RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
             AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS


IN THE MATTER OF:      DOCKET NUMBER:  02-01998
            INDEX CODE:  107.00

            COUNSEL:  NONE

            HEARING DESIRED:  NO


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APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:

He be awarded the Purple Heart Medal.

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APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:

The Purple Heart that he was  awarded  is  not  recorded  in  his  discharge
documents or the wounds he received.

In support of his appeal,  the  applicant  provided  a  personal  statement,
Honorable Discharge Certificate, dated 18 October 1945, and WD AGO Form  53-
55, Enlisted Record and Report of Separation.

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

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STATEMENT OF FACTS:

Applicant’s military personnel records were destroyed by  fire  in  1973  at
the  National  Personnel  Record  Center  (NPRC).   Therefore,   the   facts
surrounding his claim of being wounded in action and hospitalized cannot  be
verified.  Also, there are no medical records with the applicant’s  name  on
file at the VA.

The available records indicate the applicant enlisted in the Army Air  Corps
on 1 March 1943.

On 18 October 1945, the applicant was honorably discharged in the  grade  of
technical sergeant under the provisions of AR  615-365  Convenience  of  the
Government/Demobilization.


Awards received during his enlistment are the Air Medal with  four  (4)  Oak
Leaf Clusters (OLCs),  Good  Conduct  Medal,  and  European  African  Middle
Eastern Ribbon with five (5) Bronze Stars.

On 23 January 2003 the applicant was notified by HQ AFPC/DPPRSP  that  there
was an error on his WD  AGO  Form  53-55,  Enlisted  Record  and  Report  of
Separation-Honorable Discharge.  The American Campaign Medal and  World  War
II Victory Medal have been added to the applicant’s Report of Separation.

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AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

AFPC/DPPPR recommended denial.  They indicated that the  applicant  has  not
provided any information regarding a wound received as a   direct result  of
enemy action.  His Report of Separation shows  “None”  in  Item  34,  Wounds
Received in Action.

The evaluation, with attachment, is at Exhibit C.

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APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

The applicant reviewed the evaluation and indicated  that  on  24 June  1944
his flight was directed to Ploesti, Rumania; however, upon  approaching  the
target it was so utterly overcast that they were ordered to proceed  to  the
secondary target - Craiova.  During a bomber strike mission to  Craiova  the
B-24 bomber ship #322 was sufficiently damaged by enemy  anti-aircraft  fire
over target to be forced to ditch in the Adriatic Sea upon  its  attempt  to
return to base.  As a result, eight members survived  with  minor  to  major
wounds while sadly their navigator and bomber officers perished  on  impact.
After a few hours at sea in life rafts, they were located and rescued  by  a
Navy PBY and immediately flown to a  military  hospital  in  Foggia,  Italy.
The second day in the hospital with wounds to his forehead and a  concussion
to his right ear, he was handed the Purple Heart decoration.   He  indicates
that  while  attempting  to  submit  documentation  for  Veterans   Hospital
benefits assistance, he realized the details of  his  military  records  did
not show award of his Purple Heart.

Applicant’s complete response, with attachment, is at Exhibit E.

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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.    Insufficient relevant evidence has been presented to  demonstrate  the
existence of an error or an injustice warranting award of the  Purple  Heart
Medal.  We took notice of the applicant's  complete  submission  in  judging
the  merits  of  the  case;  however,  we  agree  with   the   opinion   and
recommendation of the Air Force and adopt their rationale as the  basis  for
our conclusion that the applicant has not been the victim  of  an  error  or
injustice.  We note the applicant’s records were destroyed by fire  in  1973
at the NPRC.  Therefore, there is no indication in the  applicant’s  medical
or personnel records to substantiate that he had been injured  as  a  direct
result of enemy action.  Also, his separation physical shows “None” in  Item
34, Wounds Received in Action.  AFPC/DPPPR advised the applicant that  there
were no personnel records or  any  medical  records  at  the  Department  of
Veterans  Affairs  (DVA).   He  was  asked  to  provide   documentation   to
substantiate his claim for award of the Purple Heart Medal.  We  note  that,
to date, the applicant has not provided documentation  to  substantiate  his
claim.  Should the applicant provide documentation indicating  that  he  was
wounded as a direct result of enemy action, the Board would be  inclined  to
review this case again for possible reconsideration.  Further, we note  that
AFPC/DPPPR has indicated that the applicant  is  entitled  to  the  American
Campaign Medal and the World War II Victory Medal,  and  these  awards  have
been added  to  the  applicant’s  record.   Therefore,  in  the  absence  of
evidence to the contrary, we find no compelling basis to recommend  granting
the relief sought.

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THE BOARD DETERMINES THAT:

The applicant be notified that the evidence presented  did  not  demonstrate
the existence of an error or an injustice; that the application  was  denied
without a personal  appearance;  and  that  the  application  will  only  be
reconsidered upon the submission of newly discovered relevant  evidence  not
considered with this application.

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The following members of the Board considered AFBCMR Docket Number  02-01998
in Executive Session on 20 March 2003, under the provisions of AFI 36-2603:

                 Mr. Joseph G. Diamond, Panel Chair
                 Mr. Mike Novel, Member
                 Ms. Jean A. Reynolds, Member

The following documentary evidence was considered:

   Exhibit A.  DD Form 149, dated 18 June 2002, w/atchs.
   Exhibit B.  Available Applicant's Master Personnel Records.
   Exhibit C.  Letter, AFPC/DPPPR, dated 14 January 2003, w/atch.
   Exhibit D.  Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 31 January 2003.
   Exhibit E.  Letter, Applicant, dated 6 February 2003, w/atch.




                                JOSEPH G. DIAMOND
                                Panel Chair