AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY REC$$Pq 

RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 

IN THE MATTER OF: 

t 2  L  111998 

DOCKET NUMBER:  97-02618 
COUNSEL:  NONE 
HEARING DESIRED:  NO 

APPLICANT REOUESTS THAT: 
His  records  be  corrected  to  reflect  award  of  the  Army  of 
Occupation Medal, with Japan -  Korea Clasp. 
His 20  October 1949 Report of Separation, WD  AGO Form 53-58,  be 
corrected to reflect credit for time served in Korea. 
His  Reports  of  Separation,  WD  AGO  Form  53-58,  issued  on 
20 October 1949,  and DD Form 214,  issued on 17 January 1952,  be 
corrected  as  stated  (eye color, height,  organization, military 
occupation, and add missing decorations). 

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT: 
While he was in Japan, he wore the Army of Occupation Medal, with 
a  clasp that  said Japan-Korea.  He  realizes there  is only  one 
medal.  The point  is that he was  in Korea and he  is not  being 
recognized for being there. 

In support of his request, applicant submits copies of his WG AGO 
Form  53-58,  ration card, enlisted  men's  club  card, Korean  Red 
Cross card, and extract from the Veterans of Foreign Wars  (VFW) 
magazine and additional documents associated with his contentions 
(Exhibit A ) .  

STATEMENT OF FACTS: 
Applicant contracted his initial enlistment in the Air Force on 
26 November  1947  for a period  of  3  years.  Applicant's WD  AGO 
Form  53-58  reveals his  overseas  assignment  was  for  the  period 
8 June 1948 -  8 October 1949, for a total of 1 year, 4 months and 
1 day.  On 20 October  1949, he  received a general discharge in 
the  grade  of  private,  under  to  provisions  of  AR  615-365 
(convenience of the government).  He served a total of 1 year, 10 
months and 25 days at the time of his discharge. 
On 8 January 1951, applicant reenlisted in the Air Force in the 
grade  of  private  first  class  for  a  period  of  4  years.- 
On 
17 January 1952, he was honorable discharged under the provisions 

s 

of AFR 39-13 (Hardship).  He had completed a total of 1 year and 
10 days of service and 2  days lost under Art 140, UCMJ. 

AIR FORCE EVALUATION: 
The Recognition Programs Branch, HQ AFPC/DPPPRA, stated that the 
applicant indicated he was stationed in Korea 3  September 1945 - 
29 June 1949 and in Japan 3 September 1945 -  27 April 1952.  The 
applicant  has  received the Army  of  Occupation Medal  with  Japan 
Clasp.  The Korean Service Medal and United Nations Service Medal 
are both awarded for the period 27 July 1950 -  27 July 1954.  The 
applicant was informed that he is not eligible for these medals. 
DPPPRA  stated  that  there  is  no  Korea  clasp  for  the  Army  of 
Occupation Medal.  Applicant cannot be awarded a clasp that does 
not  exist.  DPPPRA  recommended  disapproval of  the  applicant's 
request  for  award  of  the  Army  of  Occupation Medal  with  Korea 
clasp (Exhibit C) . 

APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION: 
He stated that as for being in Korea 3 Sep 45 -  29  Jun 49, that 
is when the occupation started and ended for Korea.  He was there 
in July, Auqust and part of September 1948.  He did not request 
the Korean Service Medal  or the United Nations Medal.  He wore 
the  Army  of  Occupation  Medal  with  the  clasp  on  it  that  said 
Japan-Korea.  While  in England, he  gave  his  occupation ribbon, 
with the clasp that said Japan-Korea, to an English lady who gave 
him  a  cup of  tea  after he  walked  her  home.  The Veteran's  of 
Foreign  Wars  (VFW) Magazine  stated  all  the  facts  about  the 
occupation medals in the August 1997 issue (Exhibit E). 

ADDITIONAL AIR FORCE EVALUATION: 
Pursuant to the Board's  request for clarification of an item in 
the Veterans of Foreign Wars  (VFW) Magazine, indicating the Army 
of  Occupation-Far  East  Medal  was  awarded  for  overseas  duty  in 
Korea, during  the period  3  September  1945 -  29 June  1949; and 
whether  or  not  the  applicant meets  the  criteria  for  receiving 
credit  for  serving  in  Korea,  HQ  AFPC/DPPPRA  provided  the 
following response. 
DPPPRA stated that, in accordance with the Department of Defense 
1348.33 Manual, September 1996, the Army of Occupation Medal for 
30  consecutive days'  service was  awarded  for  military  service 
between  3  Sep  45  -  27  Apr  52  for  service  in  Japan  and  for 
military  service  during  3  Sep  45  -  29  Jun  49  for  service  in 
Korea. 
Hence,  this  portion  of  the  VFW  article  is  correct. 
However, DPPPRA cannot explain the middle  reproduction of "Army 
of Occupation -  Far East." DPPPRA provided a copy of the actual 
medal stocked and issued by the Air Force and a page from Medals 
of America  catalog showing the medal they offer f o r   sale, which 
is exactly what the Air Force has. 
DPPPRA stated that the VFW 

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97-02618 

Magazine item the applicant enclosed is merely for individuals to 
determine their eligibility for membership in the VFW. 

DPPPRA  stated  that  the  applicant's  20  October  1949  Report  of 
Separation  has  no  block  to  reflect  the  specific  overseas 
assignment ( s )   of individuals.  He received the Army of' Occupation 
Medal,  with  Japan  Clasp,  as  the  only  award  to  which  he  was 
considered  entitled  at  that  time. 
His  records  have  been 
corrected  to  reflect  award  of  the  Good  Conduct  Medal  and  the 
National Defense Service Medal.  DPPPRA stated that the applicant 
does not  meet  the  criteria for receiving credit  for service in 
Korea. 

