PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:  

	BOARD DATE:               3 May 2000
	DOCKET NUMBER:      AR1999032808

	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. Joyce A. Wright		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Mr. Raymond V. O’Connor, Jr.		Chairperson	
	Mr. John H. Kern		Member	
	Mr. Ernest W. Lutz, Jr.		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, correction of his DD Form 214 (Report of Separation from the Armed Forces of the United States) to show all awards and decorations to which he is entitled.

3.  The applicant states that he was not awarded any awards or decorations from 11 September 1950 to 14 May 1952.  In support of his application he submits a copy of his DD Form 214.

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 he was inducted on 17 April 1942 as a medium tank crewman in military occupational specialty (MOS) 2736.  He served in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater of Operations from 11 May 1944 to 27 September 1945 and was honorably discharged on 27 October 1945.

5.  The applicant was called from inactive duty in the Enlisted Reserve Corps to active duty on 11 September 1950 and continued to serve until he was honorably released on 14 May 1952.

6.  The applicant’s WD AGO Form 53-55 (Enlisted Record and Report of Separation) covers the applicant’s service during World War II and shows that he was awarded the Philippine Liberation Ribbon with one bronze service star, the Good Conduct Medal, the Asiatic-Pacific Theater Campaign Ribbon with four bronze service stars, the Marksman Marksmanship Badge with Pistol Bar and the Expert Marksmanship Badge with Machine Gun Bar.

7.  The applicant’s DD Form 214 which covers the applicant’s service from 11 September 1950 to 14 May 1952, does not show any awards.  This DD Form 214 shows that he served 2 months and 5 days of foreign service.  However, available records do not show where the applicant served.

8.  A DA Form 1577 (Authorization for Issuance of Awards), dated 7 June 1999, shows the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis, Missouri, determined the applicant was entitled to the American Campaign Medal, the World War II Victory Medal and the National Defense Service Medal.

9.  Department of the Army Pamphlet 672-1 (Unit Citation and Campaign Participation Credit Register), list the unit awards received by units serving during World War II.  This document shows the unit, to which the applicant was assigned, was cited for award of the Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation for actions during the period 17 October 1944 to 4 July 1945 by the Department of the Army General Orders Numbers 47-50.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The applicant was awarded the American Campaign Medal, the World War II Victory Medal and the Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation.  Therefore, he is entitled to correction of item 33 (Awards and Decorations) of his WD AGO Form 53-55 to show these awards.

2.  Based on his active duty from 11 September 1950 to 14 May 1952, he was
awarded the National Defense Service Medal; therefore, he is entitled to correction of item 27 (Awards and Decorations) of his DD Form 214 to show the National Defense Service Medal.

3.  The applicant’s DD Form 214 shows that he served 2 months and 5 days of foreign service; however, the location of his overseas service cannot be determined based on available records.

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 in item 33 (Decorations and Awards) of his WD AGO Form 53-55 that
the individual concerned was awarded the American Campaign Medal, the World War II Victory Medal, the Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation and that item 27 (Decorations and Awards) of his DD Form 214 be corrected to show that the individual concerned was awarded the National Defense Service Medal.

BOARD VOTE:  

RVO_____  JHK_____  EWL___  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		____Raymond V. O’Connor, Jr._________
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR1999031507	
SUFFIX		
RECON	YYYYMMDD	
DATE BOARDED	20000503	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE	HD	
DATE OF DISCHARGE	19530611	
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY	AR . . . . .  	
DISCHARGE REASON		
BOARD DECISION	DENY, GRANT	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1.  115		
2.  112		
3.  109		
4.  137		
5.		
6.