RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
             AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS


IN THE MATTER OF:      DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2005-00357
            INDEX NUMBER: 107.00

      XXXXXXX    COUNSEL:  ROBERT L. ASTON

      XXXXXXX    HEARING DESIRED:  NO

MANDATORY CASE COMPLETION DATE:  5 Aug 06

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:

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

_________________________________________________________________

THE APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:

Based on the Eighth Air Force established policy of awarding a DFC upon  the
completion of 15 lead missions and an additional AM upon the  completion  of
every five heavy bomber missions, he should have been awarded  the  DFC  and
an additional oak leaf cluster to the AM.  Three  crewmembers  received  the
DFC for flying 15 lead missions.

In support of the appeal, applicant submits  a  statement  from  the  former
68th Bomb Squadron Commander recommending him for award of the  DFC  and  an
additional 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).  Therefore, the following  information  has
been  extracted  from  the  documentation  provided  by  applicant  and  the
reconstructed records.

The applicant served in the Army  Air  Corps  in  the  European  Theatre  of
Operation from 29 October 1944 to 3 June 1945, as  a  B-24,  Liberator,  co-
pilot.  He completed a total of 27 combat missions and participated  in  the
Rhineland, Ardennes, and Central Europe campaigns.  His Military Record  and
Report of Separation, issued  in  conjunction  with  his  22  November  1945
release from active duty, reflects that he was awarded the  AM,  with  three
oak leaf clusters.

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 35 heavy bomber missions and an  AM
was awarded upon the completion of every five heavy bomber missions.

_________________________________________________________________

AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

AFPC/DPPPR  states,  in  part,  that  they  are  forced  to  recommend   the
application be denied since there are no military  records  to  substantiate
that he was ever recommended for the DFC. Further, in  1943,  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.  In view of this, they  recommend  denial  of  his  request  for  an
additional AM based on the number of missions flown.

The AFPC/DPPPR evaluation is at Exhibit B.

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT’S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

Counsel for applicant states, among other things, that the requested  relief
should  be  favorably  considered  based  on  the  recommendation   of   the
applicant’s former commanding officer and in view of the established  Eighth
Air Force policy in effect during the period  in  question.   Counsel  cites
the Board’s favorable consideration of similar requests.

Counsel’s complete response 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 probable error or injustice.  In  this  respect,  we  note  the
applicant completed a tour of 27 combat missions and was  lead  co-pilot  on
15 missions while assigned to the Eighth Air Force as a B-24  co-pilot.   We
also note that  during  the  contested  period,  Eighth  Air  Force  had  an
established policy whereby an AM was awarded upon the  completion  of  every
five combat missions.  In support of the appeal, the applicant has  provided
a recommendation from the former 68th Bombardment  Squadron  commander,  who
states that in addition to  the  above  policy,  there  was  an  established
policy of awarding the DFC for completion of 10 lead missions.  In  view  of
this statement, and  given  the  total  number  of  missions  the  applicant
completed, and the number of missions he  completed  as  lead  co-pilot,  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 14 February 1945, he was awarded the Air  Medal,  Fourth  Oak
Leaf Cluster, for extraordinary achievement, while serving as a co-pilot  on
B-24 airplanes on many bombardment missions over enemy occupied  Continental
Europe.

      b.    On 18 April 1945, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying  Cross
(DFC), for extraordinary achievement, while serving as a Lead Crew  Co-pilot
on B-24 airplanes on  fifteen  (15)  combat  missions  over  enemy  occupied
Continental Europe.

_________________________________________________________________

The following members of the Board considered  Docket  Number  BC-2005-00357
in Executive  Session  on  26  May  2005  and  18  August  2005,  under  the
provisions of AFI 36-2603:

                       Mr. Thomas S. Markiewicz, Chair
                       Ms. Renee M. Collier, Member
                       Ms. Kathy L. Boockholdt, Member

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

     Exhibit A.  DD Form 149, dated 1 Jan 05, w/atchs.
     Exhibit B.  Letter, AFPC/DPPPR, dated 8 Apr 05.
     Exhibit C.  Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 15 Apr 05.
     Exhibit D.  Letter, Counsel, dated 21 Apr 05.



                                  THOMAS S. MARKIEWICZ
                                  Chair

AFBCMR BC-2005-00357




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 14 February 1945, he was awarded the Air Medal, Fourth Oak
Leaf Cluster, for extraordinary achievement, while serving as a co-pilot on
B-24 airplanes on many bombardment missions over enemy occupied Continental
Europe.

      b.    On 18 April 1945, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross
(DFC), for extraordinary achievement, while serving as a Lead Crew Co-pilot
on B-24 airplanes on fifteen (15) combat missions over enemy occupied
Continental Europe.









JOE G. LINEBERGER

Director

Air Force Review Boards Agency