PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:  

	BOARD DATE:  2 July 2002
	DOCKET NUMBER:  AR2001066174

	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. Paul A. Petty		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Ms. Karol A. Kennedy		Chairperson	
	Mr. Raymond J. Wagner		Member	
	Mr. Arthur A. Omartian		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 the deceased former service member (FSM) have added to his discharge document, the following awards: the Army of Occupation Medal with Germany clasp, the European-African-Middle Eastern Service Medal with 4 bronze service stars and an arrowhead, and the Naval Unit Commendation Medal.  He also states that the FSM should be provided the highest marksmanship qualification badge, the Expert Marksmanship Qualification Badge.

3.  The applicant states, in effect, that the FSM was awarded the above awards and he wants them added to his discharge document.  The applicant provides copies of the FSM's death certificate, discharge document (WD AGO Form 
53-55), a copy of a photograph of a soldier identified as the FSM during World War II, a copy of a picture from "Time Magazine" of soldiers in an amphibious beach landing during World War II on which the applicant states one of the soldier's shown is the FSM, and a color photo copy of "Omahaha Beach Club" card from the 487th Port Battalion, Bremerhaven, Germany, identifying the FSM as "a member of this club and entitled to all the privileges pertaining thereto as the club committee from time to time may decree," issued (undated), signed by the secretary of the 284th Port Company.  He also provides a copy of a DA Form 1577 (Authorization for Issuance of Awards) issued on 18 January 2001 by the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis showing that the FSM was issued the following awards: the Good Conduct Medal, the European-African-Middle Eastern Service Medal with 4 bronze service stars and an arrowhead, the World War II Victory Medal, the Army of Occupation Medal with Germany clasp, the Honorable Service Lapel Button WWII, and the Marksman Marksmanship Qualification Badge with rifle bar.

4.  The Board has requested the FSM's military records from the repository in 
St. Louis, Missouri, but without success.  A fire destroyed approximately 
18 million service members’ records at the National Personnel Records Center in 1973.  It is believed that the FSM's records were lost in that fire.  The copy of the FSM's WD AGO Form 53-55 (Enlisted Record and Report of Separation, Honorable Discharge) provided by the applicant shows that the FSM was inducted into the Army on 18 June 1943, entered active service on 2 July 1943; departed the U. S. A. on 5 November 1943, arrived in the European Theater of Operations (ETO) on 16 November 1943, departed the ETO on 
11 December 1945, arrived in the U. S. A. on 28 December 1945; and was honorably discharged in the grade of Technician Fifth Grade (TEC 5), in the military occupation of longshoreman, from the 284th  Port Company, on 4 January 1946, by reason of convenience of the government upon demobilization.  The WD AGO Form 53-55 also shows that the FSM was awarded the European-African-Middle Eastern Service Medal, the Good Conduct Medal; the World 
War II Victory Medal, the Rifle M1 MKM (Marksman Marksmanship Qualification Badge), and that he participated in four campaigns in the ETO.

5.  The Department of the Army Pamphlet (DA Pam) 672-1 (Unit Citations and Campaign Participation Credit Register) shows that members of the 284th Port Company, in addition to the four campaign credits, are also authorized the Army of Occupation Medal with Germany clasp for the period of 15 August 1944 through 31 October 1944.  The DA Pam also shows that the 284th Port Company was given two foreign citations:  the French Croix de Guerre for 6 June 1944, and the Citation in the Order of the Day of the Belgian Army for the period of 
1 October 1944 through 31 May 1945.  However, the 284th Port Company is not given assault landing credit.  The foreign citations entitle a soldier's discharge to show: "French Croix de Guerre – unit citation – no emblem authorized" and "Belgian Citation in the Order of the Day – unit citation – no emblem authorized." A unit must be cited twice for the French Croix de Guerre for a soldier to be authorized to wear the foreign award, the French Fourragere.  A unit must be cited twice for the Belgian Citation in the Order of the Day for a soldier to be authorized to wear the foreign award, the Belgian Fourragere.

