PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:  

	BOARD DATE:            29 March 2000                  
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR1999030502

	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. Robert G. Hinkle		Chairperson	
	Mr. Mark D. Manning		Member	
	Mr. James P. Steuve		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 36 (Service Outside Continental U.S. And Return) of his WD AGO Form 53-55 (Enlisted Record and Report of Separation—Honorable Discharge) to show he arrived in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater of Operations on “1 October 1945” instead of “1 October 1946”.

3.  The applicant states that he has been denied the Philippine Liberation Medal and the Philippine Independence Medal due to incorrect date of arrival in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater of Operations.  In support of his application, he provides photocopies of his WD AGO Form 53-55, reassignment orders, and Honorable Discharge Certificate.

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 entered active duty on 16 February 1945 and completed training as a clerk typist.  He served in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater of Operations and was discharged from active duty on 23 November 1946.

5.  The applicant’s WD AGO Form 53-55 shows he arrived in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater of Operations on “1 October 1946” and departed two days later.  However, his discharge document shows he completed 1 year, 1 month and 2 days of foreign service in item 37 (Foreign Service).

6.  The applicant provided a copy of reassignment orders which show he was reassigned to a replacement unit on “1 October 1945”.

7.  Department of the Army Technical Manual TM12-235, in effect at the time, established the policies and procedures for completion and distribution of the WD AGO Form 53-55.  It states, in pertinent part, that the individual’s service outside continental U. S. will be entered in item 36 of the WD AGO Form 53-55.  

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  Evidence available to the Board shows the applicant was reassigned to an overseas replacement unit on “1 October 1945” and completed 1 year, 1 month and 2 days of foreign service.  Therefore, he is entitled to correction of item 36 of his WD AGO Form 53-55 to show he arrived in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater of Operations on “1 October 1945”.

2.  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 deleting the entry “1 October 1946” in item 36 of the individual concerned WD AGO Form 53-55; and

	b.  by adding the entry “1 October 1945” in item 36 of his WD AGO Form 53-55.

BOARD VOTE:  

RGH____  MDM____  JPS_____  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		Robert G. Hinkle______
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR1999030502	
SUFFIX		
RECON	YYYYMMDD	
DATE BOARDED	20000329	
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.	100.0000	
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.