ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS IN THE CASE OF: BOARD DATE: 26 September 2019 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20170005607 APPLICANT REQUESTS: correction of his WD AGO Form 53-55 (Enlisted Record and Report of Separation – Honorable Discharge) to reflect his service in the India-Burma Campaign and the China Defensive Campaign. APPLICANT'S SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS CONSIDERED BY THE BOARD: * DD Form 149 (Application for Correction of Military Record) * Self-Authored Statement * Five Maps * Campaign Excerpt * War Department Adjutant General Office (WD-AGO) Form 53-55 FACTS: 1. The applicant did not file within the three year time frame provided in Title 10, United States Code (USC), section 1552 (b); however, the Army Board for Correction of Military Records conducted a substantive review of this case and determined it is in the interest of justice to excuse the applicant's failure to timely file. 2. The applicant states there are several inaccuracies with the combat zone locations and time contraints listed for the World War II (WWII) campaigns he served in. a. He was in the Medical Corps during WWII and served in Oran North Africa from 24 October 1943 to 30 November 1943 at the 7th Station Hospital. The North Africa Campaign is not documented in Item 33 (Decorations and Citations) of WD AGO Form 53-55. He received the shoulder insignia and ribbon for theater and also knows he was qualified because they served over 30 days in theater. b. Item 32 list the Central Burma Campaign and that is incorrect because his service does not match the time contraints listed for that campaign, 29 January 1945 to 15 July 1945. At that time he was assigned to the 69th Medical Depot Company and they were in Kunmig, China on October 13, 1944. He believes the unit should have received a campaign star for service in the India-Burma Campaign. The time listed for the India-Burma Campaign is 2 April 1942 through 28 January 1945. c. His unit traveled by convoy the entire length of the Ledo-Burma road starting from Ledo, Upper Assam India and reaching Kunming, China on or about 13 October 1944. The unit traveled through a part of Japanese occupied Chine along the Ledo-Burma road between Wanting, China (Burma-China border) to Lungling, China (Salween River), a distance of more than 53 miles. He believe by traveling that portion of the Ledo-Burma road at that time period, 4 August 1944 to 13 October 1944, his unit should have received a second campaign star for the China Defensive Campaign (4 July 1942 to 4 May 1945). 3. The applicant provides: a. Five Maps: * Medical supply depots – CBI theater 1944 * India-Burma 1942 * Central Burma Campaign– 29 January 1945 to 15 July 1945 * India-Burma Campaign – 2 April 1942 to 29 January 1945 * China Defensive Campaign – 4 July 1942 to 4 May 1945 b. A campaign excerpt which details the India-Burma and China Defensive combat zones and time limitations. 4. The applicant'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 applicant's records were lost or destroyed in that fire. However, the applicant submitted sufficient documents that will be used in a reconstructed record to conduct a fair and impartial review of this case. a. He was inducted into the Army of the United States on 18 February 1943. He entered active duty on 16 April 1943. b. At the time of his separation, he was assigned to the 69th Medical Depot Company. c. He departed continental United States (CONUS) on 5 October 1943 and arrived in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations (MTO) on 24 October 1943. He departed the MTO on 30 November 1943 and arrived in the China-Burma-India Theater of Operations (CBI) on 29 December 1943. He then departed the CBI on 14 December 1945 and arrived back in CONUS on 10 January 1946. d. Block 32 (Battles and Campaigns) of his WD AGO Form 53-55 show he participated in the Central Burma campaign, and Block 33 (Decorations and Citations shows he was awarded or authorized: * Asiatic Pacific Service Medal * Good Conduct Medal * World War II Victory Medal e. On 15 January 1946, he was honorably released from active duty. His WD AGO Form 53-55 shows he completed 5 months and 24 days of continental service and 2 years, 3 months, and 6 days of foreign service. 4. By regulation (AR 15-185), the ABCMR begins its consideration of each case with the presumption of administrative regularity. The applicant has the burden of proving an error or injustice by a preponderance of the evidence. The ABCMR limits corrective action to documents that can be individually reviewed after a Soldier's separation. Since the WD AGO Form 53-55 is a record of a Soldier's service during World War II and is normally accessible by individuals other than the Soldier, the Board will limit its correction to this form. 5. By regulation (TM 12-235), the preparation of the WD AGO Form 53-55 is governed. It states: a. Item 32, enter battles or campaigns as authorized by War Department General Orders. The applicant’s WD AGO Form 53-55 lists his participation in the Central Burma Campaign. No documentary evidence of other battles or campaigns. b. Item 33, enter decorations or citations and authority for each. Authorities for service medals need not be entered. 6. By regulation (DA Pam 672-1), contains a register of unit citations and of campaign participation credits for World War II and for the Korean War. The pamphlet does not list the 69th Medical Depot Company; however, the 69th Medical Supply Company is listed as having participated in campaigns in Europe (not in the Pacific). BOARD DISCUSSION: After reviewing the application and all supporting documents, the Board found relief was warranted. Board members noted that the applicant’s WD AGO Form 53-55 listed his service within the Pacific Theater. The applicant requested two campaigns be added to his separation record (India-Burma and Chine Defense). Board members agreed to grant relief for both campaigns. The Board also found that he applicant was also in the ETO (North Africa from October to November 1945) and should receive the corresponding Medal. BOARD VOTE: Mbr 1 Mbr 2 Mbr 3 X X X GRANT FULL RELIEF : : : GRANT PARTIAL RELIEF : : : GRANT FORMAL HEARING : : : DENY APPLICATION BOARD DETERMINATION/RECOMMENDATION: The Board determined that the evidence presented was 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 his WD AGO Form 53-55 in * Block 32 (Battles and Campaigns), India-Burma Campaign and the China Defensive Campaign * Block 33 (Decorations and Citations), delete Asiatic Pacific Service Medal and add Asiatic Pacific Service Medal with three bronze service stars, and the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal 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. REFERENCES: 1. Title 10, USC, section 1552(b), provides that applications for correction of military records must be filed within three 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 three-year statute of limitations if the ABCMR determines it would be in the interest of justice to do so. 2. Army Regulation 15-185 (ABCMR) prescribes the policies and procedures for correction of military records by the Secretary of the Army, acting through the ABCMR. The ABCMR begins its consideration of each case with the presumption of administrative regularity, which is that what the Army did was correct. The ABCMR is not an investigative body and decides cases based on the evidence that is presented in the military records provided and the independent evidence submitted with the application. The applicant has the burden of proving an error or injustice by a preponderance of the evidence. 3. War Department Technical Manual (TM) 12-235 (Enlisted Personnel - Discharge and Release from Active Duty) governs the preparation of the WD AGO Form 53-55. It states: a. Item 32, enter battles or campaigns as authorized by War Department General Orders. b. Item 33, enter decorations or citations and authority for each. Authorities for service medals need not be entered. 4. Department of the Army (DA) Pamphlet 672-1 (Unit Citation and Campaign Participation Credit Register), contains a register of unit citations and of campaign participation credits for World War II and for the Korean War. DA Pam 672-1 is published to assist 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 for the Korean War. NOTHING FOLLOWS ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20170005607 5 1