ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS BOARD DATE: 1 October 2019 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20190007528 APPLICANT REQUESTS: correction to his WD AGO Form 53-55 (Enlisted Record and Report of Separation - Honorable Discharge) by awarding the Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB). APPLICANT'S SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS CONSIDERED BY THE BOARD: * DD Form 149 (Application for Correction of Military Record) * Letter from daughter to President Trump dated 8 May 2019 * Company A, 134th Infantry Regiment Personnel Roster * Letter from the U. S. Army Human Resources Command (AHRC) dated 12 September 2018 * Reference cite for CIB * Honorable Discharge Certificate dated 6 December 1945 * WD AGO Form 53-55 FACTS: 1. The applicant did not file within the 3 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 his WD AGO Form 53-55 does not list the CIB in item 33 (Decorations and Citations). He states he should be entitled to it as he was a Rifleman in military occupational specialty (MOS) 745 in an infantry unit during combat operations, specifically the Rhineland and Ardennes Campaigns. 3. The applicant’s military records were subject to damage during the 1973 fire at the National Personnel Records Center at St. Louis, Missouri. A reconstructed record was made containing the following documents: * WD AGO 53-55 dated 6 December 1945 * Honorable Discharge Certificate dated 6 December 1945 * Request for reissue of award medals dated 6 April 1992 * DA Form 1577(Authorization for Issuance of Awards) dated 3 August 1993 4. The applicant was inducted into the Army of the United States on 6 June 1944 and after subsequent training as a Rifleman MOS 745, he departed for the United States Army European Theater of Operations (ETO) on 25 November 1945 per his WD AGO 53-55. 5. The applicant was assigned to A Company, 134th Infantry Regiment per historical documents he found on a website (http://www.coulthart.com/134/index.htm) for the regiment. A company personnel roster was submitted with the DD Form 149. He was additionally listed on a morning report for A Company 134th Infantry Regiment dated 3 January 1945 (http://www.coulthart.com/134/mr-a-company/mr-134-a-1945-1-3.pdf) as lightly wounded in action. 6. The applicant was released from active duty on 6 December 1945. His WD AGO 53- 55 does not show the CIB as an authorized award in item 33. It does contain the following pertinent information: * Item 6 (Organization) – 17th Military Police Company * Item 30 (MOS and Number) – Rifleman 745 * Item 32 (Battles and Campaigns) – Rhineland and Ardennes * Item 33 – Purple Heart, European African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with two bronze service stars, Victory Medal World War II * Item 34 (Wounds Received in Action) – Belgium on 3 January 1945 7. The applicant’s daughter sent a letter to President Trump dated 8 May 2019 on behalf of her father. She states her father was assigned to Company A, 134th Regiment, with the specialty of Rifleman. He fought in France and Belgium and was wounded in action. While in the hospital in England a young Soldier woke him to inform him of his awards which included the CIB. A few months later he received the medals with the exception of the CIB. After his recovery he returned stateside and was assigned to the military police at a base in Texas. 8. The applicant previously applied to the Awards and Decorations Branch at AHRC for his CIB. In a letter dated 12 September 2018 his request was denied due to lack of sufficient documentation because his reconstructed record did not contain orders awarding him the CIB nor evidence he was paid CIB special pay. 9. An additional consideration for the Board is awarding him a Bronze Star Medal. By regulation, Soldiers serving during World War II who received a CIB or a Combat Medical Badge (CMB) would also be authorized a Bronze Star Medal. The CIB or CMB would serve as the citation for the award. BOARD DISCUSSION: The Board considered the applicant’s request with all supporting documents, evidence in the service record and applicable policies and guidance and found that relief was warranted. 1. There is sufficient evidence that the applicant met the criteria for award of the Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB): he served as an Infantryman in MOS 745 in the Rhineland and Ardennes Campaigns of World War II, he served in an Infantry company, and he was wounded in action in Belgium on 3 January 1945, for which he received the Purple Heart Medal. 2. Additionally, the Board found sufficient evidence to award the applicant the Bronze Star Medal in conjunction with award of the CIB. The applicant served honorably in two World War II campaigns and was wounded in action in Belgium. Per regulation, Soldiers serving in World War II who received a CIB are also authorized a Bronze Star Medal and The CIB serves as the citation for the award. 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: 1. amending item 33 (Decorations and Citations) of the applicant’s WD AGO Form 53- 55 (Enlisted Record and Report of Separation - Honorable Discharge), dated 6 December 1945 by adding the Combat Infantryman Badge and Bronze Star Medal. 2. awarding him the Combat Infantryman Badge for action in Belgium on 3 January 1945. 3. awarding him the Bronze Star Medal for action in Belgium on 3 January 1945. 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 3 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. War Department Circular 269-1943 established the Combat Infantryman Badge and the Expert Infantryman Badge to recognize and provide an incentive to infantrymen. The Expert Infantryman Badge was to be awarded for attainment of certain proficiency standards or by satisfactory performance of duty in action against the enemy. The Combat Infantryman Badge was awarded for exemplary conduct in action against the enemy. War Department Circular 186-1944 further provided that the Combat Infantryman Badge was to be awarded only to infantrymen serving with infantry units of brigade, regimental or smaller size. Additionally, World War II holders of the Combat Infantryman Badge received a monthly pay supplement known as combat infantry pay and holders of the Expert Infantryman Badge were entitled to expert infantry pay. Therefore, Soldiers had economic as well as intangible reasons to ensure that their records were correct. Thus, pay records are frequently the best available source to verify entitlement to this award. The Awards Branch, Total Army Personnel Command, has advised in similar cases that, during World War II, the Combat Infantryman Badge was normally awarded only to enlisted individuals who served in the following positions: a. Light machine gunner (604) b. Heavy machine gunner (605) c. Platoon sergeant (651) d. Squad leader (653) e. Rifleman (745) f. Automatic rifleman (746) g. Heavy weapons NCO (812) h. Gun crewman (864) 3. Army Regulation 600-8-22 (Military Awards) also provides, in pertinent part, that the Bronze Star Medal is awarded for heroism and for meritorious achievement or service in military operations against an armed enemy. The Bronze Star Medal 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 Combat Infantryman Badge or the Combat Medical Badge is considered to be a citation in orders. This means, in effect, that the Bronze Star Medal is to be awarded to individuals who were authorized either badge for service during World War II. This provision did not go into effect until 10 September 1947. //NOTHING FOLLOWS// ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20190007528 4 1