PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:      

	BOARD DATE:           10 JULY 2003                   
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR2002081721

	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. Deborah L. Brantley		Senior Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Mr. Roger W. Able		Chairperson	
	Ms. Barbara J. Ellis		Member	
	Mr. Larry C. Bergquist		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 records be corrected to reflect award of the Army Commendation Medal.  In support of his request he submits a copy of his “Commendation Ribbon with Pendant” certificate, which was awarded to him in October 1951 in recognition of his meritorious achievement during the period 
15 January 1951 to 14 July 1951.

3.  The applicant’s military records were apparently lost or destroyed as a result of the 1973 fire at the National Personnel Records Center.  Information contained herein was reconstructed from alternative sources.

4.  The applicant entered active duty on 9 December 1948 and was assigned overseas for approximately 13 months where he was awarded the Korean Service Medal and a Bronze Star Medal.

5.  According to the certificate, submitted by the applicant in support of his request, he was awarded the Commendation Ribbon with Metal Pendant in October 1951.  The award certificate was authenticated by Secretary of the Army Frank Pace, Jr., who was Secretary of the Army between April 1950 and January 1953 and by Major General William E. Bergin, who was the Adjutant General of The Army between July 1951 and May 1954.  Attempts to locate a copy of orders, confirming the applicant’s award, from files maintained at the National Archives in College Park, Maryland were not successful.

6.  The applicant was honorably discharged on 2 June 1952.  His award of the Commendation Ribbon with Metal Pendant was not recorded on his separation document.

7.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 states that the awards of the Army Commendation Ribbon and of the Commendation Ribbon with Metal Pendant were redesigned by Department of the Army General Orders in March 1960, as awards of the Army Commendation Medal.

8.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 also states that the National Defense Service Medal was established in 1953 and awarded for honorable active service for any period between 27 June 1950 and 27 July 1954.

9.  As a matter of information, 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 to eligible United States veterans of the Korean War, or their surviving next of kin.  The medal is provided at no cost to the veterans.  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 or their surviving next of kin.  To apply, veterans must provide a copy of their discharge paper (Department of Defense 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 Korean War Service Medal has been 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 award to his separation document.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The Board notes that there were no orders available to the Board awarding the applicant the Army Commendation Medal, however, his award certificate is signed by the appropriate Secretary of the Army and Adjutant General of The Army, and the period of service covered by the award is consistent with the applicant’s service in the military.  In the absence orders, or evidence to the contrary, the Board accepts the applicant’s award certificate as authentication of entitlement to the Army Commendation Medal and in the interest of justice concludes it would be appropriate to add the award to his separation document.

2.  The Board notes that the applicant is also entitled to the National Defense Service Medal.  His records should be corrected accordingly.

3.  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 showing that the individual concerned was awarded the Army Commendation Medal and that he is entitled to the National Defense Service Medal.

BOARD VOTE:  

__RWA__  __BJE __  ___LCB _  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		_____Roger W. Able______
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2002081721	
SUFFIX		
RECON	YYYYMMDD	
DATE BOARDED	20030710	
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.	107.00	
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.