RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS IN THE CASE OF: BOARD DATE: 8 SEPTEMBER 2005 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20050001372 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. William Powers Chairperson Mr. John Meixell Member Mr. Larry Olson Member The Board considered the following evidence: Exhibit A - Application for correction of military records. Exhibit B - Military Personnel Records (including advisory opinion, if any). THE APPLICANT'S REQUEST, STATEMENT, AND EVIDENCE: 1. The applicant requests that his records be corrected to show that he participated in a combat assault jump on 20 October 1950 and that he was injured during the jump. 2. The applicant states he made a combat jump in Korea on 20 October 1950 but was never given credit for the jump. He states he was also injured at that time. He notes that his application for disability from the Department of Veterans Affairs was denied because there was no record of the jump or injury. 3. The applicant provides affidavits from three individuals who support his application and his participation in a combat assault jump on 20 October 1950. He also provides copies of unit morning reports from Company A, 127th Airborne Engineer Battalion, dated in September, October, and November 1950, one dated 17 January 1951 and one dated 25 February 1951. He also submits a copy of unit morning reports from the Engineer Company, 187th Airborne Regimental Combat Team (RCT) dated 9 March and 23 March 1951. He submits a copy of the orders awarding him the Purple Heart for wounds sustained on 18 November 1950. CONSIDERATION OF EVIDENCE: 1. The applicant’s military records are not available to the Board for review. A fire destroyed approximately 18 million service members’ records at the National Personnel Records Center in 1973. It is believed that the applicant’s records were lost or destroyed in that fire. However, there were sufficient documents remaining in a reconstructed record for the Board to conduct a fair and impartial review of this case. 2. The applicant's separation document indicates that he served on active duty from 15 September 1948 until 3 July 1953. During that period he served overseas for approximately 27 months where he was awarded, among other things, the Combat Infantryman Badge and the Korean Service Medal. According to his separation document he was wounded in action on 16 October 1951 and orders provided by the applicant indicate he was also wounded in action on 18 November 1950. 3. The 20 October 1950 unit morning report from Company A, 127th Airborne Engineer Battalion indicates that the company parachuted from planes in the vicinity of Sukchon, Korea at 1225 hours and then "assembled & established Engr [Engineer] dump Platoons atchd [attached] to Inf Bns [infantry battalions] set up in vicinity of Regt'l [regimental] CP [command post]." 4. A 21 October 1950 unit morning report from Company A noted the command post moved from Hill 97 to the city of Sukchon, Korea and that the platoons were still attached to the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd battalions of the 187th RCT. 5. On 19 February 1951 orders were issued redesignating Company A, 127th Airborne Engineer Battalion as the Engineer Company, 187th Airborne RCT effective 26 February 1951. 6. A 23 March 1951 unit morning report from the Engineer Company, 187th Airborne RCT notes the unit made a combat parachute jump in the vicinity of Munsen-ni, Korea at 0915 hours that day. 7. The affidavits submitted in support of the applicant's request all indicate that the applicant participated in a combat parachute assault on 20 October 1950. None of the statements, however, indicate the applicant was injured during the jump. One statement does indicate the applicant was later injured in a training jump, while a second statement indicates that after the 20 October 1950 jump the applicant was later wounded and removed from jump status. 8. Department of the Army General Orders Number 80, dated 22 November 1954, show that assault landing credit for Sunchon-Sukchon, Korea on 20 October 1950 was awarded to the Antiaircraft Artillery (AAA) Battery, the Medical Ambulance Detachment, the Medical Clearing Platoon, the Military Police Traffic Platoon, and the Quartermaster Parachute Maintenance Detachment, all of the 187th Airborne RCT; as well as the 674th Airborne Field Artillery Battalion and the 187th Airborne Infantry Regiment. 9. These orders also show that assault landing credit for Munsan-ni, Korea on 23 March 1951 was awarded to those same units, in addition to the 2d Ranger Infantry Company (Airborne); the 4th Ranger Infantry Company (Airborne). 