PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:     

	BOARD DATE:           12 December 2002                   
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR2002075490

	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	
	Mr. Walter Avery, Jr.		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Mr. Roger W. Able		Chairperson	
	Ms. Karen Y. Fletcher		Member	
	Mr. Bernard P. Ingold  		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 correction of his records to reflect all authorized awards and show his period of service in Korea.

3.  The applicant states, in effect, that all of his awards and the period of his service in Korea are not reflected on his separation document.

4.  In support of his request, the applicant submits a copy of his DD Form 214 (Report of Separation From The Armed Forces of the United States), a copy of 5th Regimental Combat Association Newsletter addressed to him by name and a copy of a 361st Station Hospital, Evacuation Order Number 247, dated 10 December 1950, that indicate that the applicant was evacuated by air on 18 December 1950.

5.  The applicant's military records were lost or destroyed in the 1973 fire at the National Personnel Records Center.  Information herein is derived from documents provided by the applicant.

6.  His DD Form 214 shows that he entered into the Regular Army on 4 January 1949.  His branch was armor and he achieved the rank of sergeant.  On 4 January 1952, he separated from active duty with an honorable character of service.

7.  The applicant’s DD Form 214 shows he was awarded the Good Conduct Medal.

8.  In previous letters and inquiries regarding his records the applicant has stated he was stationed in Korea from August through December 1950, that he was medically evacuated from Korea in December 1950, and that he was assigned to the 72nd Engineer Battalion, 5th Regimental Combat Team.

9.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 (Military Awards) provides, in pertinent part, that the Korean Service Medal is awarded for qualifying service in the theater of operations between 27 June 1950 and 27 July 1954.

10.  The awards regulation also provides that: 

a.  the National Defense Service Medal is awarded for honorable active service for any period between 27 June 1950 through 27 July 1954, 1 January 1961 through 14 August 1974, 2 August 1990 through 30 November 1995, and 11 September 2001 to a date to be determined.

           b.  the United Nations Service Medal is awarded for service between 27 June 1950 and 27 July 1954.  The regulation provides that this service medal was awarded to members of the Armed Forces of the United States dispatched to Korea or adjacent areas on behalf of the United Nations.  Award of the Korean Service Medal automatically establishes eligibility for award of the United Nations Service Medal.

c.  the  Bronze Service Star, based on qualifying service for each campaign listed in Appendix B of this regulation, will be worn on the appropriate service medal.  The applicant is authorized to wear three Bronze Service Stars on his Korean Service Medal for participation in the United Nations Defensive Campaign, the United Nations Offensive Campaign and the CCF Intervention Campaign.

11.  Department of the Army Pamphlet 672-1 (Unit Citation and Campaign Participation Credit Register) lists the unit awards and citations received by units serving in the Korean conflict.  This document shows the unit, to which the applicant was assigned, was cited for award of the Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation for actions during the period 15 September through 24 December 1950 by Department of the Army General Orders Number 8, 1952. 

12.  On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Korean War, the Government of the Republic of Korea issued the Korean War Service Medal to pay tribute to eligible Korean War veterans for their historic endeavors to preserve the freedom of the Republic of Korea and the free world.  On 20 August 1999, the Department of Defense approved acceptance and wear of this foreign award.  The Department of Defense has assigned responsibility to the Department of the Air Force for distribution of the Korean War Service Medal to eligible veterans of all services.  In order to assist the applicant, the Board is furnishing him with a copy of the Department of the Air Force administrative instructions for requesting award of the Korean War Service Medal.  When the Korean War Service Medal is authorized by the Department of the Air Force, the applicant may apply to the Army Board for Correction of Military Records to add this foreign unit award to his DD Form 214.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The evidence of record indicates that the applicant is entitled to the Korean Service Medal with three Bronze Service Stars, the National Defense Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, and the Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation.

2.  The evacuation order and statement by the applicant leads the Board to conclude that the applicant served in Korea for the period August through December 1950, and will be posted on his separation document as requested to show the period of his service in Korea.

3.  The Department of Defense assigned responsibility to the Department of the Air Force for distribution of the Korean War Service Medal to eligible veterans or their surviving next of kin.  To apply, veterans must submit a copy of their discharge paper (DD Form 214) to the Awards and Decorations Section, Headquarters, Air Force Personnel Center, 550 C Street West Suite 12, Randolph Air Force Base, Texas 78150-4714.  A sample request form is being provided to the applicant.  Once the Department of the Air Force has authorized the Korean War Service Medal, the applicant may apply to the Army Board for Correction of Military Records to add this foreign award to his DD Form 214.

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

RECOMMENDATION:

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

a.  showing he was awarded the Korean Service Medal with three Bronze Service Medals, the National Defense Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, and the Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation; and

b.  reflecting that he served in Korea from August through December of 1950.

BOARD VOTE:  

___rwa__  ____bpi__  ___kyf___  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		_________Roger W. Able_________
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2002075490	
SUFFIX		
RECON	YYYYMMDD	
DATE BOARDED	20021212	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE	(HD, GD, UOTHC, UD, BCD, DD, UNCHAR)	
DATE OF DISCHARGE	YYYYMMDD	
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY	AR . . . . .  	
DISCHARGE REASON		
BOARD DECISION	GRANT	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1.	107.0070	
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.