PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:     

	BOARD DATE:          02 OCTOBER 2003                    
	DOCKET NUMBER:  AR2003088845

	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. Gale J. Thomas		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Ms. Kathleen A. Newman		Chairperson	
	Mr. Lester Echols		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 that the records of her deceased husband, a former service member, be corrected to show he was awarded the Good Conduct Medal.

3.  The applicant states that the former service member should have been awarded the Good Conduct Medal for his periods of service.  The applicant submits a copy of her marriage license to the former service member, a death certificate of the former service member, and copies of his 20 November 1945, and 5 May 1947, WD AGO Form 53-55 (Enlisted Record and Report of Separation). 

4.  The former service member’s military records were lost or destroyed in the National Personnel Records Center fire of 1973.  Information herein was obtained from documents submitted by the applicant.

5.  The service member was inducted into the Army of the United States on 
30 June 1944.  

6.  He was honorably discharged on 20 November 1945, for the purpose of enlisting in the Regular Army.  His WD AGO Form 53-55 shows he was awarded the European Theater of Operations Campaign Medal, the Purple Heart, the Combat Infantryman Badge, and three bronze service stars for his participation in Ardennes, Rhineland and Central Europe Campaigns.  

7.  The service member enlisted in the Regular Army on 21 November 1945, and was honorably discharged on 5 May 1947.  His WD AGO Form 53-55 shows he was awarded the Army of Occupation Medal, and the World War II Victory Medal. 

8.  Army Regulation 600-8-10 provides that the Good Conduct Medal is awarded to individuals who distinguish themselves by their conduct, efficiency and fidelity  during a qualifying period of active duty enlisted service.  This period is 3 years except in those cases when the period for the first award ends with the termination of a period of Federal military service.  Although there is no automatic entitlement to the Good Conduct Medal, disqualification must be justified.  

9.  Army Regulation 600-8-10, also provides, in pertinent part, that World War II holders of the Combat Infantryman Badge are entitled to an award of the Bronze Star Medal.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The Board notes that the service member had no lost time, and was honorably discharged from both periods of service. 

2.  The service member completed a qualifying period of service for award of the Army Good Conduct Medal on 5 May 1947.  There is no evidence his commander ever disqualified him from receiving the award and no evidence of any misconduct which would justify denying him the award.  In view of the foregoing, the Board concludes that the former service member met the basic qualifications for award of the Army Good Conduct Medal and it would be appropriate and in the interest of equity to award him that decoration for the period 30 June 1944 to 5 May 1947.  

3.  Evidence shows the service member was awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge during World War II, and is therefore entitled to the Bronze Star Medal. 

4.  In view of the foregoing, the service member’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 awarding the service member the Good Conduct Medal for the period 30 June 1944 to 5 May 1947, and the Bronze Star Medal.

BOARD VOTE:  

__KAN__  ___LE___  __JTM __  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		__Kathleen A. Newman__
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2003088845	
SUFFIX		
RECON	YYYYMMDD	
DATE BOARDED	20031002	
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.	107.0056	
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.