PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:.

	BOARD DATE:           31 May 2000        
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR1999030940

	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:

	Mr. James E. Vick		Chairperson	
	Mr. Stanley Kelly		Member	
	Mr. John P. Infante		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, in effect, that his records be corrected to reflect award of the Purple Heart, American Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal and a Bronze Star Medal. 

3.  The applicant's records were apparently lost or destroyed during the 1973 fire at the National Personnel Records Center.  Information contained herein was reconstructed entirely from information contained on the applicant's separation report.

4.  He entered active duty on 16 January 1943 and arrived in the overseas theater of operations in May 1944.  On 3 December 1944 he was wounded as a result of hostile action but there is no evidence he ever received the Purple Heart.  In December of 1944 he was also awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge.

5.  On 30 October 1945 the applicant was released from active duty with an honorable characterization of service based on a certificate of disability for discharge.  His separation report incorrectly lists the American Campaign Medal as an American Theater Ribbon.

6.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 provides, in pertinent part, that the Purple Heart is awarded for wounds 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 by a medical officer, and the medical treatment must have been made a matter of official record.

7.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 also provides, in pertinent part, 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 awarded a certificate for exemplary conduct in ground combat between 7 December 1941 and 
2 September 1945 or whose such achievement or service, during that period, was confirmed by documents executed prior to 1 July 1947.  An award of the Combat Infantryman Badge or the Combat Medical 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 either badge for service during World War II.  An award of the Bronze Star Medal based on the Combat Infantryman Badge is commonly referred to as a conversion award.

8.  The World War II Victory Medal was established on 6 July 1945 and awarded for service between 7 December 1941 and 31 December 1946.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  There is sufficient evidence to confirm the applicant was wounded as result of hostile action on 3 December 1944 and as such is entitled to award of the Purple Heart.

2.  Based on the applicant's World War II service he is entitled to the World War II Victory Medal and the American Campaign Medal, which was incorrectly recorded on his separation document as the American Theater Ribbon.

3.  Additionally, the applicant is entitled to the Bronze Star Medal as a conversion award based on his World War II Combat Infantryman Badge.

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:

a.  by awarding the individual concerned a Purple Heart for wounds sustained on 3 December 1944;

b.  by showing that he is entitled to the World War II Victory Medal and American Campaign Medal; and

c.  by awarding him the Bronze Star Medal as a conversion award based on his Combat Infantryman Badge.

BOARD VOTE:  

___jev__  ___sk___  ___jpi__  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		______________________
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR1999030940	
SUFFIX		
RECON	YYYYMMDD	
DATE BOARDED	20000531	
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.	107.00	
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.