PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:  

	BOARD DATE:            6 April 2000                  
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR1999030107

	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:

	Mr. John N. Slone		Chairperson	
	Mr. Ernest M. Willcher		Member	
	Mr. James E. Anderholm		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 his WD AGO Form 53-55 (Enlisted Record and Report of Separation—Honorable Discharge) to show award of the Medical Badge (currently known as the Combat Medical Badge) and the Bronze Star Medal (First Oak Leaf Cluster).

3.  The applicant states, in effect, that these awards are not shown on his WD AGO Form 53-55.  In support of his application, he submits photocopies of his WD AGO Form 53-55, Honorable Discharge Certificate, General Orders awarding him the Medical Badge and Letter Orders awarding him the Bronze Star Medal (First Oak Leaf Cluster).

4.  The applicant’s military records show that he initially entered active duty on 21 July 1942 and completed training as an operations noncommissioned officer (NCO).  He served in the European-African-Middle Eastern Theater of Operations from 1 November 1944 to 20 January 1946 and was honorably discharged from active duty on 10 February 1946.  He enlisted in the Enlisted Reserve Corps on 11 February 1946 and served continuously until 10 May 1962. On 11 May 1962, he was appointed as a Warrant Officer (WO) W-1 in the Ready Reserve and was retired in the grade of Chief Warrant Officer (CWO) W-3 on 23 March 1977.

5.  The applicant’s WD AGO Form 53-55 does not show the Combat Medical Badge or the Bronze Star Medal (First Oak Leaf Cluster) as authorized awards.

6.  The applicant provided a copy of 290th Infantry Regiment General Orders Number 36, dated 14 May 1945, which awarded him the Medical Badge for actions on 1 March 1945.

7.  The applicant provided a copy of Letter Orders, dated 29 January 1954, which awarded him the Bronze Star Medal (First Oak Leaf Cluster) based on award of the Combat Medical Badge.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  Evidence of record shows the applicant was awarded the Combat Medical Badge for actions in the European-African-Middle Eastern Theater of Operations; therefore, he is entitled to correction of his WD AGO Form 53-55 to show award of the Combat Medical Badge.

2.  The applicant was awarded the Bronze Star Medal (First Oak Leaf Cluster) based on award of the Combat Medical Badge; therefore, he is entitled to correction of his WD AGO Form 53-55 to show the Bronze Star Medal (First Oak Leaf Cluster).

3.  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:

a.  by showing the individual concerned was awarded the Combat Medical Badge;

b.  by deleting the entry “Bronze Star Medal” in item 33 (Decorations and Citations) of his WD AGO Form 53-55; and 

	c.  by showing he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal (First Oak Leaf Cluster) based on award of the Combat Medical Badge in item 33.

BOARD VOTE:  

JNS_____  EMW___  JEA_____  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		John N. Slone_________
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR1999030107	
SUFFIX		
RECON	YYYYMMDD	
DATE BOARDED	20000406	
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.	107.0014	
2.	107.0113	
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.