PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:  

	BOARD DATE:           16 March 2000      
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR1999029821

	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.  

	Ms. Beverly A. Young		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Ms. Jennifer L. Prater		Chairperson	
	Mr. Orville W. Troesch, Jr.		Member	
	Mr. Christopher J. Prosser		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 correction of item 33 (Decorations and Citations ) of his WD AGO Form 53-55 (Enlisted Record and Report of Separation—Honorable Discharge) to show award of the Combat Infantryman Badge.

3.  The applicant states that there is no record showing he was awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge.  In support of his application, he submits a copy of his WD AGO Form 53-55.

4.  The applicant’s military records were lost or destroyed in the National Personnel Records Center fire of 1973.  Records available to the Board were obtained from alternate sources and show that he was inducted in the Enlisted Reserve Center (ERC) on 18 October 1943.  He entered active duty on 8 November 1943 and completed basic infantry training. The applicant served in the European-African-Middle Eastern Theater of Operations from 30 June 1944 to 1 December 1944 and was honorably discharged from active duty on 13 December 1945.

5.  The applicant’s WD AGO Form 53-55 does not show the Combat Infantryman Badge as an authorized award.  

6.  Evidence available to the Board shows that the applicant was awarded an infantry military occupational specialty (MOS) and served in Company K, 329th Infantry Regiment while assigned in the European-African-Middle Eastern Theater of Operations.  

7.  His WD AGO Form 53-55 also shows that he was wounded in action and his Final Payment Worksheet shows entitlement to combat infantry pay.

8.  War Department Circular 269-1943 established the Combat Infantryman Badge and provide an incentive to infantrymen.  The Combat Infantryman Badge was awarded for exemplary conduct in action against the enemy.  War Department Circular 186-1944 further provided that the Combat Infantryman Badge was to be awarded only to infantrymen serving with infantry units of brigade, regimental or smaller size.  Additionally, World War II holders of the Combat Infantryman Badge received a monthly pay supplement known as combat infantry pay and holders of the Expert Infantryman Badge were entitled to expert infantry pay.  Therefore, soldiers had economic as well as intangible reasons to ensure that their records were correct.  Thus, pay records are frequently the best available source to verify entitlement to this award.  The Awards Branch, Total Army Personnel Command, has advised in similar cases that, during World War II, the Combat Infantryman Badge was normally awarded only to enlisted individuals who served in the following positions:

    a.  Light machine gunner (604)
    b.  Heavy machine gunner (605)
    c.  Platoon sergeant (651)
    d.  Squad leader (653)
    e.  Rifleman (745)
    f.  Automatic rifleman (746)
    g.  Heavy weapons NCO (812)
    h.  Gun crewman (864)

9.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 also provides, in pertinent part, that the Bronze Star Medal is awarded for heroism and for meritorious achievement or service in military operations against an armed enemy.  The Bronze Star Medal is authorized for each individual who was cited in orders or awarded a certificate for exemplary conduct in ground combat between 7 December 1941 and 2 September 1945 or whose achievement or service, during that period, was confirmed by documents executed prior to 1 July 1947.  An award of the Combat Infantryman Badge or the Combat Medical Badge is considered to be a citation in orders.  This means, in effect, that the Bronze Star Medal is to be awarded to individuals who were authorized either badge for service during World War II.  This provision did not go into effect until 10 September 1947 when Change 12 to Army Regulation 600-45 (Decorations) was published.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The applicant was awarded an infantry MOS and served in an infantry company in combat during World War II.  Evidence of record also shows that he was wounded in action. 

2.  In view of the facts in paragraph 1, above, the Board has determined that the applicant met the requirements, in effect at the time in question, for award of the Combat Infantryman Badge.  Therefore, he is entitled to award of the Combat Infantryman Badge and correction of his records to show this award. 

3.  Based on award of the Combat Infantryman Badge as cited in paragraph 2 above, the applicant is also entitled to award of the Bronze Star Medal and correction of his records to show this award.

4.  In view of the foregoing, the applicant’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 showing the individual concerned was awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge and the Bronze Star Medal (based on award of the Combat Infantryman Badge).

BOARD VOTE:  

JLP____  OWT_____  OWT____  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		Jennifer L. Prater____
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR1999029821	
SUFFIX		
RECON	YYYYMMDD	
DATE BOARDED	YYYYMMDD	
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.	107.00	
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.