RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS IN THE MATTER OF: DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2012-02530 COUNSEL: NONE HEARING DESIRED: NO ________________________________________________________________ _ APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT: His late uncle’s records be corrected show that he was posthumously awarded two Bronze Star Medals (BSMs), and was entitled to the Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB), three Presidential Unit Citations (PUCs), formerly known as Distinguished Unit Citations (DUCs), and the Philippine PUC. ________________________________________________________________ _ APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT: His uncle is entitled to the requested awards and decorations because he was assigned to the 17th Pursuit Squadron, 24th Pursuit Group, Far East Air Force, in the Philippines and participated in the Battle of the Points. Members of the 24th Pursuit Group, such as his uncle, were absorbed into the First Provisional Infantry Regiment, and fought alongside the Philippine Constabulary during the Battle of the Points on the Bataan Peninsula. In view of this, he met the qualifications for the CIB and the BSM, as regulations in effect at that time did not require a member to possess the military occupation specialty of an infantryman or be assigned to an infantry unit. Further, by virtue of being awarded the CIB, he is entitled to an oak leaf cluster to the BSM. During the period in question, the 24th Pursuit Group was awarded three Distinguished Unit Citations (DUCs). The applicant's complete submission, with attachments, is at Exhibit A. ________________________________________________________________ _ STATEMENT OF FACTS: The former member’s records were destroyed by fire in 1973, at the National Personnel Record Center. Therefore, the following information has been extracted from the documentation provided by the applicant and the reconstructed military record. According to information extracted from the National Achieves and Records Administration (NARA) database, the former member was a member of the Army Air Corps, and served on active duty from 3 Aug 39 through 11 Jan 43, and participated in the Southern Philippines and Luzon campaigns in the Asiatic-Pacific Theatre, while assigned to the 17th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor), 24th Pursuit Group, V Interceptor Command. The term Battle of the Points collectively refers to the following engagements on the southern peninsula of Bataan Island, the Philippines. Specifically, the Lapay-Longoskawayan points from 23 to 29 Jan 42; the Quinawan-Aglaloma points from 22 Jan to 8 Feb 42; and at the Silalim-Anyasan points from 27 Jan to 13 Feb 42. During these engagements, Japanese forces were contained on their beachheads by members of the Philippine Constabulary units and personnel from several Army Air Corps pursuit squadrons, fighting as infantry. The former member was captured by the Imperial Japanese Army on 7 May 42 and held a Prisoner-of-War (POW) until his death on 11 Jan 43. On 20 Jun 11, the former member was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart Medal for wounds he received in action which resulted in his death. The CIB was established by the War Department on 27 Oct 43 and was retroactively awarded by the Army to those who participated in active ground combat while assigned as a member of an infantry or Special Forces unit, brigade of smaller size, during any periods subsequent to 6 Dec 41. Subsequent awards of the CIB are not authorized for the same qualifying period. War Department Circular 105, dated 13 Mar 44, amended the CIB requirements by authorizing retroactive award of Expert and Combat Infantryman Badges to any infantryman who, on or after 6 Dec 41, had established eligibility and been recommended for such award. The BSM is awarded for heroic or meritorious achievement or service, on or after 7 Dec 41, not involving participating in aerial flight, in connection with military operations against an armed enemy. The award recognizes acts of heroism performed in ground combat if they are of lesser degree than that required for the Silver Star. It also recognizes single acts of merit and meritorious service if the achievement or service is of lesser degree than that deemed worthy of the Legion of Merit; but such service must have been accomplished with distinction. In accordance with Army Regulation 600-8-22, paragraph 3-14(2), dated 11 Dec 06, award of the BSM may be made to each member of the Armed Forces of the United States who, after 6 Dec 41, has been cited in orders or awarded a certificate for exemplary conduct in ground combat against an armed enemy between 7 Dec 41 and 2 Sep 45, inclusive, or whose meritorious achievement has been otherwise confirmed by documents executed prior to 1 Jul 47. For this purpose, an award for the CIB is considered a citation and orders. In relation to requests for the BSM associated with award of the CIB, applicants should send their letter application to: Commander, U.S. Army Human Resources Command, AHRC-CC-B, 1 Reserve Way, St. Louis, MO 63132-5200. The letter application should include documentary evidence, if possible. The PUC, formerly known as the Distinguished Unit Citation, is conferred to units of the Armed Forces of the United States and of cobelligerent nations, for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enemy on or after 7 Dec 41. According to Air Force Pamphlet 900-2, Unit Decorations, Awards, and Campaign Participation Credits, dated 15 Jun 71, the former member’s squadron of assignment, i.e., 17th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor), is entitled to the Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation (PRPUC) for the periods of 7 Dec 41 through 10 May 42 and 17 Oct 44 through 