BOARD DATE: 29 August 2018 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20160017293 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: 29 August 2018 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20160017293 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 amending his WD AGO Form 53-55 (Enlisted Record and Report of Separation – Honorable Discharge) in: a. item 32 (Battles and Campaigns), by adding Anzio, b. item 33 (Decorations and Citations), by removing award of the European- African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with four bronze service stars, and c. item 33, by adding the following: * Bronze Star Medal * European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with one silver service star * Presidential Unit Citation * Meritorious Unit Citation ______________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: 29 August 2018 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20160017293 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, son of a former service member (FSM), requests correction of the FSM's records to show award of the: * Bronze Star Medal (BSM) * European-African-Middle Eastern (EAME) Campaign Medal with one silver service star * Presidential Unit Citation (PUC) * Meritorious Unit Citation (MUC) 2. The applicant states: a. The BSM did not appear in the cemetery database in Calverton prior to his father's burial. b. His father was awarded the EAME Campaign Medal with four bronze service stars; however, he should have received campaign participation credit for Anzio, 22 January 1944 to 24 May 1944, which would entitle his father to award of the EAME Campaign Medal with one silver service star. c. The PUC was awarded to his father's unit, 6th Armored Infantry Battalion, 1st Armored Division for the period 13 December 1943 to 12 January 1944. His father served with the unit at Mount Porchia from 6 January 1944 to 14 January 1944. d. The MUC was awarded to the 67th Military Police Company in France and Germany during 1945. His father served with the unit from the beginning of 1945 until being stationed at Camp Lucky Strike, France. 3. The applicant provides: * two Company Morning Reports, dated 1944 * Headquarters, 24th Replacement Depot, Special Orders Number 95, dated 29 October 1944 * 1944 Calendar extract * Class B Pass, dated 7 March 1945 * 74th Station Hospital Proceedings of a Board of Medical Officers extract * War Department Form 372A (Final Payment – Worksheet) * National Personnel Records Center correspondence * National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) Military Personnel Record Finding Aid Report, dated 5 November 1991 * NARA Form 13055 (Request for Information Needed to Reconstruct Medical Data), dated 3 March 1992 * two Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Forms 21-3101 (Request for Information) * death certificate, dated 20 October 2016 * War Department Adjutant General's Office (WD AGO) Form 53-55 (Enlisted Record and Report of Separation – Honorable Discharge) * Honorable Discharge Certificate * two maps of Italy * Authorized EAME Campaign Listing * one photograph * Army Pamphlet 672-1 (Unit Citation and Campaign Participation Credit Register), page 29 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 that the FSM's records were lost or destroyed in that fire. The case is being considered using the documents provided by the applicant. 3. The FSM was inducted into the Army of the United States on 16 March 1943. 4. The applicant provided copies of an unidentified photograph and a 1944 calendar extract. He also provided: a. a Company Morning Report, dated 8 October 1944, for the 544th Replacement Company, 110th Replacement Battalion, 24th Replacement Depot, that shows the FSM was attached to the unit for duty, b. an extract of Proceedings of a Board of Medical Officers, 74th Station Hospital, APO 383, which shows, in part, the Board met at the 74th Station Hospital on 16 October 1944 and the FSM's medical history was listed as, "Combat service for 7 months. Because of shell shock at Anzio, May 1944 was evacuated, treated at dispensary, not hospitalized." c. Headquarters, 24th Replacement Depot, Special Orders Number 95, dated 29 October 1944, that show the FSM was released from attachment to the unit and attached to the 547th Replacement Company with limited assignment, d. a Company Morning Report, dated 30 October 1944, for the 544th Replacement Company, 110th Replacement Battalion, 24th Replacement Depot, that shows 19 enlisted men who were attached to the unit were transferred to the 547th Replacement Company, e. the FSM's Class B Pass, issued on 7 March 1945, that shows he was assigned to the 67th Military Police Company, f. two maps of Italy for the period September 1943 to May 1945 that show U.S. units and locations with a brief synopsis of events, g. a War Department Form 372A that shows, in part, the FSM received foreign service pay from 1 August to 2 November 1945, and h. a listing of approved campaigns for the EAME Campaign Medal. 