaign in which the applicant participated and states that authorized bronze service stars will be worn 

on the appropriate service medal, in this case, the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal.

11.  Department of the Army Pamphlet 672-1, Unit Citation and Campaign Participation Credit Register, shows that the applicant's unit, the 176th Station Hospital, was given credit for participation in the Western Pacific (Ground) Campaign for the period 15 June 1944 through 2 September 1945.  There is no record that the unit was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The Board considered the applicant’s contention that he was entitled to award of the Presidential Unit Citation; however, there is no record that the 176th Station Hospital received this award.

2.  The entry in Block 33 of the applicant's WD AGO Form 53-55, which awards the applicant the American Service Medal, is incorrect.  Based on his service, he is entitled to the American Campaign Medal.  The applicant met the criteria for this award and is entitled to have it shown correctly on his separation document.  Therefore, the correction should be made at this time.

3.  The applicant participated in the Western Pacific (Ground) Campaign and should therefore be awarded 1 bronze service star to be affixed to his already awarded Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal.

4.  In view of the foregoing, the applicant’s records should be corrected as recommended below.

RECOMMENDATION:

1.  That all Department of the Army records related to this case be corrected by: 

	a.  deleting the American Service Medal from Block 33 of the Applicant's WD AGO Form 53-55;

	b.  awarding the applicant the American Campaign Medal and 1 bronze service star to be affixed to his already awarded Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal; and,

	c.  amending Block 33 of the applicant's WD AGO Form 53-55 to include these awards among his awards and decorations.

2.  That so much of the application as is in excess of the foregoing be denied.

BOARD VOTE:  

__rvo___  __tlp___  __rld___  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		Raymond V. O'Connor, Jr.
		______________________
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2003084065	
SUFFIX		
RECON		
DATE BOARDED	20030424	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE		
DATE OF DISCHARGE	19460111	
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY		
DISCHARGE REASON		
BOARD DECISION	GRANT	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1.	107.0000	
2.	107.0031	
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.