RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS
IN THE MATTER OF: DOCKET NUMBER: 00-02915
INDEX CODE: 107.00
COUNSEL: NONE
HEARING DESIRED: NO
_________________________________________________________________
APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:
His Enlisted Record and Report of Separation be corrected to reflect
award of the Good Conduct Medal and the Distinguished Flying Cross.
_________________________________________________________________
APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:
No contentions were made and no supporting documents were submitted.
_________________________________________________________________
STATEMENT OF FACTS:
Applicant’s Transcript of Military Record, AGO Form 01254, issued by
the U.S. Army on 15 Dec 49, reflects award of the Good Conduct Medal,
Air Medal with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters and the European-African-Middle
Eastern (EAME) Campaign Medal with 3 Bronze Service Stars.
The relevant facts pertaining to this application are contained in the
letter prepared by the appropriate office of the Air Force.
Accordingly, there is no need to recite these facts in this Record of
Proceedings.
_________________________________________________________________
AIR FORCE EVALUATION:
The Recognition Programs Branch, HQ AFPC/DPPPR, stated that the
applicant served on active duty during the period 5 Oct 42-13 Sep 45,
with an overseas tour during the period 21 May 44-20 Oct 44. The
American Campaign Medal and World War II Victory Medal have been
administratively added to the applicant’s Report of Separation. The
applicant’s records were destroyed in the 1973 fire at the National
Personnel Records Center. DPPPR indicated that the applicant has been
informed that there is no indication he was ever recommended for award
of the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC), and he has not provided any
documentation showing that a recommendation was written or submitted
into official channels. The applicant has not provided any
justification for awarding him the DFC. DPPPR recommended the
applicant’s request to add the DFC to his Report of Separation be
denied. A complete copy of this evaluation is appended at Exhibit C.
_________________________________________________________________
APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION:
A copy of the Air Force evaluation was forwarded to applicant on 22
November 2000 for review and response. As of this date, no response
has been received by this office (Exhibit D).
_________________________________________________________________
THE BOARD CONCLUDES THAT:
1. The applicant has exhausted all remedies provided by existing 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. Sufficient relevant evidence has been presented to demonstrate the
existence of probable error or injustice. After a careful review of
the available military records, we are persuaded that the applicant’s
separation document should reflect award of the Good Conduct Medal
(GCM). We base our decision on the relevance of the applicant’s
Transcript of Military Records, issued by the Department of the Army
on 15 Dec 49, which reflects award of the GCM. Given the fact that
this document was issued within a relatively short period of time
following his separation, we must conclude that responsible officials
had access to the applicant’s military records and determined that the
applicant had been awarded the GCM. We therefore believe that, in
this case, any doubt should be resolved in favor of the applicant and
his WD AGO 53-55, Enlisted Record and Report of Separation, should be
amended to reflect receipt of the GCM.
3. Insufficient relevant evidence has been presented to demonstrate
the existence of probable error or injustice with respect to award of
the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC). No documentary evidence has
been presented to indicate that a recommendation for award of the DFC
was officially submitted. Therefore, in the absence of documentary
evidence substantiating that the applicant was recommended for the
requested award and that such a recommendation was approved, we find
no compelling basis to recommend approval of the applicant’s request
for award of the DFC.
_________________________________________________________________
THE BOARD RECOMMENDS THAT:
The pertinent military records of the Department of the Air Force
relating to APPLICANT be corrected to show that his WD AGO Form 53-55,
Enlisted Record and Report of Separation, issued in conjunction with
his honorable discharge on 13 September 1945, reflects he was awarded
the Good Conduct Medal.
_________________________________________________________________
The following members of the Board considered this application in
Executive Session on 16 January 2001, under the provisions of AFI 36-
2603:
Mr. Benedict A. Kausal IV, Panel Chair
Ms. Olga M. Crerar, Member
Mr. Richard M. McCormick, Member
All members voted to correct the records, as recommended. The
following documentary evidence was considered:
Exhibit A. DD Form 149, dated 3 Aug 00.
Exhibit B. Applicant's Master Personnel Records.
Exhibit C. Letter, HQ AFPC/DPPPR, dated 6 Nov 00, w/atch.
Exhibit D. Letter, SAF/MIBR, dated 22 Nov 00.
BENEDICT A. KAUSAL IV
Panel Chair
AFBCMR 00-02915
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:
The pertinent military records of the Department of the Air
Force relating to APPLICANT be corrected to show that his WD AGO Form
53-55, Enlisted Record and Report of Separation, issued in conjunction
with his honorable discharge on 13 September 1945, reflects he was
awarded the Good Conduct Medal.
JOE G. LINEBERGER
Director
Air Force Review Boards Agency
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