RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
             AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS


IN THE MATTER OF:      DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2005-00358
            INDEX NUMBER: 107.00

      XXXXXXX    COUNSEL:  ROBERT L. ASTON

      XXXXXXX    HEARING DESIRED:  NO

MANDATORY CASE COMPLETION DATE:  5 Aug 06

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:

The former member be awarded two  Air  Medals  (AMs),  and  his  records  be
corrected to reflect entitlement  to  the  European-African-Middle  Eastern-
Campaign Medal (EAMECM), the American Campaign Medal (ACM),  the  World  War
II Victory Medal, and two Presidential Unit Citations, and his next  of  kin
be provided with a full set of his medals.

_________________________________________________________________

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,  the  former  member  should
have been awarded two AMs.

In support of the appeal, counsel submits a statement from the  former  68th
Bomb Squadron Commander recommending the former member for award of the  BSM
and AM, and a list of his combat missions.

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

_________________________________________________________________

STATEMENT OF FACTS:

The former member’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  counsel   and   the
reconstructed records.

The former member served in the Army Air Corps in the  European  Theatre  of
Operation as a B-24, Liberator,  flight  engineer  and  aerial  gunner.   He
completed a total of twelve combat missions and was killed in action  on  21
January 1944 while on a  mission  targeted  against  a  German  V-1  Missile
Complex in the Pas Des Calais Area of France.  He was  posthumously  awarded
the Purple Heart.

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
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
his entitlement to any of  the  awards.   However,  based  on  his  time  in
service during World War II, he would most  assuredly  be  entitled  to  the
EAMECM, the ACM, the World War II Victory Medal, and two Distinguished  Unit
Citations (now called the Presidential Unit Citation).   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.

The AFPC/DPPPR evaluation is at Exhibit C.

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT’S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

Counsel states that, among other things, that the  requested  relief  should
be favorably considered based on the recommendation of the  member’s  former
commander and in view of the established Eighth Air Force policy  in  effect
during the period in question.

Counsel’s complete response is at Exhibit E.

_________________________________________________________________

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
member completed a total of 12 combat missions while assigned to the  Eighth
Air Force as a B-24 flight engineer and aerial gunner.  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  heavy
bombardment missions.  In support of the appeal, the applicant has  provided
a recommendation from the former commanding officer.  In view of  this,  and
given the total number of missions  the  member  completed,  we  believe  he
should be awarded two AMs.  Although the member’s records were destroyed  by
fire in 1973, the Air Force office of primary responsibility  has  indicated
that based on his time in  service  during  World  War  II,  he  would  most
assuredly  be  entitled  to  the  European-African-Middle   Eastern-Campaign
Medal, the American Campaign Medal, the World War II Victory Medal, and  two
Distinguished Unit  Citations.   Therefore,  we  recommend  his  records  be
corrected to the  extent  indicated  below.   Once  his  records  have  been
corrected, the applicant will be provided a full set of  her  late  father’s
medals from the appropriate office of the Air Force.

_________________________________________________________________

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  13  December  1943,  he  was  awarded  the  Air  Medal  for
extraordinary achievement, while serving as a flight engineer and an  aerial
gunner on B-24 airplanes on many bombardment missions  over  enemy  occupied
Continental Europe.

      b.    On 4 January 1944, he was awarded the Air Medal, First Oak  Leaf
Cluster, for extraordinary achievement, while serving as a  flight  engineer
and an aerial gunner on B-24 airplanes on  many  bombardment  missions  over
enemy occupied Continental Europe.

      c.    He  was  awarded  the  European-African-Middle  Eastern-Campaign
Medal, the American Campaign Medal, the World War II Victory Medal, and  two
Distinguished Unit Citations.

_________________________________________________________________

The following members of the Board considered  Docket  Number  BC-2005-00358
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

The following documentary evidence was considered:

    Exhibit A.  DD Form 149, dated 25 Jan 05, w/atchs.
    Exhibit B.  Letter, AFPC/DPPPR, dated 29 Mar 05.


    Exhibit C.  Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 15 Apr 05.
    Exhibit D.  Letter, Counsel, dated 21 Apr 05.




                                   THOMAS S. MARKIEWICZ
                                   Chair


AFBCMR BC-2005-00358




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 XXXXXX, be corrected to show that:

      a.    On 13 December 1943, he was awarded the Air Medal for
extraordinary achievement, while serving as a flight engineer and an aerial
gunner on B-24 airplanes on many bombardment missions over enemy occupied
Continental Europe.

            b.   On 4 January 1944, he was awarded the Air Medal, First Oak
Leaf Cluster, for extraordinary achievement, while serving as a flight
engineer and an aerial gunner on B-24 airplanes on many bombardment
missions over enemy occupied Continental Europe.

      c.    He was awarded the European-African-Middle Eastern-Campaign
Medal, the American Campaign Medal, the World War II Victory Medal, and two
Distinguished Unit Citations.










JOE G. LINEBERGER

Director

Air Force Review Boards Agency