PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:  

	BOARD DATE:             19 August 1999                 
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR1999016769

	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. Loren G. Harrell		Director	
	M r. Walter Avery, Jr..		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Mr. Calvin M. Fowler		Chairperson	
	Ms Celia L. Adolphi. 		Member	
	Mr. Melvin H. Meyer		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 award and issue of the Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart and the Combat Infantryman Badge.

3.  The applicant states that his records do not correctly indicate the issue of the foregoing awards.  Additionally, he believes he should be awarded the Purple Heart because he was a POW.  In support of his request he has submitted a copy of his WD AGO Form 53-55 (Enlisted Record and Report of Separation Honorable Discharge), War Department CIB Order, DA Form 1577 (Authorization For Issuance Of Awards), DARP Form 3583 (POW Medal Work Sheet), DD Form 2510 [Prisoner Of War (POW) Medal Application Information]. 

4.  The applicant’s official military record could not be located at the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis, Missouri, and that in all probability, they were lost or destroyed in the 1973 fire at that agency.  Available information shows he was inducted 28 July 1943 and served in the European Theater of Operations for 1 year, 4 months and 22 days. He was a POW for 16 months and was honorably discharge at demobilization on 2 December 1945.

5.  His awards include:  the Marksman Badge, Honorable Service Lapel Button, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal (EAME), Good Conduct Medal, and the World War II Victory Medal.  On 1 November 1945 he was issued a letter from the War Department showing that he was entitled to the Combat Infantryman Badge.  A DA Form 1577 indicates the award of the POW Medal.

6. The record shows that he was a POW, but there is in no evidence he was wounded while a POW.

7.  Army Regulation 600-8-22, Military Awards, provides that subsequent to the cessation of hostilities during World War II, the regulation governing the award of the Bronze Star Medal was changed, in part, to provide for the award of this decoration to those individuals who had been awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge or the Combat Medical Badge for meritorious achievement in ground combat against the armed enemy between 7 December 1941 and 2 September 1945

8.  The same regulation provides that the Purple Heart may be awarded to individuals wounded while prisoners of a foreign force upon submission by the individual of an affidavit that is supported by a statement from witness.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The evidence of record shows that the applicant is authorized the following awards and should have his WD AGO Form 53-55 corrected to reflect the Marksman Badge, Honorable service Lapel Button, (EAME), Good Conduct Medal, World War II Victory Medal, POW Medal, CIB, Bronze Star Medal (based on his having been awarded the CIB).

2.  The applicant has provided no evidence he was wounded as a result of hostile action or during his POW period. Therefore, award of the Purple Heart is not warranted.
	
3.  In view of the foregoing, the applicant’s records should be corrected as recommended below.

RECOMMENDATION:

1.  That all of the Department of the Army records related to this case be corrected by:

	a.  showing the individual concerned is entitled to all of the awards shown above; and

	b.  issuing to him a correction to his WD AGO Form 53-55 reflecting all of his awards.

2.  That so much of the application as is in excess of the foregoing be denied 

BOARD VOTE:  

________  ________  ________  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		_Calvin M. Fowler_____________________
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR1999016769	
SUFFIX		
RECON	YYYYMMDD	
DATE BOARDED	19990819	
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.	107.0015.0000	
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.