RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS
IN THE MATTER OF: DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2003-03948
COUNSEL: NONE
HEARING DESIRED: NO
_________________________________________________________________
APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:
His record be corrected to reflect the award of the Purple Heart (PH).
_________________________________________________________________
APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:
On 28 September 1944, while a crewmember, his aircraft collided with
another aircraft. After parachuting from the aircraft and landing, he
discovered his face and neck covered with blood. The blood came from
a head wound. He does not know when he received the injury, either
when both aircraft collided or as a result of small arms fire directed
at him while descending to the ground. He also sustained fracture
ribs upon landing. He has no official medical records of the above
injuries because none were kept in the POW camp.
In support of his request applicant submits copies of Enlisted Record
and Report of Separation, Operation Mission Report, Individual Flight
Record, and a letter from the Veteran’s Service Office.
Applicant’s complete submission, with attachments, is at Exhibit A.
_________________________________________________________________
STATEMENT OF FACTS:
Applicant’s military personnel records were destroyed by fire in 1973.
The available records reflect that the applicant entered the U.S.
Army Air Corps on 12 June 1942 and served until 22 September
1945.
On 10 March 2004, the Recognition Programs Branch, HQ AFPC/DPPPRA,
requested the applicant to provide additional information relative to
his alleged injury. No response was received. However, the
applicant’s records have been reviewed and updated to reflect the POW
Medal, American Campaign Medal, European-African-Middle-Eastern
Campaign Medal, with four Bronze Stars, and the World War II Victory
Medal.
There is no entry of injury found in his military records and Item 34
on his Report of Separation, Wounds Received in Action reflects
“None.”
_________________________________________________________________
AIR FORCE EVALUATION:
AFPC/DPPPR reviewed the applicant’s request and recommended denial.
To be awarded the Purple Heart (PH), a member must provide
documentation to support that wounds were a direct result of enemy
action and that the wounds required or received medical treatment by
medical personnel. There is no documentation in his military
personnel record to indicate that his wounds were as a direct result
of enemy action.
AFPC/DPPPR complete evaluation is attached at Exhibit B.
_________________________________________________________________
APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION:
A copy of the Air Force evaluation was forwarded to applicant on 23
April 2004 for review and comment within 30 days. As of this date, no
response has been received by this office.
_________________________________________________________________
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 the award of the Purple
Heart. It appears that while serving as a crewmember on a B-17H
Flying Fortress, the applicant was injured through direct exposure to
the enemy’s heavy pattern of exploding anti-aircraft fire causing both
aircraft to collided after making strong evasive maneuvers to avoid
such enemy action while on a bombing raid over Germany. The absence
of any information pertaining to the asserted wounds from the existing
records is not surprising in view of the fact he was taken prisoner
after bailing out of his damaged aircraft. The Board believes that
this clearly satisfies the criteria for the Purple Heart since the
applicant’s injury was incurred as a direct result of enemy action. In
view of the foregoing and in recognition of his service to the Nation
during a period of national emergency and to preclude any possibility
of an injustice to the applicant, the Board recommends that he be
awarded the Purple Heart.
_
________________________________________________________________
THE BOARD DETERMINES THAT:
The pertinent military records of the Department of the Air Force
relating to APPLICANT, be corrected to show that he was awarded the
Purple Heart for injuries he received in action against an enemy of
the United States in a B-17 aircraft during a mission over Germany on
28 September 1944.
_________________________________________________________________
The following members of the Board considered AFBCMR Docket Number BC-
2003-03948 in Executive Session on 3 June 2004, under the provisions
of AFI 36-2603:
Mr. Gregory H. Petkoff, Panel Chair
Ms. Renee M. Collier, Member
Ms. Martha A. Maust, Member
All members voted to correct the records, as recommended. The
following documentary evidence was considered:
Exhibit A. DD Form 149, dated 21 Jul 04, w/atchs.
Exhibit B. Letter, AFPC/DPPPR, dated 21 Apr 04.
