PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:      

	BOARD DATE:           28 OCTOBER 2003                   
	DOCKET NUMBER:  AR2003087121

	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. Deborah L. Brantley		Senior Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Mr. Raymond J. Wagner		Chairperson	
	Ms. Linda D. Simmons		Member	
	Ms. Marla J. N. Troup		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 reflect award of a third Purple Heart.  He states, in effect, that he was wounded on 13 June 1944 and submits a copy of the reverse side of his Purple Heart Medal to substantiate his request.  He states that he wants his records corrected so that his “heirs will have an accurate record.”

3.  The applicant's military records were likely lost or destroyed during the 1973 fire at the National Personnel Records Center.  Information contained herein was reconstructed from alternative sources, including information provided by the applicant.

4.  The applicant entered active duty on 11 August 1942 and served in the European Theater of Operations between September 1943 and April 1945.

5.  Information contained in files maintained by the Office of The Surgeon General, commonly referred to as the SGO files, confirm that the applicant was wounded in action on 13 June 1944 and again on 10 January 1945.  His two awards of the Purple Heart are confirmed on his 21 December 1945 separation document.  However, only one of the wounds is reflected in item 34 (wounds received in action) of his separation document.

6.  While serving in the European Theater of Operations, the applicant was assigned to Company F, 506th Parachute Infantry and was awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge.

7.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 (Military Awards) provides, in pertinent part, that the Purple Heart is awarded for wounds sustained as a result of hostile action.  Substantiating evidence must be provided to verify that the wound was the result of hostile action, the wound must have required treatment by a medical officer, and the medical treatment must have been made a matter of official record.

8.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 also provides, in pertinent part, that the Bronze Star Medal is to be awarded to individuals who were authorized the Combat Infantryman Badge or the Combat Medical Badge for service during World 
War II.

9.  A review of Department of the Army Pamphlet 672-1 (Unit Citation and Campaign Participation Credit Register) notes the applicant’s unit (Company F, 506th Parachute Infantry) was credited with participating in two combat assault landings (Ansio and Nijmegen-Arnham) during the applicant’s period of 

assignment.  His assault credit should be reflected as two bronze arrowheads associated with his European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, which is reflected on his separation document.  The unit was also awarded the Netherlands Orange Lanyard and two awards of the Belgian Fourragere during his tenure with the organization.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The evidence confirms that the applicant was wounded on two separate occasions during World War II, including on 13 June 1944, as he contends.  There is no evidence, and the applicant has not provided any, that he was wounded a third time.  In the absence of such evidence, there is no basis to correct the applicant’s records to show award of a third Purple Heart.

2.  However, while the applicant’s separation document already reflects entitlement to his two Purple Heart, information concerning his 13 June 1944 wound while in the European Theater of Operation (ETO) was omitted from item 34 of his separation document.  It would be appropriate, and in the interest of justice to correct his separation document to reflect that information.

3.  Additionally, the evidence confirms that the applicant was awarded a Combat Infantryman Badge during World War II and, as such, is entitled to an award of the Bronze Star Medal.

4.  The evidence also confirms that the applicant is entitled to two bronze arrowheads associated with his European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal to denote participation in two combat assault landings.  He is also entitled to the Netherlands Orange Lanyard and two awards of the Belgian Fourragere.  His records should be corrected accordingly.

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

RECOMMENDATION:

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

a.  by showing in item 34 of the applicant’s 1945 separation document that he was wounded on 13 June 1944 while in the ETO;

b.  by awarding him the Bronze Star Medal based on his Combat Infantryman Badge; 

c.  by showing that he is entitled to two bronze arrowheads associated with his European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal; and

d.  by showing that he is entitled to the Netherlands Orange Lanyard and two awards of the Belgian Fourragere.

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

BOARD VOTE:  

__RJW__  __LDS __  __MJNT _  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		___Raymond J. Wagner_____
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2003087121	
SUFFIX		
RECON	YYYYMMDD	
DATE BOARDED	20031028	
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.