ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS IN THE CASE OF: BOARD DATE: 7 August 2019 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20180011739 APPLICANT REQUESTS: * Reconsideration of his previous request for correction of his DD Form 214 (Armed Forces of the United States Report of Transfer or Discharge) to show the Air Medal * As a new issue, he requests correction of his DD Form 214 to show the Purple Heart, two awards of the Bronze Star Medal, and Army Commendation Medal APPLICANT'S SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS CONSIDERED BY THE BOARD: * DD Form 149 (Application for Correction of Military Record) * Certificate for the Army Commendation Medal with “V” Device, 12 June 1969 * Certificate for the Purple Heart (29 May 1969) * One Photograph * DD Form 214 FACTS: 1. Incorporated herein by reference are military records which were summarized in the previous consideration of the applicant's case by the Army Board for Correction of Military Records (ABCMR) in Docket Number AR20130005920 on 16 January 2014. 2. The applicant states his awards for the Purple Heart, two awards of the Bronze Star Medal, Army Commendation Medal, and Air Medal were not on his DD Form 214. 3. The applicant’s record contains orders awarding him two awards of the Purple Hearts, two awards of the Bronze Star Medals (one with a “V” Device for heroism), and one Army Commendation Medal with “V” Device. These awards are not listed on his DD Form 214. They do not require a Board decision and will be administratively added to his DD Form. The Board will reconsider the award of the Air Medal. 4. The applicant provides: * Army Commendation Medal with "V" Device Certificate, dated 12 June 1969 * Purple Heart Certificate (29 May 1969 injury) * One photograph, presumably of the applicant receiving an award 5. A review of the applicant’s service records shows: a. He was inducted on 6 March 1968 into the Army of the United States. b. He served in Vietnam from 11 February 1969 to 7 July 1969; through 3 campaigns. He was assigned to B Company, 3rd Battalion, 47th Infantry Regiment. c. His DA Form 20 (Enlisted Qualification Record) shows he received “excellent” conduct and efficiency ratings from date of entry until his separation. Item 29 (Qualification in Arms) also shows he earned the Sharpshooter Marksmanship Qualification Badge with Machine Gun Bar (M-60). d. His service records contain multiple General Orders (GO) awarding him various awards: * GO Number 6687, dated 12 June 1969, awarded him the Army Commendation Medal with “V” Device for heroism on 29 May 1969 * GO Number 164, dated 13 June 1969, awarded him the Purple Heart for wounds received in action on 13 June 1969 * GO Number 59, dated 1 July 1969, awarded him the Purple Heart for wounds received in action on 13 June 1969 * GO Number 8393, dated 3 July 1969, awarded him the Bronze Star Medal for outstanding achievement from February 1969 to June 1969 * GO Number 9020, dated 7 July 1969, awarded him the Bronze Star Medal with “V” Device (1st Oak Leaf Cluster) for heroism on 13 June 1969. e. On 5 March 1970, he was honorably released from active duty and transferred to the U.S. Army Reserve. His DD Form 214 shows he completed 2 years of active service. It also shows he was awarded or authorized: * Vietnam Service Medal * Combat Infantryman Badge * Vietnam Campaign Medal * Bronze Star Medal (1st Oak Leaf Cluster) * Sharpshooter Marksmanship Qualification Badge with Rifle Bar f. The applicant petitioned the ABCMR for correction of his records to add the Air Medal. The ABCMR, after considering his case on 16 January 2014 denied his request because his records did not contain documentary evidence indicating the applicant had performed aerial duties over a sufficient length of time or number of missions that would qualify him for award of the Air Medal. 6. A review of the Awards and Decorations Computer-Assisted Retrieval System (ADCARS), an index of general orders issued during the Vietnam era between 1968 and 1970 maintained by the Military Awards Branch of the U.S. Army Human Resources Command failed to reveal award of the Air Medal for the applicant. 7. By regulation (AR 600-8-22), the Air Medal is awarded to any person who, while serving in any capacity in or with the U.S. Army, will have distinguished himself or herself by meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight. 8. Department of the Army General Orders (DAGO) Number 59, dated 1969, announced award of the Republic of Vietnam Civil Actions Honor Medal First Class to the 3rd Battalion, 47th Infantry, for service in Vietnam for the period of 19 December 1966 to 28 June 1969. 9. DAGO Number 59, dated 1969, announced award of the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm Unit Citation to the 3rd Battalion, 47th Infantry, for service in Vietnam from January 1969 to June 1969. 10. By regulation (AR 672-5-1), the Army Good Conduct Medal was awarded for each 3 years of continuous enlisted active service, and, for the first award only, upon termination of service on or after 27 June 1950 of less than 3 years but more than 1 year. The enlisted person must have had all “excellent” conduct and efficiency ratings and there must be no convictions by a court-martial. He meets the criteria for this award in that: * he completed 2 years of continuous active service * he received all excellent conduct and efficiency ratings throughout his military service * there is no record of a court-martial conviction BOARD DISCUSSION: After reviewing the application and all supporting documents, the Board found some relief was warranted. The applicant’s contentions were carefully considered. The Board agreed that his record shows he is eligible to receive the Army Good Conduct Medal, and recommended correcting his record by adding the awards in the analyst of record’s administrative notes below to more accurately depict his military service. The Board also agreed there is insufficient evidence to grant relief for the Air Medal because the applicant failed to provide any new evidence indicating he had performed aerial duties over a sufficient length of time or number of missions that would qualify him for the award. BOARD VOTE: Mbr 1 Mbr 2 Mbr 3 : : : GRANT FULL RELIEF X X X GRANT PARTIAL RELIEF : : : GRANT FORMAL HEARING : : : DENY APPLICATION