PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:  

	BOARD DATE:           11 February 2003   
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR2002079110

	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	
	Ms. Wanda L. Waller		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Mr. Samuel A. Crumpler		Chairperson	
	Ms. Regan K. Smith		Member	
	Mr. Antonio Uribe		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, in effect, correction of his WD AGO Form 53-55 (Enlisted Record and Report of Separation) to show award of the Bronze Star Medal. 

3.  The applicant states, in effect, that his military records should be corrected to show award of the Bronze Star Medal (based on award of the Combat Medical Badge).  He contends that he was sent the Bronze Star Medal.  

4.  The applicant’s military records were destroyed or lost during the National Personnel Records Center fire of 1973.  Records available to the Board were obtained from alternate sources and show that the applicant was inducted on 
22 December 1942.  He served as a medical aidman in the European Theater of Operations from 5 April 1944 through 1 November 1945 and was honorably discharged on 16 November 1945.

5.  The applicant's WD AGO Form 53-55, which was authenticated in his own hand, does not show the Bronze Star Medal as an authorized award.

6.  The Board noted the applicant’s records contain a DA Form 1577 (Authorization for Issuance of Awards) prepared by the Army Reserve Personnel Center in St. Louis, Missouri, dated 20 February 1990, which shows that he was issued a Bronze Star Medal, a Combat Medical Badge and a European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with four bronze service stars which are not shown on his WD AGO Form 53-55.  The DA Form 1577 merely authorizes issuance of decorations, medals, unit citations and badges and is not sufficient as a basis for entitlement to an award or correction of military records.  Therefore, the Board will make a determination regarding the applicant’s entitlement to award of a Bronze Star Medal, a Combat Medical Badge and a European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with four bronze service stars and any other awards to which the applicant may be entitled.

7.  The applicant's WD AGO Form 53-55 shows that he was assigned to the Medical Detachment 266th Engineer Battalion in military occupational specialty 657 (medical aidman) during World War II.     

8.  The applicant's War Department Form 372A (Final Payment - Work Sheet) does not show entitlement to medical badge pay. 

9.  The applicant's WD AGO Form 53-55 shows the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal as an authorized award.  His discharge document also shows that he participated in four battles and campaigns during World War II.

10.  Review of the available records and Army Regulation 600-8-22 (Military Awards) does not reveal entitlement to any additional awards. 

11.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 provides, in pertinent part, that the Bronze Star Medal is awarded for heroism and for meritorious achievement or service in military operations against an armed enemy.  The Bronze Star Medal is authorized for each individual who was cited in orders or awarded a certificate for exemplary conduct in ground combat between 7 December 1941 and 2 September 1945 or whose achievement or service, during that period, was confirmed by documents executed prior to 1 July 1947.  An award of the Combat Infantryman Badge or the Combat Medical Badge is considered to be a citation in orders.  This means, in effect, that the Bronze Star Medal is to be awarded to individuals who were authorized either badge for service during World War II.

12.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 provides, in pertinent part, that the Combat Medical Badge is awarded to medical department personnel (colonel and below) who are assigned or attached to a medical unit of company or smaller size that is organic to an infantry unit of brigade, regimental or smaller size which is engaged in active ground combat.  Battle participation credit is not sufficient; the infantry unit must have been in contact with the enemy and the soldier must have been personally present and under fire during such ground combat.

13.  Army Regulation 600-8-22, in pertinent part, authorizes award of the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal for qualifying service in the European-African-Middle Eastern Theater of Operations for the period 7 December 1941 to 8 November 1945.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 also authorizes a bronze service star, based on qualifying service, for each campaign listed in Appendix B of this regulation or listed in item 32 (Battles and Campaigns) of the WD AGO Form 53-55.  The regulation states that authorized bronze service stars will be worn on the appropriate campaign or service medal including the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal.  
  
CONCLUSIONS:

1.  Notwithstanding the DA Form 1577 which shows that the applicant was issued the Combat Medical Badge, evidence of record shows that he served as an aidman assigned to an engineer battalion, not to an infantry unit of brigade, regimental or smaller size.  Therefore, the Board determined that the applicant is not entitled to an award of the Combat Medical Badge.

2.  Based on the foregoing, the applicant is not entitled to the Bronze Star Medal (based on award of the Combat Medical Badge) or correction of his military records to show this medal. 

3.  The applicant’s WD AGO Form 53-55 shows the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal as an authorized award.  However, evidence of record shows the applicant participated in four battles and campaigns during his service in the European Theater of Operations which are not correctly shown by award of four bronze service stars for wear on his European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal.  Therefore, in accordance with the governing regulation, the applicant is entitled to the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with four bronze service stars and correction of his WD AGO Form 53-55 to show these awards.   

4.  In view of the foregoing findings and conclusions, it would be appropriate to correct the applicant’s records, but only as recommended below.

RECOMMENDATION:

1.  That all of the Department of the Army records related to this case be corrected by showing that the individual concerned was awarded the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with four bronze service stars.

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

BOARD VOTE:  

SAC___  RKS____  AU______  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		__Samuel A. Crumpler___
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2002079110	
SUFFIX		
RECON		
DATE BOARDED	20030211	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE		
DATE OF DISCHARGE		
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY		
DISCHARGE REASON		
BOARD DECISION	GRANT	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1.	107.0014	
2.	107.0065	
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.