RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
             AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS


IN THE MATTER OF:      DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2004-03794
            INDEX NUMBER: 107.00

      XXXXXXX    COUNSEL:  ROBERT L. ASTON

      XXXXXXX    HEARING DESIRED:  NO


_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:

He be awarded additional oak  leaf  clusters  to  the  Distinguished  Flying
Cross (DFC) and the Air Medal (AM).

_________________________________________________________________

THE APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:

Based on the Eighth Air Force established policy of awarding an AM upon  the
completion of every five heavy bomber missions and awarding a DFC  upon  the
completion of a tour of duty, he should be  awarded  an  additional  AM  and
DFC.  In BC-2004-02294, the AFBCMR awarded a DFC to  an  applicant  who  had
also completed more than the required ten missions as a lead  navigator  and
an additional oak leaf cluster  for  completion  of  a  tour  of  32  combat
missions.

In support of the appeal, applicant submits  a  statement  from  the  former
44th  Bombardment  Group  Commander  recommending  him  for  award   of   an
additional DFC and AM, and a list of his combat missions.

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, MO.  Therefore, the  following
information  has  been  extracted  from  the   documentation   provided   by
applicant.

The applicant is a former member of the Army Air Corps  who  served  in  the
European Theatre of Operation from 4 August to 11 December 1944, as a  B-24,
Liberator,  pilot.   He  completed  a  total  of  32  combat  missions   and
participated in the Rhineland, Air Offensive Europe,  Northern  France,  and
Normandy campaigns.  His Enlisted Record and Report  of  Separation,  issued
in conjunction with his 12 December 1945 release from active duty,  reflects
that he was awarded the AM, with four OLCs.   On  9 February  1945,  he  was
awarded the DFC for completion of 10 combat missions as lead pilot.

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.

During World War II, the Eighth Air Force had an established policy  whereby
a DFC was awarded upon the completion of a tour  of  duty  (25  -  35  heavy
bomber missions) and an additional AM was awarded  upon  the  completion  of
every five heavy bomber missions.

_________________________________________________________________

AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

AFPC/DPPPR recommends the AFBCMR  evaluate  this  case  on  its  merits  and
render a conclusive decision.  AFPC/DPPPR states,  in  part,  that  although
the applicant’s records indicate that he completed  a  total  of  35  combat
missions and he has submitted a DFC  recommendation  signed  by  his  former
commander, in 1946, General “Hap” Arnold ordered theater commanders  not  to
award the  AM  or  DFC  based  solely  on  the  number  of  combat  missions
completed, but rather for acts of heroism in combat flight or  extraordinary
achievement while participating in aerial flight.   Applicant’s  records  do
not indicate he was recommended for the decorations while he was  on  active
duty.

The AFPC/DPPPR evaluation is at Exhibit B.

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT’S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

A complete copy of the evaluation was forwarded to the  applicant’s  counsel
on 26 January 2005, for review and comments.  However, 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 probable error or injustice warranting award of additional  oak
leaf clusters to the DFC and AM.  In this respect,  we  note  the  applicant
completed a total of 32 combat missions while assigned  to  the  Eighth  Air
Force as a B-24 pilot.  We also  note  that  during  the  contested  period,
Eighth Air Force had an established policy whereby a DFC  was  awarded  upon
the completion of a tour of duty (25 - 35 heavy  bombardment  missions)  and
an AM was awarded upon  the  completion  of  every  five  heavy  bombardment
missions.   In  support  of  the  appeal,  the  applicant  has  provided   a
recommendation from his former commanding officer indicating that  applicant
never received the AM for his last five/seven missions or the  DFC  for  his
completion of his combat tour.  In view of the above, and  given  the  total
number of missions the applicant completed, we believe he should be  awarded
an additional oak leaf cluster to the DFC and AM.  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:

      a.    On 10 December 1944, he was awarded the  Air  Medal,  Fifth  Oak
Leaf Cluster, for extraordinary achievement, while serving as a Pilot on  B-
24 airplanes on many bombardment missions over  enemy  occupied  Continental
Europe.

      c.    On 10 February 1945, he was  awarded  the  Distinguished  Flying
Cross, First Oak Leaf Cluster, for extraordinary achievement, while  serving
as a Pilot on  B-24  airplanes  on  many  bombardment  missions  over  enemy
occupied Continental Europe.

_________________________________________________________________

The following members of the Board considered  Docket  Number  BC-2004-03794
in Executive Session on 1 February 2005, under the  provisions  of  AFI  36-
2603:

                       Mr. Roscoe Hinton, Jr., Panel Chair
                       Mr. Garry G. Sauner, Member
                       Mr. Joseph D. Yount, Member

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

     Exhibit A.  DD Form 149, dated 3 Dec 04, w/atchs.
     Exhibit B.  Letter, AFPC/DPPPR, dated 26 Jan 05.
     Exhibit c.  Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 26 Jan 05.




                                  ROSCOE HINTON, JR.
                                  Panel Chair

AFBCMR BC-2004-03794




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 XXXXXXX, XXXXXXX, be corrected to show that:

            a.   On 10 December 1944, he was awarded the Air Medal, Fifth
Oak Leaf Cluster, for extraordinary achievement, while serving as a Pilot
on B-24 airplanes on many bombardment missions over enemy occupied
Continental Europe.

            c.   On 10 February 1945, he was awarded the Distinguished
Flying Cross, First Oak Leaf Cluster, for extraordinary achievement, while
serving as a Pilot on B-24 airplanes on many bombardment missions over
enemy occupied Continental Europe.










JOE G. LINEBERGER

Director

Air Force Review Boards Agency