BOARD DETERMINATION/RECOMMENDATION: 1. The Board determined the evidence presented is sufficient to warrant a recommendation for partial relief. As a result, the Board recommends that all Department of the Army records of the individual concerned be corrected by awarding him the Army Good Conduct Medal (1st Award) for exemplary service from 6 March 1968 through 5 March 1970, and amending his DD Form 214 for the period ending 5 March 1970 by a. deleting the Bronze Star Medal (1 st OLC)and the Vietnam Service Medal b. adding the following awards: * Purple Heart (2nd Award) * Bronze Star Medal (2nd Award) with "V" Device * Army Commendation Medal with “V” Device * Army Good Conduct Medal (1st Award) * Republic of Vietnam Civil Actions Honor Medal First Class * Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm Unit Citation * Sharpshooter Marksmanship Qualification Badge with Machine Gun Bar - (M-60) 2. The Board further determined the evidence presented is insufficient to warrant a portion of the requested relief. As a result, the Board recommends denial of so much of the application that pertains to adding the Air Medal to his separation document. 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): A review of the applicant’s service records shows he is authorized additional awards and qualification badges not annotated on his DD Form 214. As a result, amend his DD Form 214 as follows * delete Vietnam Service Medal * add Vietnam Service Medal with 3 bronze service stars * delete Bronze Star Medal (1st OLC) * add Bronze Star Medal (2nd Award) and "V" Device (GO Number 9020, dated 7 July 1969) * add Purple Heart (2nd Award) (GO Number 164, dated 13 June 1969 and GO Number 59, dated 1 July 1969) * add Army Commendation Medal with “V” Device (GO Number 6687, dated 12 June 1969 * add Republic of Vietnam Civil Actions Honor Medal First Class * add Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm Unit Citation * add Sharpshooter Marksmanship Qualification Badge with Machine Gun Bar (M-60) REFERENCES: 1. Army Regulation 600-8-22 (Military Awards) provides Army policy, criteria, and administrative instructions concerning individual military decorations. The Air Medal paragraph 3-16 is awarded to any person who, while serving in any capacity in or with the U.S. Army, will have distinguished himself or herself by meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight. Awards may be made to recognize single acts of merit or heroism, or for meritorious service as described: * for acts of heroism 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 * for single acts of meritorious achievement, involving superior airmanship, which were accomplished with distinction beyond that normally expected * for meritorious service may be made for sustained distinction in the performance of duties involving regular and frequent participation in aerial flight for a period of at least 6 months, accumulation of a specified number of hours and missions will not serve as the basis for award of the Air Medal * primarily intended to recognize those personnel who are on current crewmember or non-.crewmember flying status which requires them to participate in aerial flight on a regular basis and frequent basis in the performance of their primary duties 2. U.S. Army Vietnam (USARV) Regulation 672-1 (Decorations and Awards) provided guidelines for award of the Air Medal. It stated that passenger personnel who did not participate in an air assault were not eligible for the award based upon sustained operations. It defined terms and provided guidelines for the award based upon the number and types of missions or hours. Twenty-five Category I missions (air assault and equally dangerous missions) and accrual of a minimum of 25 hours of flight time while engaged in Category I missions was the standard established for which sustained operations were deemed worthy of recognition by an award of the Air Medal. However, the regulation was clear that these guidelines were considered only a departure point. a. Combat missions were divided into three categories. A category I mission was defined as a mission performed in an assault role in which a hostile force was engaged and was characterized by delivery of ordnance against the hostile force or delivery of friendly troops or supplies into the immediate combat operations area. A category II mission was characterized by support rendered a friendly force immediately before, during, or immediately following a combat operation. A category III mission was characterized by support of friendly forces not connected with an immediate combat operation but which must have been accomplished at altitudes which made the aircraft at times vulnerable to small arms fire or under hazardous weather or terrain conditions. b. To be recommended for award of the Air Medal, an individual must have completed a minimum of 25 category I missions, 50 category II missions, or 100 category III missions. Since various types of missions would have been completed in accumulating flight time toward award of an Air Medal for sustained operations, different computations would have had to be made to combine category I, II, and III flight times and adjust it to a common denominator. 3. Army Regulation 672-5-1 (Awards), in effect at the time, stated the Army Good Conduct Medal was awarded for each 3 years of continuous enlisted active Federal military service completed on or after 27 August 1940; for first award only, 1 year served entirely during the period 7 December 1941 to 2 March 1946; and, for the first award only, upon termination of service on or after 27 June 1950 of less than 3 years but more than 1 year. The enlisted person must have had all “excellent” conduct and efficiency ratings. Ratings of “Unknown” for portions of the period under consideration were not disqualifying. Service school efficiency ratings based upon academic proficiency of at least “Good” rendered subsequent to 22 November 1955 were not disqualifying. There must have been no convictions by a court-martial. However, there was no right or entitlement to the medal until the immediate commander made a positive recommendation for its award and until the awarding authority announced the award in general orders. //NOTHING FOLLOWS// ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20180011739 6 1