PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF: 

	BOARD DATE:            25 May 2000   
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR1999033526

	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. Elzey J. Arledge, Jr.		Chairperson	
	Mr. Ernest W. Lutz, jr.		Member	
	Mr. Kenneth L. Wright		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, award of the Army Commendation Medal as a conversion award based on a commendation signed by an officer in the grade or position of a major general or higher.

3.  Records available to the Board indicate the applicant entered active duty on 
17 April 1943 and served as a glider pilot during World War II.  He was assigned to the 74th Troop Carrier Squadron, 434th Troop Carrier Group of the IX Troop Carrier Command in the European Theater of Operations between April 1944 and July 1945.

4.  On 29 March 1945 the commander of the First Allied Airborne Army, a lieutenant general, commended the "officers and men of all ranks of [the] IX Troop Carrier Command for their fine performance in connection with airborne operations of 24 March 1945."  Specifically mentioned in the "commendation" were the glider pilots whose conduct was "beyond written words of commendation."

5.  Various levels of command endorsed the commendation and on 23 May 1945 the commander of the 434th Troop Carrier Group noted that "a copy of this correspondence will be placed in the hands of each glider pilot who participated in operation ‘VARSITY’.”

6.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 states, in pertinent part, that the Army Commendation Medal may be awarded to any individual commended after 
6 December 1941 and before 1 January 1946 in a letter, certificate, or order of commendation signed by an officer in the grade or position of a major general or higher.  An award of the Army Commendation Medal based on such commendation is generally referred to as a conversion award.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  There is sufficient evidence to conclude that the applicant was one of the men the commander of the First Allied Airborne Army intended to commend for his participation in the airborne operations of 24 March 1945.  As such it would be appropriate, and in the interest of justice, to award the applicant the Army Commendation Medal as a conversion award based on the general officer commendation.

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 awarding the individual concern the Army Commendation Medal as a conversion award based on a World War II general officer commendation.

BOARD VOTE:  

___eja__  ___ewl__  __klw___  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		______________________
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR1999033526	
SUFFIX		
RECON	YYYYMMDD	
DATE BOARDED	20000525	
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.