10. Department of the Army Pamphlet 672-1 (Unit Citation and Campaign Participation Credit Register), dated 6 July 1961, shows, among other information, unit awards and citations authorized for units which served during World War II and the Korean War. This document shows that neither Company A, 127th Airborne Engineer Battalion, nor the Engineer Battalion, 187th Airborne RCT received assault landing credit on 20 October 1950 and the Engineer Battalion, 187th Airborne RCT did not receive assault landing credit on 23 March 1951. 11. Records at the Center for Military History show that Company A, 127th Airborne Engineer Battalion was redesignated as the Engineer Company, 187th Airborne RCT on 26 February 1951. A copy of order provided by the applicant with his application confirmed this redsignation. The Center for Military History confirmed that the unit did not receive assault landing credit. 12. Paragraph 8-10 of Army Regulation 600-8-22 (Military Awards) states, in pertinent part, that a bronze service star is authorized to be worn on the Parachutist Badge to denote a Soldier's participation in a combat parachute jump. The regulation also states that credit for a combat parachute jump is related directly to credit for a combat assault landing for the unit to which the Soldier is assigned at the time of the assault. The regulation specifically requires that the unit must be credited with a combat assault in order for the Soldiers to receive the Parachutist Badge with the bronze service star affixed and that each Soldier must physically exit the aircraft to receive combat assault credit and the Parachutist Badge with bronze service star. 13. Paragraph 7-25 of Army Regulation 600-8-22 states, in pertinent part, that assault landing credit (award of the bronze arrowhead) may be made to units of the Army who, in the combat zone of a battle, campaign, or expedition as established by Joint Chiefs of Staff or the Department of the Army, accomplishes one of the following types of assault operations: (1) makes a parachute jump into enemy-held territory as a part of an organized force carrying out an assigned tactical mission; (2) participation in the assault waves of an amphibious landing on enemy-held territory; or (3) makes a helicopter assault landing into enemy-held territory as a part of an organizational force carrying out an assigned tactical mission. The assault operation will be of such scope as to warrant Department of the Army designation as a battle or campaign and be of such magnitude as to include tactical elements of at least one other Service. The forces committed should be spearheading a major assault into enemy controlled territory. 14. Army Regulation 600-8-22 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. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: 1. Department of the Army Pamphlet 672-1, records at the Center for Military History, and Department of the Army General Orders Number 80, show that neither Company A, 127th Airborne Engineer Battalion nor the Engineer Company, 187th Airborne RCT received assault landing credit. 2. Although the morning report, dated 20 October 1950, provided by the applicant shows a parachute jump was made by Company A, 127th Airborne Engineer Battalion that day, there is no evidence to show the Department of the Army awarded assault landing credit to that unit. Therefore, there is no basis for granting the applicant's request. It is possible that the decision was made that the parachute jump did not meet the requirement of a force committed to spearheading a major assault into enemy controlled territory. 3. It is not entirely clear if the applicant is asking that he be awarded a Purple Heart for injuries he states were sustained by him at the time of the 20 October 1950 parachute jump. However, if that is his goal, there is no medical evidence which supports a conclusion that he was injured as a result of hostile action that day. In fact, two of the statements submitted in support of his request indicate he was injured later and one of the statements notes that he was injured during a training jump. 4. In order to justify correction of a military record the applicant must show, or it must otherwise satisfactorily appear, that the record is in error or unjust. Unfortunately, the applicant has failed to submit evidence that would satisfy that requirement. BOARD VOTE: ________ ________ ________ GRANT FULL RELIEF ________ ________ ________ GRANT PARTIAL RELIEF ________ ________ ________ GRANT FORMAL HEARING __WP___ ___JM___ ___LO __ DENY APPLICATION BOARD DETERMINATION/RECOMMENDATION: The evidence presented does not demonstrate the existence of a probable error or injustice. Therefore, the Board determined that the overall merits of this case are insufficient as a basis for correction of the records of the individual concerned. _____ William Powers_______ CHAIRPERSON INDEX CASE ID AR20050001372 SUFFIX RECON YYYYMMDD DATE BOARDED 20050908 TYPE OF DISCHARGE (HD, GD, UOTHC, UD, BCD, DD, UNCHAR) DATE OF DISCHARGE YYYYMMDD DISCHARGE AUTHORITY AR . . . . . DISCHARGE REASON BOARD DECISION DENY REVIEW AUTHORITY ISSUES 1. 107.00 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.