PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF: 

	BOARD DATE:           13 June 2000
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR1999030377

	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. Carl W. S. Chun
Mr. David H. Keller		Director
Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Ms. Elizabeth Buchanon 		Chairperson	
	Mr. John H. Kern		Member	
	Ms. Barbara J. Ellis 		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 his WD AGO Form 53-55 (Enlisted Record and Report of Separation) be corrected to show award of the European-African-Middle Eastern (EAME) Campaign Medal with one Bronze Service Star, the Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB), the Bronze Star Medal (BSM), the American Theater of Operations Medal, the Victory Medal, and the Presidential Unit Citation.

3.  The applicant states that these awards were omitted from his WD AGO Form 53-55.

4.  The applicant’s military records show that he was inducted on 4 August 1943 and entered active duty on 25 August 1943.  He was trained as a rifleman and served in the European Theater of Operations with Company B, 115th Infantry, from 28 June 1944 through 23 January 1945.

5.  The applicant was separated from active duty on 13 March 1945 for physical disability.  His WD AGO Form 53-55 shows he was awarded the EAME with one Bronze Service Star and the Good Conduct Medal.

6.  Army Regulation 600-8-22, Military Awards, provides that there are basically three requirements for the award of the CIB.  The soldier must be an infantryman satisfactorily performing infantry duties, he must be assigned to an infantry unit during such time as the unit is engaged in active ground combat against a hostile force, and he must actively participate in such ground combat.  Specific requirements state, in effect, that an Army enlisted soldier must have an infantry or special forces specialty, satisfactorily performed duty while assigned or attached as a member of an infantry, ranger or special forces unit of brigade, regimental, or smaller size during any period such unit was engaged in active ground combat.

7.  The same regulation provides 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 was 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 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 the CIB for service during World War II.  Award of the Bronze Star Medal under these circumstances is commonly referred to as a conversion award.

8.  The regulation also provides for award of the American Campaign Medal.  This campaign medal is awarded for qualifying service in the American Theater between 7 December 1941 and 2 March 1946.  Qualifying service includes permanent assignment outside the continental United States, duty as a crewmember aboard a vessel sailing ocean waters for 30 consecutive or 
60 nonconsecutive days, or duty outside the continental United States as a passenger or in a temporary duty status for 30 consecutive or 60 nonconsecutive days, or active combat against the enemy and was awarded a combat decoration or furnished a certificate by a corps commander or higher, or service within the continental United States for an aggregate period of one year.

9.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 additionally provides for award of the World War II Victory Medal.  It is awarded for service between 7 December 1941 and 31 December 1946, both dates inclusive.

10.  Army Pamphlet 672-1 lists the time periods for which various units were awarded unit citations during World War II, including the Distinguished Unit Citation (redesignated as the Presidential Unit Citation in 1966).  The organization to which the applicant was assigned in Europe was awarded the Distinguished Unit Citation for actions on 6 June 1944.  The applicant did not arrive in Europe until 28 June 1944.

11.  The Board is unable to identify the American Theater of Operations Medal.  It is not listed in pertinent Army military awards regulations or similar publications. The Board believes that the applicant is referring to the American Campaign Medal.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The evidence of record confirms that the applicant met the requirements for the award of the CIB during World War II.  He is therefore entitled to award of the Bronze Star Medal as a conversion award.

2.  The evidence also confirms that the applicant is entitled to the American Campaign Medal and the World War II Victory Medal.

3.  The applicant’s WD AGO Form 53-55 credits him with award of the EAME with one Bronze Service Star.

4.  The applicant does not meet the criteria for award of the Presidential Unit Citation (formerly Distinguished Unit Citation).  Although his unit was awarded this decoration, he was not a member of the unit during the period for which the award was given.

5.  In view of the foregoing, the applicant’s records should be corrected, but only as recommended below.

RECOMMENDATION:

1.  That all of the Department of the Army records related to this case be corrected by awarding the individual concerned the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Bronze Star Medal, the American Campaign Medal and the World War II Victory Medal.

2.  That so much of the application as is in excess of the foregoing be denied.

BOARD VOTE:  

__eb____  ___jhk__  __bje____  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		__Elizabeth Buchanon__
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR1999030377	
SUFFIX		
RECON		
DATE BOARDED	20000613	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE		
DATE OF DISCHARGE		
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY		
DISCHARGE REASON		
BOARD DECISION	GRANT PARTIAL	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1.	107.00	
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.