PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF: 

	BOARD DATE:                15 March 2000             
	DOCKET NUMBER:        AR1999030939

	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. Raymond V. O’Connor, Jr.		Chairperson	
	Ms. Margaret K. Patterson		Member	
	Mr. Van B. Cunningham		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 records to show award of the Purple Heart.

3.  The applicant states that he received a Purple Heart on 10 April 1968 and he would like it to be shown on his DD Form 214.  In support of his application, he provides photocopies of his DD Form 214, a statement from a fellow soldier, dated 27 November 1998, and a certificate of award for the Purple Heart, dated 13 June 1968.

4.  The applicant’s military records show that he was inducted on 13 July 1966, completed training as a field artillery crewman and was assigned to Vietnam from 16 May 1967 to 9 May 1968.  He was honorably discharged from active duty on 14 May 1968.

5.  The applicant’s DD Form 214 does not show the Purple Heart as an authorized award.  The Board noted that the applicant is entitled to award of the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm Unit Citation and the Vietnam Service Medal with four bronze service stars which are not shown on his discharge document.

6.  There are no orders in the applicant’s service personnel records which entitle the applicant to award of the Purple Heart.  However, the applicant provided a copy of an award certificate which shows he was awarded the Purple Heart for wounds sustained on 10 April 1968 as a result of hostile action.

7.  Department of the Army Pamphlet 672-3 (Unit Citation and Campaign Participation Credit Register) shows the applicant is entitled to award of the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm Unit Citation based on Department of the Army General Orders Number 8, dated 1974. 

8.  The applicant’s DA Form 20 shows he received credit for participation in the Vietnam Counteroffensive, Phase II in item 39 (Campaigns).  Army Regulation 600-8-22, Table B-1, shows he was also entitled to credit for participation in the Vietnam Counteroffensive, Phase III (11 June 1967-29 January 1968), Tet Counteroffensive (30 January 1967-1 April 1968), and Vietnam Counteroffensive, Phase IV (2 April 1968-30 June 1968) during his tour in Vietnam.  Army Regulation 600-8-22, in pertinent part, authorizes award of a bronze service star, based on qualifying service, for each campaign listed in Appendix B of this regulation and states that authorized bronze service stars will be worn on the appropriate service medal.

9.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 provides, in pertinent part, that the Purple Heart is awarded for a wound sustained as a result of hostile action.  Substantiating evidence must be provided to verify that the wound was the result of hostile action, the wound must have required treatment, and the medical treatment must have been made a matter of official record.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  There are no orders awarding the applicant the Purple Heart.  However, the Board has determined that the award certificate for the Purple Heart is sufficient as a basis for award of the Purple Heart.  Therefore, he is entitled to correction of his records to show award of the Purple Heart based on wounds sustained on 10 April 1968 as a result of hostile action.

2.  The applicant was awarded the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm Unit Citation; therefore, he is entitled to correction of his records to show this award.

3.  Evidence of record shows that the applicant received credit for participation in four campaigns during his tour in Vietnam; therefore, he is entitled to correction of his records to show four bronze service stars to be affixed to his Vietnam Service Medal.

4.  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 the individual concerned was awarded the Purple Heart, the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm Unit Citation and the Vietnam Service with four bronze service stars.

BOARD VOTE:  

________  ________  VBC____  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

MKP____  RVO_____  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		Raymond V. O’Connor, Jr.
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR1999030939	
SUFFIX		
RECON	YYYYMMDD	
DATE BOARDED	20000315	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE	(HD, GD, UOTHC, UD, BCD, DD, UNCHAR)	
DATE OF DISCHARGE	YYYYMMDD	
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY	AR . . . . .  	
DISCHARGE REASON		
BOARD DECISION	GRANT PLUS	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1.	107.00	
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.