6.  According to military unit records at the National Archives at College Park, Maryland, and records at the Unit History Branch, U. S. Army Center of Military History, Washington, D. C., the 284th Port Company was a subordinate unit of the 517th Port Battalion which were attached to the 6th Engineer Special Brigade during the Normandy landing operation.  The 284th and the 517th landed on Omaha Beach on D-day plus 2 (8 June 1944), D-day being 6 June 1944.  The War Department General Orders (WD GO) 70-45, awards assault landing credit for landing on Normandy beaches during 6-7 June 1944.  The 284th Port Company is not listed on this order as authorized assault landing credit or the Arrowhead.  The WD GO 70-45 shows that the 6th Engineer Special Brigade was given assault landing credit for landing on 6-7 June 1944, but the 517th and the 284th were not given assault landing credit since they did not land until 8 June 1944.  The beaches were secured by 8 June 1944, and the 284th did not have to assault the beach to land on Omaha Beach.  The WD GO 4-45 shows that the 
6th Engineer Special Brigade was awarded the Distinguished Unit Citation but the 517th and the 284th were not awarded the Distinguished Unit Citation or the Meritorious Unit Commendation.  The 284th Port Company was later moved to Bremerhaven, Germany, arriving there on 30 June 1944, and was assigned to the 487th Port Battalion at that time.

7.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 (Military Awards), paragraph 7-15, states that 
the Army Meritorious Unit Commendation (MUC) is awarded to units for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services 
for at least 6 continuous months during the period of military operations against an armed enemy occurring on or after 1 January 1944.  For services performed during World War II, awards will be made only to service units and only for services performed between 1 January 1944 and 15 September 1946.

8.  The Navy Military Awards Board researched award of the Naval Unit Commendation (NUC) Medal and did not find that it had been awarded to the 284th Port Company.  The NUC was established by the Secretary of the Navy on December 18, 1944, and awarded by the Secretary, with the approval of the President, to any ship, aircraft, detachment, or other unit of the U.S. Navy or Marine Corps which, subsequent to December 6, 1941, distinguished itself by outstanding heroism in action against the enemy, but not sufficient to warrant award of the Presidential Unit Citation.  The NUC ribbon is green in the center with narrow blue, yellow, and red vertical bars on each end.  The National Archives in College Park also confirmed that the 284th Port Company was not awarded the Navy Unit Commendation Medal.

9.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 (Military Awards), paragraph 6-8, states that the arrowhead is a bronze replica of an Indian arrowhead 1/4-inch high.  It denotes participation in a combat parachute jump, helicopter assault landing, combat glider landing, or amphibious assault landing, while assigned or attached as a member of an organized force carrying out an assigned tactical mission.  A soldier must actually exit the aircraft or watercraft, as appropriate, to receive assault credit.  Individual assault credit is tied directly to the combat assault credit decision, according to paragraph 7–25 on assault landing credit arrowhead device, for the unit to which the soldier is attached or assigned at the time of the assault.  Should a unit be denied assault credit, no assault credit will accrue to the individual soldiers of that unit.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  In addition to the European-African-Middle Eastern Service Medal, the Good Conduct Medal; the World War II Victory Medal, and Marksmanship Badge with rifle bar (M1 rifle) shown on the FSM's discharge document, he was properly issued the additional awards of 4 bronze service stars for the European-African-Middle Eastern Service Medal and the Army of Occupation Medal with Germany clasp.  According to DA Pam 672-1, he is also authorized to have his discharge document show:  "French Croix de Guerre – unit citation – no emblem authorized" and "Belgian Citation in the Order of the Day – unit citation – no emblem authorized."  There are not medals or ribbons that accompany these single foreign citations.

2.  There is no authorization for the FSM to be awarded the Arrowhead for assault landing or the Naval Unit Commendation Medal or ribbon as a member of the 284th Port Company.  There is no evidence that he was assigned to a unit authorized these awards.  Although he has been issued the Arrowhead by the National Personnel Records Center, there is no evidence to justify adding these awards to the FSM's discharge records.

3.  The FSM's WD AGO Form 53-55 shows that he was awarded the Rifle M1 MKM which is the "Marksman" Marksmanship Qualification Badge with rifle bar.  The FSM was issued with the DA Form 1577, a "Marksman" Marksmanship Qualification Badge with rifle bar which is the correct badge.  There is no evidence that the FSM earned or is he entitled to the highest marksmanship qualification badge, the "Expert" Marksmanship Qualification Badge.

4.  In view of the foregoing, the FSM’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 for the individual concerned by showing on his discharge records that he is authorized and awarded the additional awards: 4 bronze service stars for the European-African-Middle Eastern Service Medal, the Army of Occupation Medal with Germany clasp, "French Croix de Guerre – unit citation – no emblem authorized," and "Belgian Citation in the Order of the Day – unit citation – no emblem authorized."

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

BOARD VOTE:  

__kk___  ___rw___  ___ao____  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		___Karol A. Kennedy_____
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2001066174	
SUFFIX		
RECON		
DATE BOARDED	20020702	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE		
DATE OF DISCHARGE		
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY		
DISCHARGE REASON		
BOARD DECISION	GRANT PART	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1.	107 – Decorations and Awards	
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.