PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:       

	BOARD DATE:            20 MARCH 2003                  
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR2002076187

	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. Luther L. Santiful		Chairperson	
	Mr. Christopher J. Prosser		Member	
	Mr. Kenneth W. Lapin		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 records be corrected to reflect award of the Combat Infantryman Badge and Bronze Star Medal.  He states, in effect, that his separation document does not reflect entitlement to either decoration, in spite of his service as an infantryman.

3.  The applicant's military personnel file was apparently lost or destroyed during the 1973 fire at the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis.  Information contained herein was reconstructed entirely from the applicant's WD AGO Form 53-55 (Enlisted Record and Report of Separation-Honorable Discharge) and his WD AGO Form 100 (Army Separation Qualification Record), which he submitted in support of his request.

4.  The applicant entered active duty on 24 February 1942 and arrived in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater of Operations in September 1942.  He returned to the United States in May 1945 and was ultimately discharged as a result of disability on 16 June 1945.

5.  The applicant's separation document indicates he was assigned to Company F of the 129th Infantry and his Separation Qualification Report indicates he performed duties as a squad leader and rifleman throughout the duration of his military service.  His separation document also indicates he was wounded in action, thereby confirming his participation in ground combat.

6.  There are basically three requirements for award of the Combat Infantryman Badge.  The soldier must be an infantryman, assigned to an infantry unit during such time as the unit is engaged in active ground combat, and must have actively participated in such ground combat.

7.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 provides, in pertinent part, that the Bronze Star Medal is to be awarded to individuals who were authorized the Combat Infantryman Badge or the Combat Medical Badge for service during World War II.  Awards of the Bronze Star Medal based on the Combat Infantryman Badge are commonly referred to as conversion awards.

8.  A review of Department of the Army Pamphlet 672-1 (Unit Citation and Campaign Participation Credit Register) notes the applicant’s unit (Company F, 129th Infantry) was credited with participating in two designated campaigns during the applicant’s period of assignment (Luzon and Northern Solomons) and he is, therefore, entitled to two bronze service stars on his Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (recorded as the Asiatic Pacific Campaign Ribbon on his 

separation document).  The unit was also credited with an assault landing (reflected by a bronze arrowhead on his Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal) and awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation (now known as the Presidential Unit Citation (Army)), and a Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation (recorded as a Presidential Citation on his separation report), during his tenure with the organization.

9.  By virtue of the applicant's honorable service during World War II he is also entitled to the World War II Victory Medal, which was omitted from his separation document.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The evidence confirms that the applicant met the qualification requirements for award of the Combat Infantryman Badge during World War II.  The applicant is also entitled to the Bronze Star Medal as a conversion award based on his Combat Infantryman Badge.  His records should be corrected to reflect both of those decorations.

2.  The evidence also confirms that the applicant is entitled to a bronze arrowhead and two bronze service stars on his Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, a Presidential Unit Citation (Army), a Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation, and a World War II Victory Medal.  These decorations were either omitted, or recorded improperly on his separation document, and the Board concludes it would be proper to correct the document accordingly.

3.  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 him the Combat Infantryman Badge;

b.  by awarding him a Bronze Star Medal as a conversion award based on his Combat Infantryman Badge: and

c.  by showing that he is entitled to a bronze arrowhead and two bronze service stars on his Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, a Presidential Unit Citation 

(Army), a Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation, and a World War II Victory Medal.  

BOARD VOTE:  

__LLS___  __CJP __  __KWL__  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		____Luther L. Santiful______
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2002076187	
SUFFIX		
RECON	YYYYMMDD	
DATE BOARDED	20030320	
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.