ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS IN THE CASE OF: BOARD DATE: 9 April 2019 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20170018042 APPLICANT REQUESTS: upgrade of his Army Commendation Medal with “V” Device. APPLICANT'S SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS CONSIDERED BY THE BOARD: * DD Form 149 (Application for Correction of Military Record) * Self-authored statement, dated 5 September 2017 * Orders – Combat Infantryman Badge, dated 18 September 1966 * Orders – Army Commendation Medal with “V” Device, dated 20 February 1967 * Orders – Purple Heart, dated 6 February 1967 * DD Form 214 (Armed Forces of the United States Report of Transfer or Discharge) for the period ending 1 September 1968 * DA Form 20 (Enlisted Qualification Record) * Recommendation letter – Major General (Retired) X-------, dated 20 March 2017 * Human Resources Command letter (HRC), dated 15 June 2017 * Witness statements (3) FACTS: 1. The applicant requests his Army Commendation Medal with “V” Device be upgraded. The applicant states direct witness X--- X------, who accompanied him during the mission, is deceased. The applicant describes the action as follows: a. He was on point as they moved deeper into “D zone” in triple canopy jungle with visibility at time being only 10 yards. The only man he could see behind him was X-----. The Viet Cong (VC) knew they were coming; one was spotted as they flew in to the landing zone. b. As he moved on and off a footpath, he saw to his front in a small clearing a tiki-hut “hootch” 20 yards away. He halted the column and motioned X------ up. They concealed themselves on the jungle floor. The enemy was 25 to 30 yards distant on the other side of the hut. The VC blew up the hootch thinking they were inside. c. They were shocked, stunned, and wounded. He sustained a golf-ball sized fragment wound to his left leg. They came to and fired away at the VC on the other side of the burning hut. They exchanged curses with the enemy. X------and he were the only troopers wounded in that explosion. They did not retreat. They held the enemy at bay, otherwise their three wounded squad members might have been killed in action. When the medic got to him, he refused treatment and told the medic to take care of the troopers who had been shot. d. The fight continued, and he and X------ moved 40 yards forward under fire to rescue a chest-shot trooper. He (the applicant) was peppered with grenade fragments. They got that man to the command post and went back to the line and continued to fight. e. As nightfall approached, he was pulled back to the command post with the other wounded. He was on the first dust-off helicopter the next morning. f. He would be pleased to appear before the Board if there is any other information he could provide. 2. On 18 October 1965, the applicant enlisted in the Regular Army. From 19 August 1966 to 6 February 1967, he was assigned to Company A, 1st Battalion (Airborne), 503rd Infantry, in military occupational specialty 11B (Light Weapons Infantryman). From 7 February 1967 through 10 April 1967, he was assigned as a patient to medical units in Vietnam and Japan. 3. On 20 February 1967, Headquarters, 173rd Airborne Brigade (Separate) issued General Orders Number 298 announcing award of the Army Commendation Medal with “V” Device to the applicant for his actions on 5 February 1967. The citation reads as follows: For heroism in connection with military operations against a hostile force: [Applicant] distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 5 February 1967 while on a search and destroy mission in War Zone D in the Republic of Vietnam. On this day, the company had been engaged by command detonated mines and small arms fire from well-fortified positions. In the initial fire [Applicant] was wounded in the leg and was removed from the line for treatment. After having treatment he went back to the line helping the other wounded until they could be evacuated the next morning. [Applicant’s] courage and devotion to duty reflects great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army. 4. He was honorably released from active duty on 1 September 1968. 5. His DA Form 20 (Enlisted Qualification Record) shows in item 40 (Wounds) fragment wound left leg. 6. In a letter dated 20 March 2017, Major General (Retired) X------ notes his experience as a company commander during the Korean War and as a brigade commander during the Vietnam War and notes that he has received two Silver Stars and 20 other combat decorations. He states the applicant’s actions (refusing evacuation though severely wounded, moving forward to rescue a fellow Soldier, refusing evacuation after being wounded a second time) deserve recognition by award of a Silver Star or at least a Bronze Star Medal with “V” device. In a separate letter to HRC, Major General X------- opined that the Commanding General, HRC, may not have had all of the facts when he made the decision to deny an upgrade. 7. HRC responded to Major General X-------, stating that Army Regulation 600-8-22 (Military Awards) affords a veteran a one-time right to reconsider an approved award recommendation. HRC advised Major General X------- that the applicant had the right to appeal to the Army Board for Correction of Military Records if he felt HRC’s decision was unfair or unjust. 8. In a statement dated 21 July 2017, X------ X----- states he was a combat medic with the applicant’s unit at the time of the action. He states that during a long firefight the applicant received a severe fragment wound to his leg. Ignoring the wound, bleeding, and in severe pain, the applicant assisted in rescuing a wounded soldier that possibly would have died without his assistance. Due to the severity of his wounds he was evacuated the next morning, spent 2 months in the hospital, and was sent to Japan for further care. 9. In a statement dated 11 August 2017, X--- X------ states on 5 February 1967, their unit (Company A, 1st Battalion (Airborne), 503rd Infantry) was on a search and destroy mission. They had been on the trail of some VC. a. When they came to a “Y” in the trail, 2nd Platoon went straight ahead, and his squad did a recon up the trail to the right. When they were several minutes up the trail in heavy triple canopy jungle, they heard several explosions and lots of small arms fire from the other direction. It was the applicant’s squad that made the