BOARD DATE: 2 March 2017 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20160015759 BOARD VOTE: ____x_____ ___x____ ___x_____ GRANT FULL RELIEF ________ ________ ________ GRANT PARTIAL RELIEF ________ ________ ________ GRANT FORMAL HEARING ________ ________ ________ DENY APPLICATION 2 Enclosures 1. Board Determination/Recommendation 2. Evidence and Consideration BOARD DATE: 2 March 2017 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20160015759 BOARD DETERMINATION/RECOMMENDATION: The Board determined the evidence presented is sufficient to warrant a recommendation for relief. As a result, the Board recommends that all Department of the Army records of the individual concerned be corrected by adding to the (Decorations, Service Medals, and Citations) block of the FSM's WD AGO Form 755 the: * World War II Victory Medal * Women’s Army Corps Service Medal _____________x____________ CHAIRPERSON I certify that herein is recorded the true and complete record of the proceedings of the Army Board for Correction of Military Records in this case. BOARD DATE: 2 March 2017 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20160015759 THE BOARD CONSIDERED THE FOLLOWING EVIDENCE: 1. Application for correction of military records (with supporting documents provided, if any). 2. Military Personnel Records and advisory opinions (if any). THE APPLICANT'S REQUEST, STATEMENT, AND EVIDENCE: 1. The applicant, the daughter of a deceased former service member (FSM), requests correction of her mother's record to show all awards and decorations, specifically the World War II Victory Medal and Women's Army Corps Service Medal. 2. The applicant states she believes the FSM is entitled to the above awards for her service in the United States Women's Army Auxiliary Corps. 3. The applicant provides the FSM’s: * WD AGO Form 755 (Honorable Discharge from the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps) * Death Certificate CONSIDERATION OF EVIDENCE: 1. Title 10, U.S. Code, section 1552(b), provides that applications for correction of military records must be filed within 3 years after discovery of the alleged error or injustice. This provision of law also allows the Army Board for Correction of Military Records (ABCMR) to excuse an applicant's failure to timely file within the 3-year statute of limitations if the ABCMR determines it would be in the interest of justice to do so. While it appears the applicant did not file within the time frame provided in the statute of limitations, the ABCMR has elected to conduct a substantive review of this case and, only to the extent relief, if any, is granted, has determined it is in the interest of justice to excuse the applicant's failure to timely file. In all other respects, there are insufficient bases to waive the statute of limitations for timely filing. 2. The FSM's complete military records are not available for review. A fire destroyed approximately 18 million service members' records at the National Personnel Records Center in 1973. It is believed her records were lost or destroyed in that fire; however, there were sufficient documents remaining in a reconstructed record to conduct a fair/impartial review of this case. 3. The FSM's WD AGO Form 755 shows: * she was enrolled in the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps on 22 January 1943 at Peoria, IL * she entered active service on 7 February 1943 and completed 6 months and 16 days of service * she was honorably discharged on 7 August 1943 as a Technician 5th Grade, at Fort Riley, KS * the block titled “Decorations, service medals, citations” contain the word "None" * her character was "Excellent" REFERENCES: 1. Technical Manual 12-235 (Enlisted Personnel Discharge Procedures and Preparation of Separation Documents), in effect at the time, prescribes the separation documents that must be prepared for Soldiers on retirement, discharge, release from active service, or control of the Active Army. It also establishes standardized policy for preparing and distributing the WD AGO Form 755, the WD AGO 53-55 (Enlisted Record and Report of Separation-Honorable Discharge) , and later the DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty). 2. Army Regulation 600-8-22 (Military Awards) provides for the following awards: a. The World War II Victory Medal was established by an Act of Congress on 6 July 1945. It is awarded to service members for service between 7 December 1941 and 31 December 1946, both dates inclusive. b. The Women’s Army Corps Service Medal was established by Executive Order 9365, announced in War Department Bulletin 17, 1943. It is awarded for service in both the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps between 10 July 1942 and 31 August 1943 and the Women’s Army Corps between 1 September 1943 and 2 September 1945. DISCUSSION: The FSM served in the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps between 7 February and 7 August 1943. This qualifies her for awards of the World War II Victory Medal and the Women’s Army Corps Service Medal, and correction of her WD AGO Form 755 to show both medals. //NOTHING FOLLOWS// ABCMR Record of Proceedings AR20150000953 Enclosure 1 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20160015759 2 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Enclosure 1 ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20160015759 3 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Enclosure 2