PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:  

	BOARD DATE:           15 March 2000                   
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR1999029714

	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.  

	Mrs. Nancy Amos		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Mr. Raymond V. O’Connor, Jr.		Chairperson	
	Ms. Margaret K. Patterson		Member	
	Mr. Van B. Cunningham		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 Silver Star and the Purple Heart be added to his DD Form 214.

3.  The applicant states that he has the orders for the Silver Star and Purple Heart but they were not entered on his DD Form 214.

4.  The applicant’s military records show that he was inducted into the Army on 18 December 1950 and on an unknown date was assigned to Korea.

5.  General Orders 457 dated 17 October 1951, Headquarters, 7th Infantry Division award the Silver Star to the applicant for gallantry in action on              11 September 1951.  Those orders do not award him the Purple Heart nor are there orders in his records to show he was awarded the Purple Heart.  The Silver Star citation as well as his medical records verify that he was wounded in action. 

6.  The applicant’s Service Record shows his character and efficiency ratings as “excellent” and that he was favorably considered for the Army Good Conduct Medal.  He was honorably released from active duty on 17 September 1952.

7.  Army Regulation 600-8-2 provides policy and criteria concerning individual military decorations.  It states that the Purple Heart is awarded for a wound 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.  It also states that the Army Good Conduct Medal was awarded for each 3 years of continuous enlisted active Federal military service completed on or after 27 August 1940 and, for the first award only, upon termination of service on or after 27 June 1950 of less than 3 years but more than 1 year.  At the time, a soldier’s conduct and efficiency ratings must have been rated as “excellent” for the entire period of qualifying service

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The evidence of record shows the applicant was awarded the Silver Star.  The evidence of record also shows that he met the eligibility criteria for award of the Purple Heart and the Army Good Conduct Medal.

2.  In view of the foregoing, it would be in the interest of justice to correct the applicant’s records as recommended below.

RECOMMENDATION:

1.  That all of the Department of the Army records related to this case be corrected by awarding the applicant the Army Good Conduct Medal for the period 18 December 1950 through 17 September 1952 and the Purple Heart.
2.  That the Silver Star, the Army Good Conduct Medal and the Purple Heart be added to the applicant’s DD Form 214.

BOARD VOTE:  

__rvo___  __mkp___  __vbc___  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		Raymond V. O’Connor, Jr.
		______________________
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR1999029714	
SUFFIX		
RECON		
DATE BOARDED	20000315	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE		
DATE OF DISCHARGE		
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY		
DISCHARGE REASON		
BOARD DECISION	(GRANT)	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1.	110.04	
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.