IN THE CASE OF: BOARD DATE: 19 August 2021 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20210008694 APPLICANT REQUESTS: correction of his DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) for the period ending 24 May 1976 to reflect award of the Air Medal (Second – Twenty Fifth Award). APPLICANT'S SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS CONSIDERED BY THE BOARD: * Self-Authored letter * DA Form 759 (Individual Flight Record and Flight Certificate – Army) * DA Form 759 -1 (Individual Flight Record and Flight Certificate – Army) * Special Orders Number 127, dated 7 May 1970 * Special Orders Number 138, dated 18 May 1970 * Air Medal Certificate (Second – Twenty Fifth Award), dated 12 December 1970 FACTS: 1. The applicant states in part that his reissued DD Form 214 fails to reflect his authorization for the Air Medal (Second – Twenty Fifth Award). 2. A review of the applicant's available service records reflects the following: a. On 20 June 1969, the applicant enlisted in the Regular Army to serve in military occupational specialty 67U (Helicopter Repairman). b. The applicant deployed to the Republic of Vietnam and performed 2 tours (10 January 1970 – 3 December 1970 and 19 June 1971 – 25 March 1972). c. On 28 March 1972, the applicant was honorably released from active duty and transferred to the U.S. Army Reserve (USAR). On 23 February 1974, he again enlisted in the Regular Army. His corrected DD Form 214 for the period ending 24 May 1976 reflects authorization for the following awards: * Air Crewman Badge * Bronze Star Medal * Valorous Unit Citation * Army Good Conduct Medal * National Defense Service Medal * Air Medal with Numeral 2 and "V" device * Vietnam Service Medal with 1 Silver Service Star * Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal with device (1960) * Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm Unit Citation * Republic of Vietnam Civil Actions Honor Medal First Class Unit Citation 3. The applicant provides: a. DA Form 759 (Individual Flight Record and Flight Certificate – Army) covering the period of April – June 1970 wherein the applicant accrued a total of 64 flight hours. b. DA Form 759 covering the period of July – November 1970 wherein the applicant accrued a total of 192 flight hours. c. DA Form 759 – 1 covering the period of May – June 1970 wherein the applicant accrued a total of 273.2 flight hours. d. DA Form 759 – 1 covering the period of July – September 1970 wherein the applicant accrued a total of 216.9 additional flight hours. e. DA Form 759 – 1 covering the period of September – October 1970 wherein the applicant accrued a total of 274.7 additional flight hours. f. DA Form 759 – 1 covering the period of November – December 1970 wherein the applicant accrued a total of 5.7 additional flight hours resulting in a total of 1,026.5 accrued flight hours between May – December 1970. g. Special Orders Number 127, dated 7 May 1970, reflective of the applicant being authorized hazardous duty pay effective 25 April 1970. h. Special Orders Number 138, dated 18 May 1970, reflective of the applicant being permanently awarded the Aircraft Crewman Badge effective 4 May 1970. i. Air Medal Certificate (Second – Twenty Fifth Awards) dated 12 December 1970, reflective of the applicant being awarded the Air Medal (Second – Twenty Fifth Awards) in recognition of his meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight from April – November 1970 while serving in the Republic of Vietnam. 4. The applicant's available service records are void of orders associated with the award of the Air Medal (Second – Twenty Fifth Awards). A review of the Awards and Decorations Computer-Assisted Retrieval System, an index of general orders issued during the Vietnam era between 1965 and 1973 maintained by the U.S. Army Human Resources Command, failed to reveal any orders for the Air Medal (Second – Twenty Fifth Award) pertaining to the applicant. BOARD DISCUSSION: 1. After reviewing the application and all supporting documents, the Board found relief is not warranted. 2. The Board found the available records insufficient to confirm that the applicant was awarded the Air Medal (Second – Twenty Fifth Award) in accordance with the criteria for the medal in effect at the time. In the absence of orders announcing the awards, the Board determined the Air Medal (Second – Twenty Fifth Award) should not be added to his record at this time. BOARD VOTE: Mbr 1 Mbr 2 Mbr 3 : : : GRANT FULL RELIEF : : : GRANT PARTIAL RELIEF : : : GRANT FORMAL HEARING :XX :XX : DENY APPLICATION BOARD DETERMINATION/RECOMMENDATION: The evidence presented does not demonstrate the existence of a probable error or injustice. Therefore, the Board determined the overall merits of this case are insufficient as a basis for correction of the records of the individual concerned. 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. U.S Army Vietnam (USARV) Regulation 672-1 (Awards) provided, in pertinent part, guidelines for award of the Air Medal for sustained operations. Appendix IV of the regulation required that recommendations for award of the Air Medal for crewmembers or non- crewmembers on flying status be submitted on USARV Form 157-R (Recommendation for Decoration for Valor or Merit). The recommendation for award must also state that the individual has “met the required number of missions and hours for award of the Air Medal”, and that “the individual has not caused, either directly or indirectly, an aircraft abort, late take-off, accident or incident”, and that the “individual’s accomplishments and service throughout the period have reflected meritorious performance, with no instance of non-professionalism, mediocrity, or failure to display an aggressive spirit." 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 2. Army Regulation 600-8-22 (Military Awards) provides that the Air Medal is awarded in time of war for heroism, for meritorious achievement and for meritorious service (sustained operations). In this regard, accumulation of a specified number of hours and missions will not serve as the basis for award of the Air Medal. As with all personal decorations, formal recommendations, approval through the chain of command, and announcement in orders are required. Arabic numerals are now used instead of oak leaf clusters for the second and succeeding awards. The numeral 1 denotes the second award. Numerals, starting with 2 will be used to denote second and subsequent awards of the Air Medal. 3. Army Regulation (AR) 15-185 (ABCMR) paragraph 2-9 states 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. //NOTHING FOLLOWS// ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20210008694 4 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 1