RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
             AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS


IN THE MATTER OF:      DOCKET NUMBER: 02-01099
            INDEX CODE 107.00
            COUNSEL:  NONE

            HEARING DESIRED:  NO


_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:

His Enlisted Record and Report of Separation (Honorable Discharge),  WD  AGO
Form 53-55, be amended to reflect award of the  Distinguished  Flying  Cross
(DFC) and Air Medal, with Three Oak Leaf Clusters (AM, 3 OLC).

_________________________________________________________________

THE APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:

His discharge papers only show award of the  AM,  2  OLC,  and  should  also
reflect the DFC and an additional AM that he was awarded.

In support of the appeal, applicant submits a copy of his WD AGO Form  53-55
and a Letter of Recommendation,  dated  29  May  1944,  indicating  that  he
completed a total of 25 combat missions and was awarded the DFC  and  AM,  3
OLC.

Applicant’s complete submission, with attachments, is at Exhibit A.

_________________________________________________________________

STATEMENT OF FACTS:

The applicant’s records were destroyed by  fire  in  1973  at  the  National
Personnel Records Center (NPRC) in  St.  Louis,  Missouri.   Therefore,  the
following facts were  extracted  from  the  documentation  provided  by  the
applicant.

The applicant was inducted in the Army Air Corps on 3 July 1942 and  entered
active duty.

The applicant served as a B-17 Aerial Gunner and  Aircraft  Armorer  in  the
European Theatre of Operations from  21  March  1943  through  12  September
1944.

A Letter of Recommendation, dated  29  May  1944,  indicates  the  applicant
completed two high altitude bombardment missions with the 542nd  Bombardment
Group and 23 with another command for a total of 25 combat  missions;  thus,
completing his tour of combat duty.  The  LOR  also  indicates  that  during
this period he was awarded the DFC and AM, 3 OLC.

The applicant was honorably discharged on 10 October 1945 in  the  grade  of
staff sergeant for the convenience of the government and demobilization.

The DFC was established by Congress  on  2 July  1926  and  is  awarded  for
heroism or extraordinary achievement while participating in  aerial  flight.
The performance of the act of heroism must be evidenced by voluntary  action
above and beyond the call of duty.

The AM is awarded for heroic or meritorious achievement while  participating
in aerial flight.

From 1942 to 1944, the 8th Air Force had an  established  policy  whereby  a
DFC was awarded upon the completion of 25 heavy bomber missions  and  an  AM
was awarded upon the completion of five heavy  bomber  missions.   In  1944,
the 8th Air Force increased the number of  heavy  bomber  missions  required
for award of the DFC to 35 and the AM to six.

_________________________________________________________________

AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

AFPC/DPPPR recommends the application be denied and states,  in  part,  that
they cannot verify the applicant’s entitlement to the AM,  3  OLC,  and  DFC
without an order showing they were awarded.

The AFPC/DPPPR evaluation is at Exhibit B.

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT’S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

The applicant states that at the time he completed  a  total  of  25  combat
missions a member would be awarded a DFC and upon completion of  every  five
combat missions an AM would be awarded.

In further support of the  appeal,  the  applicant  submits  copies  of  the
orders awarding him AMs upon completion of five missions and  extracts  from
the Mighty Eighth War Diary.

The applicant’s complete response, with attachments, is at 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 error or injustice warranting award of the AM, 3 OLC.  In  this
respect, the applicant’s records were destroyed  by  fire  in  1973  at  the
National Personnel Records Center (NPRC); however, he submits  a  Letter  of
Recommendation, dated 29 May 1944, indicating that he completed a  total  of
25 combat missions and was awarded the AM, 3 OLC, and DFC while assigned  to
the Eighth Air Force as a B-17 Aerial Gunner and  Aircraft  Armorer  in  the
European Theatre of Operations.  We also note that from 1942  to  1944,  the
Eighth Air Force had an established policy whereby a DFC  was  awarded  upon
the completion of 25 heavy bombardment missions and an AM was  awarded  upon
the completion of five heavy  bombardment  missions.   In  1944,  the  total
number of missions required for award of a DFC was increased to 35  and  the
total number of missions required for award of an AM was increased  to  six.
In view of this, and given the total number of missions  he  completed,  the
applicant should have been awarded a total of four AMs, rather  than  three.
However, in view of the 1944 change in the policy for award of the DFC,  and
in the absence of evidence that he was recommended and  approved  for  award
of the DFC, we find insufficient evidence  to  recommend  awarding  him  the
DFC.  Therefore, we  recommend  his  records  be  corrected  to  the  extent
indicated below.

_________________________________________________________________

THE BOARD RECOMMENDS THAT:

The pertinent military records of the Department of the Air  Force  relating
to APPLICANT be corrected to show that on 11 September 1944, he was  awarded
the Air Medal, Third Oak Leaf Cluster, for  meritorious  achievement,  while
serving as an Aerial Gunner and Aircraft Armorer on B-17 airplanes  on  many
bombardment missions over enemy occupied Continental Europe.

_________________________________________________________________

The following members of the Board  considered  Docket  Number  02-01099  in
Executive Session on 30 May 2002, under the provisions of AFI 36-2603:

                       Mr. Richard A. Peterson, Panel Chair
                       Mr. Frederick R. Beaman, III, Member
                       Mr. Roscoe Hinton, Jr., Member







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

     Exhibit A.  DD Form 149, dated 15 Nov 01, w/atchs.
     Exhibit B.  Letter, AFPC/DPPPR, dated 17 Apr 02.
     Exhibit C.  Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 26 Apr 02.
     Exhibit D.  Letter, Applicant, dated 15 May 02, w/atchs.




                                  RICHARD A. PETERSON
                                  Panel Chair

AFBCMR 02-01099




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 on 11 September 1944, he was
awarded the Air Medal, Third Oak Leaf Cluster, for meritorious achievement,
while serving as an Aerial Gunner and Aircraft Armorer on B-17 airplanes on
many bombardment missions over enemy occupied Continental Europe.










JOE G. LINEBERGER

Director

Air Force Review Boards Agency