initial contact. In fact, as they learned later, it was the applicant and one other man who initiated the fight. b. As they rejoined the platoon, they moved through the tail end of the platoon involved in the fight and took positions on the left flank. As most in the company learned later on, it was also the applicant and this one other man who went out in front of the safety of their lines to retrieve a man severely wounded in the chest who would most likely have died if they had not done so. This act of courage was done not only under extremely heavy fire, but after both the applicant and the other man had been wounded—severely enough to require several weeks in the hospital. c. One should understand that because of the density of the jungle and in the confusion of intense weapons fire, each individual was very limited as to what they could witness. Even though his platoon’s extreme right flank and the 2nd Platoon’s left flank were side-by-side, he could not see or communicate with the two troopers him from them – who were both killed in action. As an example of the limited visibility, he was the muzzle flashes of the machine gun that wounded him and his companions and silenced the gun, but the medic, who was only touching distance away from him, never did see the machine gun. The medic did see the grenade that wounded them all. He was convinced for 20 years that he had been shot until an x-ray showed shrapnel fragments. d. Only 50 years after the fight, when a few of them got together and pieced the facts together were they able to be recognized and have appropriate awards submitted. He just very recently received the Bronze Star Medal with “V” Device for his actions in that fight – a “mistake corrected” in the words of one retired general from that war. There were a lot of heroics that day – most were not witnessed. The applicant’s actions were underplayed by awarding of the Army Commendation Medal with “V” Device. 10. In a statement dated 17 May 2016, X----- X------, a retired colonel who was the applicant’s company commander at the time of the action, states his company was involved in a search and destroy mission as part of a large operation in War Zone D. the terrain was triple canopy jungle. The VC were there in large numbers, but spread out considerably. The enemy used command-detonated mines and defended from well-prepared positions. They were moving through the jungle when they came upon a large dug-in VC unit. a. The applicant was on point. He came across what appeared to be some unknown structure and signaled back to stop the advance of the company. Then the enemy blew the structure, and the applicant and several other Soldiers were wounded with metal and bamboo fragments. Even though wounded in the leg, the applicant refused medical treatment and participated with the rest of the troopers in firing at the enemy and reconstituting the line. b. When the applicant heard that another Soldier, possible from an adjacent platoon, was badly shot in the chest some 40 meters in front of the line, he went forward with another man and pulled the trooper back to safety. The applicant was again wounded with hand grenade fragments, and he again refused medical treatment. Instead he manned an M-60 machine gun and continued to fight. c. His wounds warranted medical evacuation the next morning. Upon arrival at the hospital, he was pleasantly surprised to find alive the man he had saved the previous day. d. He strongly recommends that the applicant be awarded the Bronze Star Medal with “V” Device for having gone forward from the frontline on two occasions, having refused medical treatment twice, and having fought valiantly with his unit after these events. 11. Army Regulation 600-8-22 states: a. The Army Commendation Medal is awarded to any Service member of the Armed Forces of the United States who distinguishes himself or herself by heroism, meritorious achievement, or meritorious service. Awards of the ARCOM may be made for acts of valor performed under circumstances described above which are of lesser degree than required for award of the Bronze Star Medal. b. The Bronze Star Medal is awarded to any person who, while serving in any capacity in or with the Armed Forces of the United States, or a friendly foreign nation, distinguished himself or herself by heroic or meritorious achievement or service, not involving participation in aerial flight, in connection with military operations against an armed enemy. Awards may be made for acts of heroism, performed under circumstances described above, which are of lesser degree than required for the award of the Silver Star. BOARD DISCUSSION: After reviewing the application and all supporting documents, the Board found that relief was warranted. Based upon the documentary statements provided by the applicant, the Board concluded that based upon the totality of the circumstances, the applicant had merit and, therefore, the Board recommended granting the upgrade of the award as requested. 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 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 upgrading his Army Commendation Medal with “V” device to the Bronze Star Medal with “V” device. 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. Army Regulation 600-8-22 states the Army Commendation Medal is awarded to any Service member of the Armed Forces of the United States who, while serving in any capacity with the Army after 6 December 1941, distinguishes himself or herself by heroism, meritorious achievement, or meritorious service. Awards of the ARCOM may be made for acts of valor performed under circumstances described above which are of lesser degree than required for award of the Bronze Star Medal. 2. Army Regulation 600-8-22 states the Bronze Star Medal is awarded to any person who, while serving in any capacity in or with the Armed Forces of the United States, or a friendly foreign nation, after 6 December 1941, distinguished himself or herself by heroic or meritorious achievement or service, not involving participation in aerial flight, in connection with military operations against an armed enemy; or while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent party. Awards may be made for acts of heroism, performed under circumstances described above, which are of lesser degree than required for award of the Silver Star. ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20170013165 2 1