PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF: 

	BOARD DATE:           6 April 2000                   
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR1999030142

	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.  

	Mr. Kenneth H. Aucock		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 the awards and decorations due his uncle, a former serviceman (FSM), who was killed in action in World War II.  He requests the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with two bronze service stars, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the World War II Victory Medal, the Purple Heart, and the Combat Infantryman Badge.  

3.  The applicant states that his uncle was killed in action in November 1943.  His personal effects were sent home in 1944, and his body was sent home in 1949. However, the medals and decorations his uncle was entitled to were never awarded.  The applicant states that he has no intention of passing off the awards as his own or defiling them in any way. 

4.  The military records of the FSM were lost or destroyed in the National Personnel Records Center fire of 1973.  Information herein was obtained from reconstructed personnel records.

5.  The FSM was inducted into the Army at Fort Bragg, North Carolina on           15 October 1942.  He was promoted to Corporal on 1 November 1943.  Information from the hospital admission cards created by the office of the Surgeon General shows that he was admitted to a hospital in Italy in November 1943.  A War Department report of death shows that the FSM was an infantry corporal and was killed in action on 4 November 1943.  A War Department    Form 370 (pay record) shows that the FSM was assigned to Company C,          4th Ranger Infantry Battalion when he was killed in action on 4 November 1943.  

6.  Information obtained from the history of World War II ranger battalions shows that the 4th Ranger Battalion was activated after Tunisia in April 1943 in preparation for the invasion of Sicily, and was involved in the landing at Gela and Licata and played a key role in the Sicilian campaign.  The battalion landed during the Italian invasion near Salerno and was later involved with the Fifth Army advance against Naples.

7.  Army Regulation 600-8-2 provides for award of the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal for service during the European-African-Middle Eastern Theater between 7 December 1941 and 8 November 1945.  One bronze service star is authorized for each campaign.  That regulation also provides for award of the arrowhead, a bronze replica of an Indian arrowhead denoting participation in a combat parachute jump, helicopter assault land, combat glider landing, or amphibious assault landing, for wear on the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal.  

8.  Army Regulation 600-8-2 lists the World War II campaigns and the inclusive dates of those campaigns.  The dates of the Sicily campaign were from 9 July to 17 August 1943.  The dates of the Naples-Foggia campaign were from                9 September 1943 to 21 January 1944.  The Unit Citation and Campaign Participation Credit Register (DA Pamphlet 672-1) shows that the 4th Ranger Battalion participated in two campaigns prior to the death of the FSM, the Sicily and the Naples-Foggia campaigns, and was awarded the arrowhead for assault landings at Sicily on 9-11 July 1943 and at Salerno on 9-10 September 1943. 

9.  Army Regulation 600-8-2 also provides, in pertinent part, that the Combat Infantryman Badge is awarded to infantry officers and to enlisted and warrant officer persons who have an infantry MOS.  They must have served in active ground combat while assigned or attached to an infantry unit of brigade, regimental or smaller size.   

10.  The aforementioned regulation also provides for award of the Bronze Star Medal to each member of the Armed Forces of the United States who, after        6 December 1941 has been cited in orders or awarded a certificate for exemplary conduct in ground combat against an armed enemy between 7 December 1941 and 2 September 1945.  The award of a Combat Infantryman Badge is considered as a citation in orders. 

11.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 provides that the Good Conduct Medal is awarded to individuals who distinguish themselves by their conduct, efficiency and fidelity during a qualifying period of active duty enlisted service.  This period is 3 years except in those cases when the period for the first award ends with the
termination of a period of Federal military service.   

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The FSM was killed in action during World War II.  He is entitled to award of the Purple Heart.

2.  The FSM was assigned to an infantry company of a ranger battalion at the time of his death.  The War Department report of death lists his arm as Infantry.  He was most certainly involved in active ground combat.  The FSM is entitled to award of the Combat Infantryman Badge, and by virtue of that award, the Bronze Star Medal.

3.  The FSM served his country honorably and faithfully and was killed in action while doing so.  He is entitled to award of the Army Good Conduct Medal.   

4.  The FSM is entitled to award of the World War II Victory Medal and the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal.  The period of his assignment with the 4th Ranger Infantry Battalion cannot be determined with any certainty.  He did participate in the Naples-Foggia campaign, and it is probable that he participated in the Sicily campaign.  It is also probable that he participated in the assault landings both in Sicily and at Salerno.  The Board believes that any doubt should be resolved in favor of the FSM.  Consequently, the FSM should be awarded the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with two bronze service stars and two bronze arrowheads. 

5.  In view of the foregoing, the records of the FSM should be corrected as recommended below.

RECOMMENDATION:

That all of the Department of the Army records related to this case be corrected by showing that the FSM was awarded the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star Medal, the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the World War II Victory Medal, and the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with two bronze service stars and two arrowheads.

BOARD VOTE:  

___emw_  ___jea__  ___jns___  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		______________________
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR1999030142	
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.  46	107.00	
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.