PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:  

	BOARD DATE:           28 February 2002                   
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR2001063927

	I certify that hereinafter is recorded the true and complete record of the proceedings of the Army Board for Correction of Military Records in the case of the above-named individual.  

| Mr. Carl W. S. Chun | | Director
| Mrs. Nancy Amos | | Analyst

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

| Mr. Raymond V. O’Connor, Jr. | | Chairperson
| Ms. Celia L. Adolphi | | Member
| Mr. John T. Meixell | | Member

	The applicant and counsel if any, did not appear before the Board.

	The Board considered the following evidence:

	Exhibit A - Application for correction of military 
                records
	Exhibit B - Military Personnel Records (including
	            advisory opinion, if any)

FINDINGS:

1.  The applicant has exhausted or the Board has waived the requirement for exhaustion of all administrative remedies afforded by existing law or regulations.

2.  The applicant requests that his Report of Transfer or Discharge, DD Form 214, be amended to add the Air Medal.

3.  The applicant states that he was released from active duty before he received the Air Medal and it was not added to his DD Form 214.  He provides no supporting evidence although he states that he has the order given with the medal.  

4.  The applicant’s military records show that he was inducted into the Army on 20 January 1965.  He completed basic combat training and advanced individual training and was awarded military occupational specialty 11B (Light Weapons Infantryman).  He completed basic airborne training.

5.  He arrived in Vietnam on or about 21 September 1965 and was assigned to Company B, 1^st Battalion (Airborne), 8^th Cavalry, 1^st Cavalry Division.  He was reassigned to the Medical Holding Detachment, U. S. Army Hospital, Okinawa on 10 December 1965.  He was reassigned back to the same unit in Vietnam on or about 30 January 1966.  He departed Vietnam on 20 July 1966 after being credited with three campaigns and was released from active duty on 19 January 1967 after completing 2 years of creditable active service with no lost time.  

6.  The applicant’s DD Form 214 shows he was awarded the Marksman Badge Rifle M14, the National Defense Service Medal, the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Purple Heart, one overseas service bar, the Parachutist Badge, and the Vietnam Service Medal.  His Enlisted Qualification Record, DA Form 20, shows that his conduct and efficiency had been rated as excellent throughout his service.  

7.  A search by the Awards Branch, U. S. Total Army Personnel Command failed to find Air Medal orders on the applicant.

8.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 provides for the award of the Air Medal to any person who will have distinguished himself while participating in aerial flight.  It is primarily intended to recognize those personnel who are on current crewmember or noncrewmember flying status which requires them to participate in aerial flight on a regular and frequent basis in the performance of their primary duties.  However, it may also be awarded to personnel whose combat duties require them to fly in the attack elements of units involved in airland assaults against an armed enemy.  Involvement in such activities serves only to establish eligibility for award of the Air Medal; the degree of heroism, meritorious achievement or exemplary service determines who should receive the award.

9.  At the time, U.S. Army Vietnam Regulation 672-1 provided that individuals who traveled by aircraft from point to point for the purpose of participating in combat assaults were eligible for the award of the Air Medal for achievement after completion of 25 assault missions.  For personnel transported by aircraft, a combat assault mission was defined as a mission where friendly troops conducted the initial landings into a hostile area for the purpose of conducting combat or combat support operations.  A passenger may have received credit for one mission for each assault landing completed.

10.  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.

11.  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 time and adjust it to a common denominator.

12.  Normally, missions flown by personnel assigned to nonaviation units would have been recorded on USARV Form 131 by the individual and signed by the certifying officer.

13.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 provides for award of the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal with 60 Device to a soldier who has served in Vietnam for at least 6 months.  It provides for award of one bronze service star to be worn on the Vietnam Service Medal for each campaign credited.

14.  Army Regulation 672-5-1, in effect at the time, provided policy and criteria concerning individual military decorations.  It stated that the Army Good Conduct Medal was awarded for each 3 years of continuous enlisted active Federal military service completed on or after 27 August 1940 and, for the first award 

only, upon termination of service on or after 27 June 1950 of less than 3 years but more than 1 year.  At the time, a soldier’s conduct and efficiency ratings must have been rated as “excellent” for the entire period of qualifying service.

15.  Department of the Army Pamphlet 672-3 shows that the 1^st Battalion, 8^th Cavalry was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for the period 23 October through 26 November 1965 and the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm Unit Citation for the period 9 August 1965 through 19 May 1969.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  A search of files at the U. S. Total Army Personnel Command failed to locate Air Medal orders on the applicant and, although he stated he has orders, he did not provide orders with his application.

2.  The evidence of record shows the applicant met the eligibility criteria for award of the Army Good Conduct Medal.

3.  The evidence of record shows the applicant met the eligibility criteria for award of the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal with 60 Device and for award of three bronze service stars to be worn on his Vietnam Service Medal.

4.  The evidence of record shows the applicant was assigned to a unit during a period of time that unit was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm Unit Citation and so is authorized to wear these awards.

5.  In view of the foregoing, the applicant’s records should be corrected as recommended below.

RECOMMENDATION:

1.  That all of the Department of the Army records related to this case be corrected by awarding the applicant the Army Good Conduct Medal for the period 20 January 1965 through 19 January 1967.

2.  That the applicant’s DD Form 214 be amended to add the Army Good Conduct Medal, the Presidential Unit Citation, the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm Unit Citation, and to show he is authorized to wear three bronze service stars with the Vietnam Service Medal.

3.  That so much of the application as is in excess of the foregoing be denied.

BOARD VOTE:  

__rvo___  __cla___  __jtm___  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

			Raymond V. O’Connor, Jr.
		______________________
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID | AR2001063927
SUFFIX |
RECON |
DATE BOARDED | 20020228
TYPE OF DISCHARGE |
DATE OF DISCHARGE |
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY |
DISCHARGE REASON |
BOARD DECISION | (GRANT)
REVIEW AUTHORITY |
ISSUES         1. | 107.0018
2. |
3. |
4. |
5. |
6. |