PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:      

	BOARD DATE:           07 FEBRUARY 2002          
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR2001063728

	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. Fred N. Eichorn		Chairperson	
	Ms. Margaret K. Patterson		Member	
	Mr. Lester Echols		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 Army of Occupation Medal with “Japan” clasp.  He states that he was in Japan, as a member of the 13th General Hospital, between 19 October and 
7 December 1945.  In support of his request he submits a 1999 letter from the Defense Threat Reduction Agency confirming his presence in Japan “during the American occupation of Japan.”

3.  The applicant’s records were apparently lost or destroyed during the 1973 fire at the National Personnel Records Center.  Information reconstructed from alternative sources indicates the applicant was inducted and entered active duty on 13 June 1942.  He arrived in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater of Operations in January 1944 and was credited with participating in the New Guinea (24 January 1943-31 December 1944) and Luzon (15 December 1944-4 July 1945) campaigns as a member of the 13th General Hospital.  The applicant was also awarded the Philippine Liberation Ribbon with one bronze service star (denoting service in the liberation of the Philippines between 17 October 1944 and 
3 September 1945), and the Asiatic-Pacific Service Medal.

4.  The applicant’s WD AGO Form 53-55 (Enlisted Record and Report of Separation) indicates the applicant departed the Asiatic-Pacific Theater of Operations on 7 October 1945.  However, he did not arrive in the United States until 20 December 1945.  According to the applicant, he “left [his] station on 7 Oct 45 and arrived in Japan on 19 Oct 45, departed Japan [on] 7 Dec 1945 and arrived [in the] US [on] 20 Dec 1945.”

5.  The 1999 letter from the Defense Threat Reduction Agency, provided by the applicant in support of his request, states that a “review of Army historical records confirms your presence in the Hiroshima area during the American occupation of Japan.  On December 2, 1945, while a member of the 13th General Hospital Located at Korkura, Kyushu…you were transferred to the 11th Replacement Depot at Okazaki, Honshu…to await transportation to the United States.”

6.  On 23 December 1945 the applicant was discharged from active duty as a result of demobilization.

7.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 states that the Army of Occupation Medal was established in 1946 and awarded for 30 consecutive days at a normal post of duty (as contrasted to inspector, visitor, courier, escort, passenger, temporary duty, or detached service.)  The medal is awarded with the “Japan” clasp to 

those individuals who served at a normal post of duty for 30 consecutive days between 3 September 1945 and 27 April 1952 in the four main islands, of Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu, as well as some of the smaller surrounding islands.  Service between 3 September 1945 and 2 March 1946 will be counted only if the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal was awarded for service before 3 September 1945.

8.  A review of Department of the Army Pamphlet 672-1 (Unit Citation and Campaign Participation Credit Register) notes the applicant’s unit (13th General Hospital) was also awarded the Philippine Presidential Unit Citation during his tenure with the organization.  There is, however, no indication in the pamphlet that his unit was granted occupation credit for Japan.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  Notwithstanding the fact that the applicant’s unit was not granted occupation credit for Japan in Department of the Army Pamphlet 672-1, there is sufficient evidence to conclude that the applicant did serve in Japan prior to his return to the United States.  

2.  The Board accepts the information contained in the 1999 letter from the Defense Threat Reduction Agency as confirmation of that service and concludes such service would explain the excessive lapse in time from the date the applicant was reported as departing the Asiatic-Pacific Theater of Operations 
(7 October 1945) and the date he returned to the United States (20 December 1945).  As such the Board concludes that it would be in the interest of equity and compassion to correct his records accordingly.

3.  The Board also notes that the applicant is entitled to the Philippine Presidential Unit Citation.

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 the Army of Occupation Medal with “Japan” clasp; and

b.  by showing that he is entitled to the Philippine Presidential Unit Citation.

BOARD VOTE:  

__FNE __  __MKP__  __LE  ___  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		____Fred N. Eichorn___
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2001063728	
SUFFIX		
RECON	YYYYMMDD	
DATE BOARDED	20020207	
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.