PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:     

	BOARD DATE:           17 December 2002                  
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR2002076979

	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. Antoinette Farley		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Mr. Luther L. Santiful		Chairperson	
	Mr. William D. Powers		Member	
	Ms. Barbara J. Ellis		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 Report of Transfer or Discharge, DD Form 
214 (Report of Transfer or Discharge), be amended to add the Bronze Star Medal (BSM).

3.  The applicant states that he found the BSM and would appreciate the 
award being listed on his DD Form 214 in item 27 (Decorations and Awards)
or the issuance of a DD Form 215 (Correction to the DD Form 214) attached 
to his DD Form 214.  In support of his claim he provides a copy of his DD Form 214 dated 24 September 1953, a certified copy of his BSM Citation undated 
and an acknowledgement letter from the Winchendon Veterans Service responding to the Boards request for the applicant to properly sign his application dated 25 April 2002.

4.  The applicant’s military records were lost or destroyed in the National Personnel Records Center fire in 1973.  Information contained herein was obtained from alternate sources.  

5.  The applicant’s available records show that he was inducted into the Army 
on 13 December 1951, served as an Artillery Survey Specialist and completed 
1 year, 3 months and 3 days of overseas service. 

6.  His DD Form 214 shows that he earned the Korean Service Medal with 
3 bronze service stars, 2 Overseas Bars and the United Nations Service Medal, prior to being released from Active Duty on 24 September 1953.  The highest rank he attained was Sergeant.  

7.  The award certificate provided by the applicant shows that he received the Bronze Star Medal for meritorious service in connection with military operations against an army enemy in Korea during the period 5 July 1952 to 23 July 1953.  The Sergeant performed his duties as an Artillery Survey Specialist and a Chief of Survey Party with outstanding efficiency.  As a result of his sound judgment, efficiency, and devotion to duty the volume of accurate survey control points increased, thereby contributing to the mission of his unit in Korea.  

8.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 provides for award of the BSM to members of the armed forces who, after 6 December 1941 and prior to 3 September 1945, have been cited in orders or in a formal certificate for meritorious or exemplary conduct in ground combat against the armed enemy.  A citation in orders for the Combat Infantryman Badge or Medical Badge awarded in the field during the period of actual combat against the armed enemy is considered as a citation for exemplary 

conduct in ground combat.  It provides for wear of a bronze service star on the appropriate service medal for each credited combat campaign.  

9.  Army Regulation 600-8-104 (Military Personnel Information Management/Records) prescribes the policies governing the Official Military Personnel File, the Military Personnel Records Jacket, the Career Management Individual File, and Army Personnel Qualification Records.  In pertinent part, this regulation states that for U.S. military decorations the only acceptable source documentation is the order, letter, or memorandum, which awards the decoration. Award certificates, citations, or separation certificates alone will not be the basis for entry of a decoration.  DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge) alone should not be the sole basis for recording a decoration.  This document may be used to initially enter a decoration; however, if the validity of the award on the DD 214 is questioned or challenged, the only acceptable proof of award of the decorations will be the order, letter, or memorandum, which awarded the decoration.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The applicant’s BSM award certificate appears to be authentic and consistent with the citations issued by the General of the 10th Corp during that time period.  Therefore, he is entitled to correction of his records to show award of the BSM.

2.  The Board also noted that the applicant’s service during the Korean Conflict qualifies him for award of the Korean War Service Medal.  On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Korean War, the Government of the Republic of Korea issued the Korean War Service Medal to pay tribute to eligible Korean War veterans for their historic endeavors to preserve the freedom of the Republic of Korea and the free world.  On 20 August 1999, the Department of Defense approved acceptance and wear of this foreign award.  The Department of Defense has assigned responsibility to the Department of the Air Force for distribution of the Korean War Service Medal to eligible veterans of all services. 

RECOMMENDATION:

That all of the Department of the Army records related to this case be corrected by showing that the individual concerned was awarded the Bronze Star Medial.

BOARD VOTE:  

___LLS__  ___WDP   __BJE___  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		
		_    Luther L. Santiful________
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2002076979	
SUFFIX		
RECON		
DATE BOARDED	20021217	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE		
DATE OF DISCHARGE		
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY		
DISCHARGE REASON		
BOARD DECISION	(GRANT)	
REVIEW AUTHORITY	DASA	
ISSUES         1.	A107.0014	
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.