5. On 7 November 1945, the FSM was honorably released from active duty. His WD AGO Form 53-55 shows: a. He was a member of the Enlisted Reserve Corp from 16 March 1943 to 22 March 1943. b. He was ordered to active duty on 23 March 1943 and assigned to Company B, 6th Armored Infantry Battalion. c. He departed the Continental United States while assigned to Company B, 6th Armored Infantry Battalion, on 21 August 1943 and he arrived in Algeria on 2 September 1943. d. He departed the European theater on 22 October 1945 and he arrived in the Continental United States on 2 November 1945. e. His military occupational specialty was 669 (Military Policeman). f. He was credited with campaign participation in Naples-Foggia, Rome-Arno, Rhineland, and Central Europe. g. He was awarded or authorized the: * Army Good Conduct Medal * American Campaign Medal * EAME Campaign Medal with four bronze service stars * World War II Victory Medal * Marksman Marksmanship Qualification Badge with Machine Gun Bar (.30 caliber) * Sharpshooter Marksmanship Qualification Badge with Rifle Bar (M-1) * Combat Infantryman Badge 6. The FSM's Honorable Discharge Certificate, dated 7 November 1945, shows he was assigned to Company B, 6th Armored Infantry Battalion. 7. The applicant provided copies of the FSM's death certificate that shows his death occurred on 20 October 2016 and a letter from the National Personnel Records Center, dated 22 April 2013, that shows the FSM was advised of his authorization for award of the Bronze Star Medal based on his award of the Combat Infantryman Badge and the medal being shipped to him. REFERENCES: 1. Army Regulation 600-8-22 (Military Awards) prescribes Army policy, criteria, and administrative instructions concerning individual and unit military awards. a. The BSM may be awarded to each service member of the Army who, after 6 December 1941, has been cited in orders or awarded a certificate for exemplary conduct in ground combat against an armed enemy between 7 December 1941 and 2 September 1945, inclusive, or whose meritorious achievement has been otherwise confirmed by documents executed prior to 1 July 1947. For this purpose, an award of the Combat Infantryman Badge or Combat Medical Badge is considered as a citation in orders. b. A silver service star is worn instead of five bronze service stars. 2. Department of the Army Pamphlet 672-1 (Unit Citation and Campaign Participation Credit Register) contains a register of unit citations and campaign participation credits for World War II and the Korean War. It assists commanders and personnel officers in determining or establishing the eligibility of individual members for campaign participation credit, assault landing credit, unit citation emblems, and occupation duty credit for World War II and the Korean War. This pamphlet shows: a. 6th Armored Infantry Battalion, 1st Armored Division, was awarded the Distinguished Unit Citation (now referred to as the PUC) by War Department General Orders Number 54, dated 1947, for the period 13 December 1943 to 12 January 1944. The available evidence of record shows the FSM was assigned to the unit during the award period. b. 24th Replacement Depot, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, was awarded campaign participation for Rome-Arno for the period 22 January 1944 to 9 September 1944. The available evidence of record shows the FSM received this campaign participation credit. c. 67th Military Police Company was awarded the MUC by War Department General Orders Number 85 and Headquarters, Continental Advance Section, dated 10 July 1945, for the period 4 September 1944 to 8 May 1945. The FSM's Class B Pass, dated 7 March 1945, shows he was assigned to the unit during the award period. d. 544th Replacement Company was awarded campaign participation for Rome-Arno for the period 22 January 1944 to 9 September 1944. The available evidence shows the FSM received this campaign participation credit. e. 547th Replacement Company was awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation by War Department General Order Number 299 and Headquarters, Mediterranean Theater of Operations, U.S. Army, dated 3 September 1945, for the period 1 September 1945 to 20 November 1945. The available evidence of record does not show the FSM was assigned to the unit during the award period. DISCUSSION: 1. The FSM's Proceedings of a Board of Medical Officers, 74th Station Hospital, show he experienced shell shock at Anzio in May 1944. The FSM's campaign participation at Anzio is not listed on his DD Form 214. 2. The available evidence shows the FSM was awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge during the period 7 December 1941 and 2 September 1945, which entitles him to award of the BSM. 3. The available evidence of record also shows the units to which the FSM was assigned in the European theater were awarded the PUC and MUC. These unit awards are not listed on his DD Form 214. //NOTHING FOLLOWS// ABCMR Record of Proceedings AR20150000953 Enclosure 1 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20160018139 2 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Enclosure 1 ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20160017293 2 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Enclosure 2