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AF | BCMR | CY2003 | BC-2003-02440
Original file (BC-2003-02440.doc) Auto-classification: Denied

                            RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
             AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS

IN THE MATTER OF:      DOCKET NUMBER: 03-02440
            INDEX CODE:  107.00
            COUNSEL:  NONE
      HEARING DESIRED:  NO

________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:

He be awarded the Purple Heart (PH) Medal.

________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:

Over the years he did not get around to correcting his record since  he  was
too busy putting his civilian life  back  together.   He  now  requires  the
services of the Veterans Administration due  to  the  rising  costs  of  his
medication and hearing aids, which his medical  insurance  does  not  cover.
He was a member of the ---th Bomber Group and is only one  of  three  of  an
entire crew of thirty-three that came back from a mission.

In support of his appeal, the applicant provides a personal statement and  a
copy of his war diary.

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

_______________________________________________________________

STATEMENT OF FACTS:

The  applicant’s  records  were   lost   or   destroyed   and   efforts   at
reconstruction have been, for the most part,  unsuccessful.   The  following
is the only known information pertaining to the applicant's service and  was
extracted  from  the  partially  reconstructed  record  and  from  documents
provided by the applicant.

The applicant enlisted in the Army of the United  States  Air  Corps  on  28
October 1940 and served  as  an  aerial  photographer.   The  applicant  was
honorably discharged in the grade of  technical  sergeant  on  26  September
1945, for the  Convenience  of  the  Government  (Demobilization).   He  was
credited with 3 years, 11 months and 8 days of continental  service  and  11
months and 21 days of foreign service.   His  discharge  document  shows  he
participated  in  the  Air  Offensive  Europe,  Normandy  and  Northern  and
Southern France campaigns.  He was awarded the  Air  Medal  with  three  Oak
Leaf Clusters, Distinguished  Unit  Badge,  European-African-Middle  Eastern
Service Medal, the Good Conduct  Medal  and  the  American  Defense  Service
Medal.

On 22 August 2002, after  a  review  of  his  available  military  personnel
record, the  Recognition  Programs  Branch,  determined  the  applicant  was
entitled to the following medals:  American  Campaign  Medal  and  the  WWII
Victory Medal.

________________________________________________________________

AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

AFPC/DPPPR recommends the application be  denied.   DPPPR  states  that  the
applicant has not provided any official documentation  to  substantiate  his
claim that he was wounded or received medical treatment on 2 June and on  12
June 1944.  Without any  military  personnel  or  military  service  medical
files available for review,  DPPPR  is  unable  to  verify  the  applicant’s
eligibility for the Purple Heart Medal.   The  AFPC/DPPPR  evaluation,  with
attachments, is at Exhibit C.

________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

On 29 August 2003, a copy of the  Air  Force  evaluation  was  sent  to  the
applicant for review  and  comment.   As  of  this  date,  this  office  has
received no response.

________________________________________________________________

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 error or injustice.  The applicant contends that he  should  be
awarded the Purple Heart for injuries  suffered  during  his  missions  over
France.  After a thorough  review  of  his  submission  and  the  supporting
documentation he provided, to include the applicant’s  detailed  account  of
events in his “War Diary,” we are not persuaded that he  should  be  awarded
the Purple Heart Medal.  However, should the  applicant  provide  an  actual
copy of his War Diary, rather than a transcript, and  any  other  supporting
documentation   detailing   his   missions,   including   information   from
independent sources concerning his alleged injuries, we would be willing  to
again review this case.  In the absence of such evidence, we agree with  the
opinion  and  recommendation  of   the   Air   Force   office   of   primary
responsibility and adopt their rationale as the  basis  for  our  conclusion
that  the  applicant   has   not   provided   any   official   documentation
substantiating his claim that he was wounded or received  medical  treatment
for his injuries.  While we appreciate and honor the applicant’s service  to
his country, in view of the above and  absent  persuasive  evidence  showing
his records are in error  or  unjust,  the  applicant’s  request  cannot  be
favorably considered.
________________________________________________________________

THE BOARD DETERMINES THAT:

The applicant be notified that the evidence presented  did  not  demonstrate
the existence of probable material error or 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.

________________________________________________________________

The following members of the Board considered this application in  Executive
Session on 9 October 2003, under the provisions of AFI 36-2603:

                 Mr. Gregory H. Petkoff, Panel Chair
                 Ms. Dorothy P. Loeb, Member
                 Mr. James A. Wolffe, Member

The following documentary evidence for AFBCMR  Docket  Number  02-03474  was
considered:

    Exhibit A.  DD Form 149, dated 17 Jul 03, w/atchs.
    Exhibit B.  Letter, AFPC/DPPPR, dated 21 Aug 03 w/atchs.
    Exhibit C.  Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 29 Aug 03.





                                   GREGORY H. PETKOFF
                                   Panel Chair



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