PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:  

	BOARD DATE:           20 May 2003                   
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR2003084069

	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. Paul Wright		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Mr. Melvin H. Meyer		Chairperson	
	Ms. Deborah S. Jacobs		Member	
	Mr. Jose A. Martinez		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 records be corrected to show that he was awarded Glider Wings (sic).  In effect, he is requesting the Glider Badge.

3.  The applicant makes no contention, but submits in support of his application;  a copy of a certificate for glider flight pay for the period 1-31 December 1944 and signed by the Assistant Personnel Officer, 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division; a copy of his Certificate of Honorable Discharge; and a copy of his WD AGO Form 53-55 (Enlisted Record and Report of Separation Honorable Discharge).

4.  The applicant's military records were lost or destroyed in the National Personnel Records Center fire of 1973.  Information herein was obtained from reconstructed personnel records.

5.  On 27 March 1943, the applicant was inducted into the Army of the United States and served until 10 February 1946 when he was honorably discharged.  

6.  A review of the applicant's reconstructed personnel records reveals that he applied to the National Archives Records Administration (NARA) in St. Louis, Missouri, for issuance of all of his military awards.  He was subsequently awarded the Bronze Star Medal, the Purple Heart, the Good Conduct Medal, the American Campaign Medal, the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with 3 Bronze Service Stars, the World War II Victory Medal, the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Honorable Service Lapel Button - World War II, the Sharpshooter Badge with Carbine Bar, and the Marksman Badge with Pistol Bar.

7.  The certificate provided by the applicant proves that he was entitled to glider flight pay because he participated ". . . regularly and frequently in glider flight . . . in a duty status in sufficient flights to meet the requirements."

8.  Army Regulation (AR) 600-8-22 (Military Awards) sets forth Department of the Army criteria, policy and instructions concerning individual military awards, the Good Conduct Medal, service medals and service ribbons, combat and special skill badges and tabs, unit decorations, and trophies and similar devices awarded in recognition of accomplishments.  It states, in pertinent part, that the Glider Badge was discontinued effective 3 May 1961 and is no longer awarded.  However, at the time authorization of the badge was announced, in order to qualify, personnel:  must have been assigned or attached to a glider or airborne unit or to the Airborne Department of the Infantry School; or satisfactorily 

completed a course of instruction; or participated in at least one combat glider landing into enemy-held territory.  The regulation provides for retroactive award of the Glider Badge when it can be established by means of sufficient documentation that the qualification criteria then in effect were satisfactorily completed.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The applicant served in the 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment (PIR), 82nd Airborne Division during World War II.  In late 1944, the 507th PIR was reassigned to the 17th Airborne Division and underwent training in Wiltshire and Surrey, England.  It was at this time that the applicant participated in glider training, receiving glider flight pay.  Although it is not stated in the record, the Board assumes that the applicant satisfactorily completed the course of instruction in glider training and, thus, qualified for award of the newly created Glider Badge.

2.  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 Glider Badge.

BOARD VOTE:  

__mhm___  __dsj___  __jam___  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

			Melvin H. Meyer
		______________________
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2003084069	
SUFFIX		
RECON		
DATE BOARDED	20030520	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE		
DATE OF DISCHARGE		
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY		
DISCHARGE REASON		
BOARD DECISION	(GRANT)	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1.	107.0119	
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.