PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:      

	BOARD DATE:           14 May 2002                   
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR2001064836

	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	
	Mr. G. E. Vandenberg		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Mr. Melvin H. Meyer		Chairperson	
	Ms. Kathleen A. Newman		Member	
	Mr. Donald P. Hupman, 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 that his Enlisted Record and Report of Separation (WD AGO Form 53-55) be corrected to show his state of birth (at item 11) as Louisiana not Georgia and that the date of his first wound (at item 34) be shown as 11 June 1944 not 2 May 1944.

3.  The applicant states that these items are incorrect and requests that they be corrected.

4.  The applicant's military records were lost or destroyed in the National Personnel Records Center fire of 1973.  The applicant submits copies of his birth certificate and his Enlisted Record and Report of Separation (WD AGO Form 53-55) in support of his application.  

5.  In the development of this case a search of the health record research project records, commonly referred to as the "SGO Files", was made.  These records involved transposing the hospital admission card data from the periods of World War II and the Korean conflict onto magnetic tape.  In 1988 the National Research Council made these tape files available to the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC).  This information is a valuable substitute for the records lost in the NPRC fire of 1973.  A search of these files found that the applicant received a combat incurred wound to his thigh in June 1944 and a combat incurred shell fragment laceration to his eye on 1 January 1945.

6.  The applicant’s birth certificate shows that he was born in Atlanta, Louisiana. 

7.  The applicant’s WD AGO Form 53-55 list his awards and decorations as the Purple Heart with one oak leaf cluster, the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Distinguished Unit Citation (now known as a Presidential Unit Citation), the American Defense Service Medal, the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with the bronze Indian arrowhead and the Sharpshooter Qualification Badge with Rifle Bar.  It also shows that the applicant participated in the Normandy, Rhineland, Ardennes-Alsace and Central Europe campaigns.

8.  Army Regulation 672-5-1 provides, in pertinent part, that the Bronze Star Medal is awarded for heroism and for meritorious achievement or service in military operations against an armed enemy.  The Bronze Star Medal is authorized for each individual who was cited in orders or awarded a certificate for exemplary conduct in ground combat between 7 December 1941 and 2 September 1945 or whose achievement or service, during that period, was confirmed by documents executed prior to 1 July 1947.  An award of the Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB) or the Combat Medical Badge is considered to be a citation in orders.  This means, in effect, that the Bronze Star Medal is to be awarded to individuals who were authorized either badge for service during WWII.

9.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 authorizes a bronze service star, based on qualifying service, for each campaign listed in Appendix B of this regulation and states that authorized bronze service stars will be worn on the appropriate campaign or service medal including the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal.  A bronze arrowhead is worn to denote an amphibious or parachute assault.  Additionally, the regulation provides, in pertinent part, for award of the WWII Victory Medal for service from 7 December 1941 through 31 December 1946.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  While the specific date of the applicant’s first wound is not of record, the record does show that he was wounded in June of 1944.  With the absence of evidence to the contrary, the Board accepts the applicant’s contention that this wound occurred on the 11th of June 1944. 

2.  The Board accepts the birth certificate as belonging to the applicant and since it shows the place of birth as Atlanta, Louisiana, it is appropriate to correct the records to reflect this fact.

3.  The applicant’s records show he is entitled to the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with four bronze service stars and the bronze arrowhead device.  

4.  The record shows that the applicant is entitled to award of the Bronze Star Medal based on his award of the CIB.

5.  The applicant had honorable qualifying service for entitlement to the award of the WWII Victory Medal.

6.  In view of the foregoing findings and conclusions, correcting the applicant’s records as recommended below will correct errors.

RECOMMENDATION:

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

a.  that, in addition to those awards and decorations currently shown on the WD AGO Form 53-55, the individual concerned was awarded the Bronze Star Medal, the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with four bronze service stars and a bronze arrowhead device, and the World War II Victory Medal; 

b.  that his first wound occurred on 11 June 1944; and,

c.  that his place of birth was Atlanta, Louisiana.

BOARD VOTE:  

_MHM___  __KAN__  ___DPH_  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		_      Melvin H. Meyer__________
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2001064836	
SUFFIX		
RECON		
DATE BOARDED	20020514	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE		
DATE OF DISCHARGE		
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY		
DISCHARGE REASON		
BOARD DECISION	GRANT (GRANT PLUS)	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1.	100.08	
2.	100.00	
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.