PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF: 

	BOARD DATE:            13 June 2000                  
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR1999030696

	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		Director	
	Ms. Deborah L. Brantley		Senior 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 reconsideration of his 1994 request to have his separation document corrected to reflect assignment to the 47th Infantry, 9th Infantry Division.  He states, in effect, that while item 6 (organization) on his WD AGO Form 53-55 shows that he was assigned to Headquarters Company 68th AIB he was just assigned there for separation processing.  He notes that he served proudly with the 47th Infantry and would like that unit reflected on his separation document.

3.  The applicant’s 1994 application to the Board was closed administratively citing the absence of any records on which the Board could make a fair, impartial and equitable determination.  His records continue to be unavailable but his separation document does indicate that he arrived in the overseas theater of operations in July 1943 and departed enroute to the United States on 
8 September 1945 arriving on 17 September 1945.  He was awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge while assigned to Headquarters, 47th Infantry and his primary specialty was that of an infantry scout.  His WD AGO Form 100 (Army Qualification Record) indicates that as a scout he was a “member of an infantry company” and that prior to performing duties as a scout he performed duties as a rifleman in the infantry line company for 22 months.

4.  He was released from active duty on 25 September 1945 as a result of demobilization.  Item 6 of his separation document reflects HQ Co 68th AIB (Armored Infantry Battalion).

5.  Technical Manual 12-235, which prescribed the policy and procedures for the preparation and distribution of separation documents during the period in question, states that the last unit, or similar element to which the individual was assigned, rather than the element of which he was a part while moving to a separation activity will be entered in item 6 (organization) of the WD AGO Form 53-55.  It also notes that assignments to units for purpose of transfer from a theater to the United States is considered part of the movement to a separation activity.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  There is sufficient evidence to conclude that the applicant was assigned to the 47th Infantry, 9th Infantry Division while in Europe and that the 68th AIB was likely a transitional unit based on the short period of time between his departure from the overseas theater and his separation from active duty.

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 by showing in item 6 of the applicant’s WD AGO Form 53-55 that his organization was 47th Infantry, 9th Infantry Division.

BOARD VOTE:  

__eb____  ___jhk__  ___bje__  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		______________________
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR1999030696	
SUFFIX		
RECON	YYYYMMDD	
DATE BOARDED	20000613	
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.	110.00	
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.