PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:       

	BOARD DATE:            17 April 2003   
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR2002079543

	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. Joseph A. Adriance		Analyst	

The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Mr. Walter T. Morrison		Chairperson	
	Mr. Harry B. Oberg		Member	
	Mr. Ronald J. Weaver		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 unit listed in Item 6 (Organization) of his separation document (WD AGO Form 53-55) be corrected.   

3.  The applicant states, in effect, that during his combat service in World War II, he served in Headquarters and Headquarters Battery (HHB), 915th Field Artillery Battalion, 90th Infantry Division, and he would like his records corrected to reflect his service in this unit. 

4.  The applicant’s military records were not available to the Board for review.  A fire destroyed approximately 18 million service members’ records at the National Personnel Records Center in 1973.  It is believed that the applicant’s records were lost in that fire.  

5.  The available evidence includes a separation document (WD AGO Form 
53-55) that confirms the applicant was inducted into the Army of the United States and entered active duty on 5 November 1942.  This document also shows that he continuously served on active duty until 4 December 1945, at which time he was honorably separated in the rank of technician five (TEC 5).  

6.  Item 6 (Organization) of the applicant’s WD AGO Form 53-55 contains the entry “CO A 249 ENGR C BN”, which indicates this was his unit of assignment.  The separation document also confirms that the applicant served in the European Theater of Operations (ETO) from 6 April 1944 through 17 November 1945, and that he participated in the Ardennes, Central Europe, Normandy, Northern France, and Rhineland campaigns of World War II.  This document also lists the following awards earned by the applicant during his tenure on active duty:  American Service Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Service Medal with bronze arrowhead, Good Conduct Medal, and World War II Victory Medal.  

7.  During the review of this case, the Board staff reviewed unit historical files maintained at the National Archives.  This search produced a copy of General Orders Number 16, dated 9 August 1945, which awarded the applicant the bronze arrowhead.  These orders were published by the 915th Field Artillery Battalion and listed the applicant’s unit of assignment as HHB.  

8.  Technical Manual 12-235, which prescribed the policy and procedure for the preparation and distribution of separation documents during the period in question, states that the last unit, or similar element to which the individual was assigned, rather than the element of which he was part while moving to a separation activity will be entered in item 6 (Organization) of the WD AGO Form 53-55.  It also notes that assignments to units for the purpose of transfer from a theater to the United States is considered part of the movement to a separation activity.  

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The Board notes the applicant’s contention that the unit listed in his separation document is incorrect and it finds this claim has merit.  There is sufficient evidence to conclude that the applicant was assigned to HHB, 
915th Field Artillery Battalion while serving overseas in the ETO.  The unit listed in his separation document was likely a transitional unit that he was assigned to for movement to a separation activity.  

2.  Historical records maintained at the National Archives confirm that the applicant was serving in HHB, 915th Field Artillery Battalion on 9 August 1945, when he was awarded a bronze arrowhead.  In the opinion of the Board, this more than satisfies the evidentiary burden of proof necessary to support correcting the applicant’s record.

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 by showing that the individual concerned was assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 915th Field Artillery Battalion; and by issuing him a corrected separation document that reflects this change. 

BOARD VOTE:  

__hbo___  __rjw____  __wtm __  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		____Walter T. Morrison____
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2002079543	
SUFFIX		
RECON		
DATE BOARDED	2003/04/17	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE	HD	
DATE OF DISCHARGE	1945/12/04	
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY	AR 615-365	
DISCHARGE REASON	Demobilization	
BOARD DECISION	GRANT	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1.  1021	100.0000	
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.