Exhibit C. Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 23 Apr 04.
GREGORY H. PETKOFF
Panel Chair
AFBCMR BC-2003-03948
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 he was awarded
the Purple Heart for injuries he received in action against an enemy
of the United States in a B-17 aircraft during a mission over Germany
on 28 September 1944.
JOE G. LINEBERGER
Director
Air Force Review Boards Agency
AF | BCMR | CY2004 | BC-2003-04015
After thoroughly reviewing the evidence of record and noting the statement from the former POW, the majority of the Board is not persuaded the applicant was wounded as a direct result of enemy action. The applicant is a former Army Air Corps B-17, Flying Fortress, navigator who seeks award of the Purple Heart (PH) for wounds received during a bombing mission over Berlin, Germany, on 20 February 1944. The majority of the panel finds insufficient evidence to demonstrate that he was injured...
AF | BCMR | CY2004 | BC-2003-03484
The HQ AFPC/DPPPR evaluation, with attachment, is at Exhibit C. _________________________________________________________________ APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION: A copy of the Air Force evaluation was forwarded to applicant on 23 April 2004 for review and response. _________________________________________________________________ THE BOARD RECOMMENDS THAT: The pertinent military records of the Department of the Air Force relating to APPLICANT be corrected to show that he was...
AF | BCMR | CY2003 | BC-2002-02988
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AF | BCMR | CY2002 | BC-2002-02988
RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS IN THE MATTER OF: DOCKET NUMBER: 02-02988 INDEX CODE: 107.00 COUNSEL: NONE HEARING DESIRED: NO _________________________________________________________________ APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT: His record be corrected to reflect the award of the Purple Heart Medal. He was informed, that until his VA physical examination, there was no evidence in his medical records that he had a scar on his arm or that he had been wounded...
AF | BCMR | CY2004 | BC-2002-03224
_________________________________________________________________ AIR FORCE EVALUATION: AFPC/DPPPR recommends denial of the applicant’s request for award of the PH medal. AFPC/DPPPR recommends denial of the applicant’s request for award of the PH medal. The applicant has not provided any documentation or corroborating evidence that he suffered any injuries or wounds while a POW in Germany.
AF | BCMR | CY2004 | BC-2003-03304
_________________________________________________________________ AIR FORCE EVALUATION: AFPC/DPPPR recommends the application be denied and states, in part, that applicant has provided no medical evidence showing that he was injured while a POW, and there is no evidence in his military medical records to indicate he was injured while a POW. Additionally, in 1988, the Veterans Administration determined the evidence of record did not show right ankle or right knee injuries. ...
AF | BCMR | CY2004 | BC-2004-00818
RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS IN THE MATTER OF: DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2004-00818 INDEX NUMBER: 107.00 XXXXXXX COUNSEL: NONE XXXXXXX HEARING DESIRED: NO _________________________________________________________________ APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT: He be awarded the Purple Heart (PH). As a result of the injury, his second and third toes of his right foot were amputated. _________________________________________________________________ AIR FORCE...
AF | BCMR | CY2004 | BC-2004-00937
_________________________________________________________________ AIR FORCE EVALUATION: HQ AFPC/DPPPR advises that, to be awarded the PH, a member must provide detailed evidence/documentation to support he was wounded as a direct result of enemy action and received treatment by medical personnel. By the time he was liberated from the POW camp nine months later, his wounds had healed and no further treatment was necessary. Exhibit E. Letter, Applicant, dated 13 Jun 04, w/atchs.
AF | BCMR | CY2002 | BC-2002-03684
_________________________________________________________________ AIR FORCE EVALUATIONS: AFPC/DPWCM recommends the applicant’s request for award of the POW Medal be denied. On 22 October 1944, he provided the information that immediately after being shot down, he was picked up by partisans, evading capture by the enemy. After thoroughly reviewing the evidence of record and noting the applicant’s contentions, we are not persuaded he should be awarded the PH, DFC, and POW Medal.
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