DPPPRA stated that there are no additional awards or decorations 
to which the applicant is entitled and no place on his Report of 
Separation  to  list  places  of  his  overseas  service. 
DPPPRA 
recommended disapproval of  the applicant's request for award of 
the Army of Occupation Medal with Korea clasp  (Exhibit C). 

APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF THE ADDITIONAL AIR FORCE EVALUATION: 

He  stated  that  the  administrative  corrections were  erroneously 
made to his 17 January 1952 DD Form 214 instead of his 20 October 
1949 Report of Separation. 
The Air Force advisory states he is not entitled to award of the 
Occupation  Medal  Korea  because  it  is  not  on  his  WD  AGO  Form 
53-58.  The reason he  submitted his  application is because his 
Korean service was not listed on his WD AGO Form 53-58.  He was 
in Korea July, August and September 1948  (Exhibit E). 

THE BOARD CONCLUDES THAT: 

The applicant has exhausted all remedies provided by existing 

1. 
law or regulations. 
2.  The application was not  timely filed; however, it  is in the 
interest of justice to excuse the failure to timely file. 

3.  Insufficient  relevant  evidence  has  been  presented  to 
demonstrate  the  existence of  probable  error  or  injustice.  We 
took notice of the applicant's complete submission in judging the 
merits of  the case concerning award of  the Army of Occupational 
Medal, with Japan-Korea Clasp, and correction to his WD AGO  Form 
53-38 to reflect credit  for time served in Korea.  However, we 
are in agreement with the opinion and recommendation of the Air 
Force office of primary responsibility (HQ AFPC/DPPPRA) and adopt 
their  rationale  as  the  basis  for  our  conclusion  that  the 
applicant  has  not  been  the  victim  of  an  error  or  injustice. 
Therefore, absent sufficient evidence to the contrary, we find no 
compelling basis  to  recommend  granting  the  applicant's request 
concerning the aforementioned issues. 

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9 7 - 0 2 6 1 8  

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4.  With  regard  to  the  administrative  corrections  to  the 
applicant 
I  s  Reports of  Separation, we noted that the previously 
approved corrections were erroneously'entered on the DD Form 215. 
Inasmuch  as  the  Reports  of  Separation  were  not  properly 
corrected, we recommend that the applicant's records be corrected 
as indicated below. 

THE BOARD RECOMMENDS THAT: 

The pertinent military records of the Department of the Air Force 
relating to APPLICANT be corrected as follows: 

a.  The DD Form  215, Correction to DD Form 214, Certificate 
of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, issued on 24 September 
1997, be declared void. 

b.  The  WD  AGO  Form  53-58,  Enlisted  Record  and  Report  of 
Separation, issued on 20 October 1949, be amended to read:  Block 
Block  13  (Color 
6  (Organization) '\8th  Air  Police  Sq- 
Eyes)  'Green";  Block  15  (Height) "5  feet  6  inches";  Block  30 
(Military Occupational Specialty) "Military Policeman." 

c.  The  DD  Form  214,  Report  of  Separation  from  the  Armed 
Forces  of  the  United  States,  issued  on  17  January  1952,  be 
amended to read:  Block 12, Color Eyes -  "Green" and Height -  "5 
feet 6  inches"; Block 27, Decorations -  add "Good Conduct Medal" 
and the 'National  Defense Service Medal." 

The following members of the Board considered this application in 
Executive Session on 21 July  1 9 9 8 ,   under the provisions of AFI 
36-2603: 

Mr. David W. Mulgrew, Panel Chair 
Mr. Joseph G. Diamond, Member 
Mr. Terry A. Yonkers, Member 

All members voted  to correct the records, as recommended. 
following documentary evidence was considered: 

The 

Exhibit A.  DD Form 149, dated 29 Aug 97, w/atchs. 
Exhibit B.  Applicant's Master Personnel Records. 
Exhibit C.  Letters, HQ AFPC/DPPPRA, dated 1 Oct 97 and 
Exhibit D.  Letters, SAF/MIBR, dated 20 Oct 97 and 9  Mar 98. 
Exhibit E.  Letters from applicant, dated 23 Oct 97 and 

2 Mar 98, w/atchs. 

26 Mar 98, w/atchs.  n 

DAVID w. M U L G R E ~  
Panel Chair 

4 

97-02618 

DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE 

WASHINGTON, DC 

Office of the Assistant Secretary 

AF’BCMR 97-026 1 8 

MEMORANDUM FOR THE CHIEF OF STAFF 

Having received and considered the recommendation of the Air Force Board for Correction 

of Military Records and under the authority of Section 1552, Title 10, United States Code (70A 
Stat 116), it is directed that: 

of the Department of the Air Force relating to- 
corrected as follows: 

a.  The DD Form 215, Correction to DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or 

Discharge fiom Active Duty, issued on 24 September 1997, be, and hereby is, declared void. 

b.  The WD AGO Form 53-58, Enlisted Record and 
20 October 1949, be amended to read:  Block 6 (Organization) 
Block 13 (Color Eyes) “Green”; Block 15 (Height) “5  feet 6 inc 
Occupational Specialty) ‘‘Military Policeman.” 

n 

c.  The DD Form 2 14, Report of Separation fiom the Armed Forces of the United 
States, issued on 17 January 1952, be amended to read:  Block 12, Color Eyes - “Green” and 
Height - “5 feet 6 inches”; Block 27, Decorations - add “Good Conduct Medal” and the 
“National Defense Service Medal.” 

Director 
Air Force Review Boards Agency 

U