4 Jul 45 and his former group of assignment, i.e., 24th Pursuit Group, is entitled to three Distinguished Unit Citations for the periods 7 Dec 41 through 10 May 42, 8 through 22 Dec 41, and 6 Jan 42 through 8 Mar 42. AFPC/DPSID verified the member’s entitlement to the POW medal, Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal, American Defense Service Medal, and the Gold Star Lapel Pin, and will administratively correct his records to reflect these awards. ________________________________________________________________ _ AIR FORCE EVALUATION: AFPC/DPSID recommends denial of the applicant’s request for award of the PUC w/2 OLCs, Philippine PUC, CIB, and BSM w/1OLC. DPSID indicates they were unable to verify any units the former member served in order to verify award of the PUC or the Philippine PUC. Official documentation, to include a Special Order verifying the applicant was recommended for and/or awarded the Bronze Star Medal was not located within the member’s official military personnel record. However, it appears the applicant is requesting the BSM in relation to the CIB; therefore, is requesting award of the CIB for actions during the Battle of Luzon. Unfortunately, award approval for the CIB lies with the Department of the Army; therefore, the applicant will need to submit this portion of his request to the Department of the Army. DPSID states AR 600-8-22, paragraph 3-14d(2), Bronze Star Medal and paragraph 8-6f(2), Combat Infantryman Badge, provides an avenue for individuals (or Next of Kin), who may determine they are entitled to this award, to request consideration. Therefore, the Department of the Air Force must defer to the Department of the Army in relation to the awarding of the CIB. The complete DPSID evaluation is at Exhibit C. ________________________________________________________________ _ APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION: On 11 Sep 12, a copy of the Air Force evaluation was forwarded to the applicant for review and comment within 30 days. As of this date, a response has not been received by this office (Exhibit D). ________________________________________________________________ _ THE BOARD CONCLUDES THAT: 1. The applicant has exhausted all remedies provided by existing law or regulations pertaining to his request for the PRPUC and PUCs. However, we note that he has not done so with regard to his request for the Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB) or the Bronze Star Medals. As indicated by AFPC/DPSID and the documentation submitted by the applicant in support of this appeal, these requests should be sent to the Commander, U.S. Army Human Resources Command, AHRC-CC-B, 1 Reserve Way, St. Louis, MO 63132-5200. 2. The application was not timely filed; however, it is in the interest of justice to excuse the failure to timely file. 3. Sufficient relevant evidence has been presented to demonstrate the existence of an error or injustice to warrant correcting his records to reflect his entitlement to three Distinguished Unit Citations and the Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation (PRPUC). After thoroughly reviewing the evidence provided by the applicant and the documentation contained in the reconstructed military record, we believe partial relief is warranted in this case. In this respect, we note the former member was assigned to the 17th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor), 24th Pursuit Group, V Interceptor Command, and captured by the Imperial Japanese Army on 7 May 42 during the fall of the Philippine Islands and held as a Prisoner-of-War (POW) until his death on 11 Jan 43. We further note that according to AFP-900-2, dated 15 June 1971, the 17th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) was awarded the PRPUC during the period 7 Dec 41 through 10 May 42 and the 24th Pursuit Group was awarded three Distinguished Unit Citations for the periods 7 Dec 41 through 10 May 42, 8 through 22 Dec 41, and 6 Jan 42 through 8 Mar 42. Although currently organizations subordinate to a higher wing or group are not bestowed unit awards unless the subordinate units are also identified as recipients, this was not the case during the period in question. Moreover, we recognize that during the fall of the Philippine Islands, members of ground personnel assigned to the 24th Pursuit Group were absorbed by various infantry units and heroically fought in defense of the islands until their death or capture. While we have no documentary evidence that confirms, with any certainty, what period the former member was actually assigned to the 17th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor), 24th Pursuit Group, in view of the fact that he was captured on 7 May 1942, it is clear that he was assigned during the periods for which the unit citations were awarded. Therefore, we recommend his records be corrected to the extent indicated below. ________________________________________________________________ _ THE BOARD RECOMMENDS THAT: The pertinent military records of the Department of the Air Force relating to FORMER MEMBER, be corrected to show that he was awarded the Philippine Presidential Unit Citation and the Distinguished Unit Citation with Two Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters. ________________________________________________________________ _ The following members of the Board considered AFBCMR Docket Number BC-2012-02530 in Executive Session on 5 Feb 13, under the provisions of AFI 36-2603: , Panel Chair , Member , Member All members voted to correct the records, as recommended. The following documentary evidence was considered: Exhibit A. DD Form 149, dated 12 May 12, w/atchs. Exhibit B. Reconstructed Master Personnel Records. Exhibit C. Letter, AFPC/DPSID, dated 24 Jun 12, w/atchs. Exhibit D. Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 11 Sep 12.