IN THE CASE OF: BOARD DATE: 3 December 2021 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20210008721 APPLICANT REQUESTS: award of the arrowhead accouterment for the European- African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal to his late father for his participation in crossing the Rhine River under enemy fire on 25 March 1945 while paddling an M2 assault boat approximately 350 yards. APPLICANT'S SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS CONSIDERED BY THE BOARD: * DD Form 149 (Application for Correction of Military Record under the Provisions of Title 10, U.S. Code, Section 1552) * Addendum to DD Form 149, with 37 attachments, to include – * Headquarters, Third U.S. Army, Letter, 26 April 1945 * 87th Division Fragmentary Order Number 20, 24 March 1945 (excerpt) * War Department Adjutant General Office Forms 1 (Morning Report), 22 March 1945 through 27 March 1945 * War Department Form 372 (Final Payment – Work Sheet), 7 May 1946 * Army of the United States Honorable Discharge – Enlisted Record and Report of Separation, 7 May 1946 * State Certificate of Live Birth (Applicant), 14 February 1952 * State Certificate of Death (Former Service Member (SM)), 24 October 2001 * Military Review Article, "First Assault across the Rhine since Napoleon Bonaparte," undated (excerpt) * General Eisenhower Report, Chapter 14 (First Assault Crossing of the Rhine, 22 March 1945 – 26 March 1945), undated (excerpt) * Department of the Army Pamphlet 672-1 (Unit Citation and Campaign Participation Credit Register) (excerpt) * Army Regulation 600-8-22 (Military Awards) (excerpts) * National Archives and Records Administration Letter, 8 October 2019 * National Personnel Records Center Letter, 20 December 2019 FACTS: 1. The applicant did not file within the 3-year time frame provided in Title 10, U.S. Code, section 1552(b); however, the Army Board for Correction of Military Records (ABCMR) 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, the son of the deceased former SM, states the men of his father's unit started the crossing from the west bank of the Rhine River near Spay, Germany, to establish control of the east bank near Braubach, Germany, to establish a bridge head for its armor and artillery units to cross. Enemy fire was of such intensity that, while the first wave of the assault crossing was successful, the second wave could not cross the river. The assault crossing was never recorded properly. a. For his father's participation in an amphibious assault across the Rhine River, he became eligible for the arrowhead accoutrement as defined by Army Regulation 600-8-22. His discharge document shows he was awarded the European-African- Middle Eastern Campaign Medal for his service. b. The crux of the issue is his father's not having been awarded, nor any members of his unit, the arrowhead accoutrement for the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal. He believes that no conscious decision of a "combat assault-landing credit" ever crossed any of the participant's minds. c. He does not have his father's original discharge document. The National Personnel Records Center provided a War Department Form 372 as proof of his father's service. d. His father registered his discharge document with the county clerk and he was able to obtain a copy. A copy of his birth certificate and his father's death certificate proves he is the next of kin. e. The War Department Adjutant General Office Forms 1, 22 March 1945 to 27 March 1945, show his father was assigned to the 347th Infantry Regiment. f. Documents show the 347th Infantry Regiment – and specifically Company L, 3d Battalion's – crossing of the Rhine River. Department of the Army Pamphlet 672-1 documents the 347th Infantry Regiment's credit for the Ardennes-Alsace, Central Europe, and Rhineland campaigns, as well as occupation credit for the period 20 May 1945 to 1 July 1945. Section 5 (Miscellaneous Information) contains the following statement: "Data recorded on the following three types of awards may be incomplete for the reasons indicated." This statement, while mentioning only three types of errors, suggests that other types of information may be missing from official records. g. The records of the U.S. Army Adjutant General's Office, 1917 – (Record Group 407), Entry NM-3 427, World War II Operations Report (National Archives Identifier: 305275), shows the 347th Infantry Regiment after action report titled: "Battle of the Rhine 23-27 March 1945," indicating the crossing meets the requirements of Army Regulation 600-8-22, paragraph 7-23 (Assault-Landing Credit – Arrowhead Device). (Note: The 347th Infantry Regiment after action report titled: "Battle of the Rhine 23-27 March 1945" is not in evidence for review.) h. The excerpt of the Military Review article, "First Assault across the Rhine since Napoleon Bonaparte," undated; the excerpt of the General Eisenhower Report, chapter 14 (First Assault Crossing of the Rhine, 22 March 1945 – 26 March 1945)," undated; and the Headquarters, Third U.S. Army, letter, 26 April 1945; describe the Rhine River crossing as an assault. i. The excerpt of the 87th Division Fragmentary Order Number 20, 24 March 1945, gives instructions to subordinate commands for the assault and directed the 347th Infantry Regiment to effect crossing of the Rhine River in "Z" with two battalions in assault and seizing the objectives in "Z." (Note: no unit cited in the 87th Division Fragmentary Order Number 20 was awarded the arrowhead accouterment for the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal.) j. The Rhineland campaign ended on 21 March 1945 and the Central Europe campaign started on 22 March 1945. The applicant references multiple documents to show U.S. Navy participation in the Rhine crossing and Army Air Corps support. 3. The former SM's War Department Form 372 shows he was discharged on 7 May 1946 and his previous organization prior to separation as Company L, 347th Infantry Regiment. 4. The former SM's discharge document shows in: * item 7 (Date of Separation) – 7 May 1946 * item 22 (Date of Induction) – 31 August 1944 * item 30 (Military Occupational Specialty) – Rifleman * item 32 (Battles and Campaigns) – Rhineland and Central Europe * item 33 (Decorations and Citations) – * Army Good Conduct Medal * European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal * World War II Victory Medal 5. Department of the Army Pamphlet 672-1 shows the 347th Infantry Regiment, 87th Infantry Division, received campaign credit for Ardennes-Alsace from 18 December 1944 through 25 January 1945, Rhineland from 15 September 1944 through 21 March 1945, and Central Europe from 22 March 1945 through 11 May 1945. The unit also received occupation credit from 2 May 1945 through 13 June 1945 for Germany. 