2.  The applicant requests that her WD AGO Form 53-98, Military Record and Report of Separation, be corrected to show that she served in the South Pacific during World War II.

3.  She states, in effect, that she served as an Army Nurse in the South Pacific for over 17 months but that information is not reflected on her discharge papers.  She is now 85 years old and would like to have her discharge correctly reflect her service.

4.  The applicant's military records were lost or destroyed in the National Personnel Records Center fire of 1973.  Information herein was obtained from reconstructed personnel records.

5.  She entered the Army as a second lieutenant, Army Nurse Corps (ANC) on 1 December 1942.  She served 2 years, 2 months and 27 days in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater of Operations returning to the States on 12 August 1945.  The only award shown on her WD AGO Form 53-98 is the World War II Honorable Service Lapel Button.  However, the US Army Reserve Personnel Center (ARPERCEN) has made an administrative determination that she is also entitled to the World War II Victory Medal, the Women’s Army Corps Service Medal and the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal.  

6.  She was promoted to the rank of first lieutenant on 1 May 1945 and was honorably separated from active duty on 7 January 1946.

7.  On 31 October 1945 the War Department announced a new promotion policy for officers being released from active duty as the result of the demobilization after WWII.  This guidance provided, in pertinent part, provided for the separation from active duty promotions of certain officers to the next higher rank (from first lieutenant through colonel).  Officers were required to have held their prior rank a specified period of time.  In the case of promotions from first lieutenant to captain, the period was 18 months. However, the circular also provided that officers would be given 50 percent credit for all time spent in the lower rank overseas.  Promotions would be effective the date the officer departed active duty.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The applicant served overseas as an officer for over 2 years.  She was promoted to first lieutenant on 1 May 1945 and was separated from active service effective 7 January 1946.  With 50 percent credit for overseas service to be applied to the time in grade requirement for promotion, she would have completed the requisite time for promotion to the grade of captain.

2.

3.

4.

RECOMMENDATION:

That all of the Department of the Army records related to this case be corrected by                 

BOARD VOTE:  

                       GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

                       GRANT FORMAL HEARING

                       DENY APPLICATION




		                           
		        CHAIRPERSON