ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS

RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS


	IN THE CASE OF: 

	BOARD DATE:  24 July 2019

	DOCKET NUMBER:  AR20180014235


APPLICANT REQUESTS:  Award of the Purple Heart.  

APPLICANT'S SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS CONSIDERED BY THE BOARD: 

* DD Form 149 (Application for Correction of Military Record)
* WD AGO Form 53-55 (Enlisted Record and Report of Separation Honorable Discharge)  
* 7-page self-authored letter, dated 21 July 1986, addressed to a third-party

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's 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 his records were lost or destroyed in that fire.  This case is being considered based on the documents he provided.

3.  The applicant states he was wounded during a night patrol.  They were on a mission to destroy an "88" German pillbox on the German side of the river in Belgium in February 1945.  He was a demolition specialist.  The Germans started shooting at them and he was hit once, but not badly.

4.  The applicant's WD AGO Form 53-55 shows:

	a.  He was inducted into the Army of the United States on 24 August 1943 and entered active duty on 19 September 1943.

	b.  He served with the 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment (PIR).

	c.  His arm of service was infantry and his military occupational specialty was demolition specialist.

	d.  His military qualifications include the Sharpshooter Marksmanship Qualification Badge with Rifle Bar and the Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB).

     e.  He served in Europe from 2 November 1944 to 29 December 1945.
     
     f.  He participated in the Ardennes, Central Europe, and Rhineland campaigns.
     
     g.  He was awarded or authorized the:
     
* American Service [Campaign] Medal
* European-African-Middle Eastern (EAME) Campaign Medal
* Army Good Conduct Medal
* World War II Victory Medal 
     
     h.  In item 34 (Wounds Received in Action) is annotated "None."
     
     i.  He was honorably discharged on 18 January 1946.

5.  The applicant provided a 7-page self-authored letter, dated 21 July 1986, and addressed to a third-party.  The applicant states the "addendum" is an old paper he sent to their 507th PIR regimental committee covering the Ardennes patrol in 1945 during the Battle of the Bulge.  It covers his request back in 1986 for information on a fellow trooper in his patrol who was wounded in Belgium.  The applicant further states the addendum provides a more elaborate review of the patrol's actions and his wounding.  It might be helpful to the Board in determining his request to be awarded the Purple Heart.  

BOARD DISCUSSION:

1.  The Board carefully considered the applicant’s request, his statement and evidence in the record.  The Board noted that this was a case involving a burnt record and considered his specialty, his awards and the content of his statement.  The Board determined, by preponderance of evidence, that the applicant should be awarded the Purple Heart for wounds received in February 1945. 

2.  After reviewing the application and all supporting documents, the Board found the relief was warranted.

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 Army records of the individual concerned be corrected by: 
1. Awarding him the Purple Heart for wounds received in February 1945 and;
2. Issuing him a DD Form 214, adding the Purple Heart, for the period of service ending 18 January 1946.


  


	 
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



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 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 600-8-22 (Military Awards) states:
   a.  The Purple Heart is awarded for a wound sustained in action against an enemy or as a result of hostile action.  Substantiating evidence must be provided to verify the wound was the result of hostile action, the wound must have required treatment by medical personnel, and the medical treatment must have been made a matter of official record.

   b.  The Bronze Star Medal (BSM) is awarded for heroism and for meritorious achievement or service in military operations against an armed enemy.  The BSM is authorized for each individual who was cited in orders or awarded a certificate for exemplary conduct in ground combat between 7 December 1941 and 2 September 1945 or whose achievement or service during that period was confirmed by documents executed prior to 1 July 1947.  An award of the CIB is considered to be a citation in orders for the BSM.  Therefore, the BSM is to be awarded to individuals who were authorized the CIB for service during World War II.

   c.  A bronze service star is authorized for wear on the EAME Campaign Medal for each campaign a member is credited with participating in.
   
   	d.  The "arrowhead" will be worn on the appropriate service medal to denote participation in a combat parachute jump, helicopter assault landing, combat glider landing, or amphibious assault landing while assigned or attached as a member of an organized force carrying out an assigned tactical mission.  Individual assault credit is tied directly to the combat assault credit decision for the unit to which the Soldier is assigned.  The unit must be credited with a combat assault in order for the Soldier to receive credit for a combat assault and the Soldier must physically exit the aircraft or the watercraft as appropriate.  The arrowhead is authorized for wear on the EAME Campaign Medal.

    e.  Department of the Army Pamphlet 672-1 (Unit Citation and Campaign Participation Credit Register) contains a register of unit citations and campaign participation credit for World War II.  This pamphlet shows the 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment received occupation credit for Germany for the period 2 May-15 June 1945.  This pamphlet also shows the 507th PIR was credited with an assault landing in West Germany on 24 March 1945.

ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont)	 AR20180014235
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