ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS BOARD DATE: 11 April 2019 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20170003829 APPLICANT REQUESTS: The applicant, the son of the Former Service Member (FSM), requests correction of the FSM’s DD Form 214 (Report of Separation from the Armed Forces of the United States) to remove the handwritten entries showing the FSM’s rank as staff sergeant (SSG) instead of sergeant temporary (SGT)(T). APPLICANT'S SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS CONSIDERED BY THE BOARD: * DD Form 149 (Application for Correction of Military Record) * WD AGO 53-55, dated 14 May 1946 * DD Form 214, dated 23 September 1951 * Death Certificate, dated 1 October 2011 * VA Form 40-1330 (Claim for Standard Government Headstone or Marker), dated 18 October 2016 * Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) letter, dated 8 November 2016 * National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) letter, dated 6 December 2016 * photograph of SSG rank * applicant’s self-authored letter, dated 26 December 2016 * War Department Form 372 A (Final Payment – Work Sheet) FACTS: 1. The applicant states, according to the National Cemetery Administration of the VA, they cannot accept handwritten rank when inscribing it on a grave marker. The person who filled out the discharge of the FSM wrote corrections by hand, particularly on his rank. He knows the FSM said he was a SSG, and he has his uniform insignia. Another official document stating the FSM’s rank would also be satisfactory. He is including copies of his correspondence with the VA. 2. The FSM’s complete military records are not available to the Board for review. A fire destroyed approximately 18 million service members' records at the NPRC in 1973. It is believed that his records were lost or destroyed in that fire. However, the applicant provided the FSM’s WD AGO 53-55 (Enlisted Record and Report of Separation Honorable Discharge) and DD Form 214 for the Board to conduct a fair and impartial review of this case. 3. The FSM’s WD-AGO 53-55 shows he entered active duty on 22 May 1944. He was honorably discharged on 14 May 1946. Item 38 (Highest Grade Held) shows technician five (Tech 5). He was awarded or authorized: * Asiatic-Pacific Theater Ribbon with 1 bronze service star * Philippine liberation Ribbon * World War II Victory Medal * Army Good Conduct Medal * 2 overseas service bars 4. The FSM’s DD Form 214 shows he entered active duty on 2 October 1950. He was honorably discharged on 23 September 1951. He completed 11 months and 22 days of net service for this period of service, and 6 years, 4 months, and 10 days of other service * item 3 (Grade – Rate – Rank and date of Appointment) shows SGT (T) (handwritten entry of SSG) * item 38 (Remarks) shows private first class (PFC) permanent 1 August 1948 * the FSM was awarded or authorized: * Korean Service Medal with 2 bronze service stars * (handwritten entry of the Syngman Rhee Medal and the United Nations Medal) 5. The applicant provides: * FSM’s death certificate and the applicant was the informant * VA Form 1330 showing the applicant requested a headstone for the FSM * VA letter wherein the applicant was informed the VA was unable to process his request for a headstone for the FSM because they could not accept handwritten rank on the discharge document * NPRC letter wherein the applicant was informed by the NPRC if the requested records were there on 12 July 1973, they would have been in the area that suffered the most damage * photograph of a SSG rank * applicant’s self-authored letter wherein he responds to a VA official in regards to acceptance of the FSM’s discharge document * War Department Form 372 A showing the FSM’s rank as T-5 6. Army Regulation (AR) 635-5 (Administrative Separation Procedures and Forms) in effect at the time states, the purpose of the DD Form 214 is to provide the individual with documentary evidence of active military service. All available records will be used as a basis for preparation. * item 3, enter the grade at which serving at the time of separation indicating whether permanent or temporary and the date of rank for the grade * item 38, if the date of rank is different from the date of appointment in grade shown in item 3, if the grade in item 3 is not permanent, enter the permanent grade and date of rank BOARD DISCUSSION: After reviewing the application and all supporting documents, the Board found the relief was not warranted. The applicant’s contentions were carefully considered. There are hand written annotations on the FSM’s separation document. Based upon research of authorized entries on separation documents during the FSM’s period of service it was found ink corrections were allowed. The Board recommends for the applicant to provide the VA the WD AGO 53-55 which shows the Tech 5 as the highest rank held. The record shows the FSM was a Grade 5 Tech SGT; Grade 5 was an authorized rank in the 1940’s and 1950’s. BOARD VOTE: Mbr 1 Mbr 2 Mbr 3 : : : GRANT FULL RELIEF : : : GRANT PARTIAL RELIEF : : : GRANT FORMAL HEARING :X :X :X DENY APPLICATION BOARD DETERMINATION/RECOMMENDATION: The evidence presented does not demonstrate the existence of a probable error or injustice. Therefore, the Board determined the overall merits of this case are insufficient as a basis for correction of the records of the individual concerned. 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. ADMINISTRATIVE NOTE(S): Not Applicable REFERENCE: AR 635-5 (Administrative Separation Procedures and Forms) in effect at the time states, the purpose of the DD Form 214 is to provide the individual with documentary evidence of active military service. All available records will be used as a basis for preparation. * item 3, enter the grade at which serving at the time of separation indicating whether permanent or temporary and the date of rank for the grade * item 38, if the date of rank is different from the date of appointment in grade shown in item 3, if the grade in item 3 is not permanent, enter the permanent grade and date of rank //NOTHING FOLLOWS// ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20170003829 2 1