6. The National Personnel Records Center Letter, 20 December 2019, responded to the applicant, stating: a. The record needed to answer the applicant's inquiry is not in their files. If the record was there on 12 July 1973, it would have been in the area that suffered the most damage in the fire on that date and may have been destroyed. b. There was no record found to show his father was authorized the arrowhead device with the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal. If he felt an error or injustice was made in his father's military record, he may complete a DD Form 149 and submit it to the Army Review Boards Agency. BOARD DISCUSSION: After reviewing the application, all supporting documents, and the evidence found within the military record, the Board found that relief was not warranted. The applicant’s contentions, the FSM’s military record, and regulatory guidance were carefully considered. The applicant states “the crux of the issue is his father's not having been awarded, nor any members of his unit, the arrowhead accoutrement for the European- African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal. He believes that no conscious decision of a "combat assault-landing credit" ever crossed any of the participant's minds.” Regulatory guidance provides individual assault-landing credit is tied directly to the combat assault- landing credit decision for the unit to which the Soldier is attached or assigned at the time of the assault. If a unit is denied assault-landing credit, no assault-landing credit will accrue for the individual Soldiers of that unit. The FSM’s unit, 347th Infantry Regiment, did not receive assault landing credit. Based upon a preponderance of the evidence, the Board determined there is insufficient evidence to grant relief. BOARD VOTE: Mbr 1 Mbr 2 Mbr 3 : : : GRANT FULL RELIEF : : : GRANT PARTIAL RELIEF : : : GRANT FORMAL HEARING :XX :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. Title 10, U.S. Code, 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 ABCMR to excuse an applicant's failure to timely file within the 3-year statute of limitations if the ABCMR determines it would be in the interest of justice to do so. 2. Army Regulation 15-185 (Army Board for Correction of Military Records) prescribes the policies and procedures for correction of military records by the Secretary of the Army acting through the ABCMR. 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. 3. Army Regulation 600-8-22 (Military Awards) prescribes Department of the Army policy, criteria, and administrative instructions concerning individual and unit military awards. a. Paragraph 2-3 (European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal) states the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal is awarded for service within the European-African-Middle Eastern theater between 7 December 1941 and 8 November 1945 under any of the conditions as prescribed in this paragraph. b. Paragraph 6-12 (Arrowhead) states the arrowhead is a bronze replica of an Indian arrowhead, 1/4-inch high. It denotes 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. A Soldier must actually exit the aircraft or watercraft as appropriate, to receive assault-landing credit. Individual assault-landing credit is tied directly to the combat assault-landing credit decision for the unit to which the Soldier is attached or assigned at the time of the assault. If a unit is denied assault-landing credit, no assault- landing credit will accrue for the individual Soldiers of that unit. c. Paragraph 7-23 (Assault-Landing Credit-Arrowhead Device) states: (1) Assault-landing credit (award of the bronze arrowhead) may be made to units of the Army who, in the combat zone of a battle, campaign, or expedition as established by the Joint Chiefs of Staff or Department of the Army, accomplish one of the following types of assault operations: make a parachute jump into enemy-held territory as a part of an organized force carrying out an assigned tactical mission, participate in the assault waves of an amphibious landing on enemy-held territory, or make a helicopter assault landing into enemy-held territory as a part of an organizational force carrying out an assigned tactical mission. (2) The assault operation will be of such scope as to warrant Department of the Army designation as a battle or campaign and be of such magnitude as to include tactical elements of at least one other Service. The forces committed should be spearheading a major assault into enemy-controlled territory. The operation will be such that the committed forces will ultimately control the area in which they have landed and not rely on immediate link-up with other forces or extrication after a hit-and-run type of mission. Day-to-day combat assault-type missions in an already established combat zone do not qualify for award of the arrowhead device. For the individual Soldier to receive award of the arrowhead, the Soldier must physically exit the aircraft or watercraft during the assault landing. 4. Department of the Army Pamphlet 672-1 (Unit Citation and Campaign Participation Credit Register) is published to assist commanders and personnel officers in determining or establishing the eligibility of individual members for campaign participation credit, assault landing credit, unit citation badges and occupational duty awarded during World War II and the Korean War. Paragraph 5 (Miscellaneous Information) states data recorded on the following three types of awards may be incomplete for the reasons indicated. Additional information concerning unit entitlements for these three credits may be obtained from The Adjutant General. a. Formerly, awards by field commanders of the Meritorious Unit Commendation were not confirmed in general orders published by Headquarters, Department of the Army. Therefore, the register reflects only those unit awards which are of record in Department of the Army general orders. b. In instances when citations were awarded to detachments or other small elements or to temporary organizations, notes under "Remarks" indicate what additional information may be obtained from The Adjutant General. c. Credit for occupation duty is recorded in the register only for those units which were in Germany, Austria, Italy, Korea, or Japan at the time of cessation of hostilities. Units that arrived in one of those countries at later dates may not be listed. //NOTHING FOLLOWS// ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20210008721 5 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 1