BOARD DATE: 12 June 2014 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20130018403 THE BOARD CONSIDERED THE FOLLOWING EVIDENCE: 1. Application for correction of military records (with supporting documents provided, if any). 2. Military Personnel Records and advisory opinions (if any). THE APPLICANT'S REQUEST, STATEMENT, AND EVIDENCE: 1. The applicant requests that his WD AGO Form 53-55 (Enlisted Record and Report of Separation Honorable Discharge) and his Honorable Discharge Certificate be corrected to show that the last two digits of his service number are “68” instead of “88”. 2. The applicant states that his WD AGO Form 53-55 (Enlisted Record and Report of Separation Honorable Discharge) and his Honorable Discharge Certificate both contain an incorrect service number as they show that the last two digits of his service number are “88” instead of “68”. 3. The applicant provides a list of documents provided with his application in the remarks section of his application. CONSIDERATION OF EVIDENCE: 1. Title 10, U.S. Code, section 1552(b), provides that applications for correction of military records must be filed within 3 years after discovery of the alleged error or injustice. This provision of law also allows the Army Board for Correction of Military Records (ABCMR) to excuse an applicant's failure to timely file within the 3-year statute of limitations if the ABCMR determines it would be in the interest of justice to do so. While it appears the applicant did not file within the time frame provided in the statute of limitations, the ABCMR has elected to conduct a substantive review of this case and, only to the extent relief, if any, is granted, has determined it is in the interest of justice to excuse the applicant's failure to timely file. In all other respects, there are insufficient bases to waive the statute of limitations for timely filing. 2. The applicant's military records are not available for review. A fire destroyed approximately 18 million service members' records at the National Personnel Records Center in 1973. It is believed the applicant's records were lost or destroyed in that fire. However, the documents provided by the applicant are sufficient to conduct a fair and impartial review of this case. 3. The applicant was inducted on 14 November 1945. His Separation Qualification Record (WD AGO Form 100) and Authorization for Allotment of Pay (WD AGO Form 29) indicate that he was assigned a service number ending with the last two digits of “68”. 4. He completed his training and on 22 November 1946, he was honorably discharged at Fort Knox, Kentucky. However, his WD AGO Form 53-55 and Honorable Discharge Certificate show his service number containing the last two digits of “88” instead of “68”. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: 1. The applicant’s contention that his service number is incorrectly depicted on his WD AGO Form 53-55 and Honorable Discharge Certificate as containing the last two digits of “88” instead of “68” has been noted and found to have merit. 2. In addition to the applicant’s contention that his service number is incorrectly depicted on his WD AGO Form 53-55 and Honorable Discharge Certificate, he also provides additional documents showing that his service number ends with the last two digits of “68” instead of “88”. 3. Accordingly, his WD AGO Form 53-55 and Honorable Discharge Certificate should be corrected to show the last two digits of his service number are “68” instead of “88”. BOARD VOTE: ___X_____ __X______ _X___ GRANT FULL RELIEF ________ ________ ________ GRANT PARTIAL RELIEF ________ ________ ________ GRANT FORMAL HEARING ________ ________ ________ DENY APPLICATION BOARD DETERMINATION/RECOMMENDATION: The Board determined that the evidence presented was sufficient to warrant a recommendation for relief. As a result, the Board recommends that all Department of the Army records of the individual concerned be corrected by issuing him a document correcting his service number on his WD AGO Form 53-55 and Honorable Discharge Certificate to show that the last two digits of his service number are “68” instead of “88”. _______ _ X_______ ___ CHAIRPERSON I certify that herein is recorded the true and complete record of the proceedings of the Army Board for Correction of Military Records in this case. ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20130018403 3 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 1 ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20130018403 3 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 1