PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:  

	BOARD DATE:           21 March 2002                   
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR2001064607

	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	
	Mrs. Nancy Amos		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Mr. John N. Slone		Chairperson	
	Ms. Linda D. Simmons		Member	
	Mr. John T. Meixell		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 that the Purple Heart, the Army Commendation Medal he received in 1966, and all his U. S. Marine Corps awards and decorations to include the Korean War Service Medal be added to his Report of Transfer or Discharge, DD Form 214, for the period ending 31 May 1966.

3.  The applicant states that none of the awards and decorations listed above were recorded on his DD Form 214.  The Purple Heart especially is important because Purple Heart recipients have certain privileges in his state.  He states that when he entered the Army his enlisted and commissioned U. S. Marine Corps records were commingled with his new Army record and he never saw them after that.

4.  The applicant’s military records show that he had enlisted service in the U. S. Marine Corps from April 1945 to February 1950.  He had enlisted service in the U. S. Marine Corps Reserve, to include sizable periods of active duty (to include from 18 July 1950 – 15 June 1951 and 2 February 1952 – 13 March 1953), from February 1950 to March 1953.  He had commissioned officer service in the U. S. Marine Corps Reserve from March 1953 until January 1958, when he entered the Army on active duty as a commissioned officer.  Any DD Forms 214 he received from the U. S. Marine Corps are not available in the Army’s records.

5.  The applicant’s Officer Qualification Record, DA Form 66, shows that he earned numerous awards and decorations while in the U. S. Marine Corps to include the Purple Heart and the National Defense Service Medal.  

6.  General Orders 52, Headquarters, U. S. Army John F. Kennedy Center for Special Warfare (Airborne), Fort Bragg, NC dated 27 May 1966 awarded the applicant the Army Commendation Medal.

7.  The applicant retired on 1 June 1966.  His DD Form 214 for the period ending 31 May 1966, item 26 shows he was awarded the Parachutist Badge, the Master Parachutist Badge, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, and the Armed Forces Reserve Medal.  His DA Form 66 shows that in addition to these awards, he was awarded the Senior Parachutist Badge while in the Army.

8.  Army Regulation 600-8-2 provides Army policy and criteria concerning individual military decorations.  It states that the National Defense Service Medal is awarded for honorable active service for any period between 27 June 1950 and 27 July 1954, both dates inclusive, between 1 January 1961 and 24 August 1974, both dates inclusive, and between 2 August 1990 and 30 November 1995, both dates inclusive.  A bronze service star will be worn to signify receipt of a second or subsequent award.  A second or subsequent award is not authorized for soldiers who met the criteria in one time period, left active duty, and returned during the same period of eligibility.

9.  Army Regulation 635-5 prescribes the separation documents prepared for soldiers upon retirement, discharge, or release from active military service or control of the Army.  It establishes standardized policy for the preparation of the DD Form 214.  In pertinent part it states that the DD Form 214 is a synopsis of the soldier’s most recent period of continuous active duty.  It provides a brief, clear-cut record of active Army service at the time of release from active duty, retirement or discharge.  The regulation in effect at the time provided that awards and decorations awarded or authorized during the period covered by the DD Form 214 would be entered in item 26.

10.  Requests for the Korean War Service Medal, with source document(s) to verify service within the territorial waters, landmass, or airspace over the Korean peninsula from 25 June 1950 to 27 July 1953, should be sent to Randolph Air Force Base, TX (see attached).  

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The instructions for completing item 26 of the DD Form 214 at the time the applicant retired called for entering only those awards received during the period covered by the DD Form 214.  In the applicant’s case, this meant only awards earned during his Army service would have been entered.  His U. S. Marine Corps awards were properly not entered but should be listed on the separation documents he received from the U. S. Marine Corps.  These separation documents are not available to the Board; however, the information contained in the attached article will assist him in obtaining them if he does not already have copies.  Should his U. S. Marine Corps separation documents need correction, he should apply to the Board for Correction of Naval Records, also using a DD Form 149.  The address to the Naval Board is on the reverse of the DD Form 149.

2.  The applicant’s DD Form 214 for the period ending 31 May 1966 should have included the Army Commendation Medal which general orders show he was awarded, the Senior Parachutist Badge which was listed on his DD Form 66, and the National Defense Service Medal with one bronze service star for which he met the eligibility criteria.  

3.  After the applicant is approved for award of the Korean War Service Medal, he may reapply to have it added to his DD Form 214.  He is reminded that he will most likely need to provide a U. S. Marine Corps DD Form 214 or other separation document verifying his service in Korea when applying for this medal. 

4.  In view of the foregoing, the applicant’s records should be corrected as recommended below.

RECOMMENDATION:

1.  That the applicant’s DD Form 214 for the period ending 31 May 1966 be amended by adding the Army Commendation Medal, the Senior Parachutist Badge, and the National Defense Service Medal with one bronze service star.

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

BOARD VOTE:  

__jns___  __lds___  __jtm___  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

			John N. Slone
		______________________
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2001064607	
SUFFIX		
RECON		
DATE BOARDED	20020321	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE		
DATE OF DISCHARGE		
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY		
DISCHARGE REASON		
BOARD DECISION	(GRANT)	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1.	110.04	
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.