RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
             AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS


IN THE MATTER OF:      DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2005-00413
            INDEX NUMBER: 100.00

      XXXXXXX    COUNSEL:  NONE

      XXXXXXX    HEARING DESIRED:  YES

MANDATORY CASE COMPLETION DATE:  8 Aug 06

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:

He be awarded the Silver  Star  (SS)  and  the  Distinguished  Flying  Cross
(DFC).

_________________________________________________________________

THE APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:

He should receive  the  DFC  and  SS  with  9  battle  stars  based  on  his
successful completion of 50 combat missions and since he  was  shot  down  3
times.  He stayed at his gun position while he was  sick  and  had  loss  of
oxygen, and after the co-pilot and other gunner were lost.

Applicant’s complete submission is at Exhibit A.

_________________________________________________________________

STATEMENT OF FACTS:

The applicant is a former member of the Army Air Corps  who  served  in  the
European-African-Middle Eastern Theatre of Operation from 16 March  1944  to
5 May 1945, as a B-24, Liberator, aerial gunner.  He completed  a  total  of
35 combat missions.  His Enlisted Record and Report  of  Separation,  issued
in  conjunction  with  his  22 September  1945  release  from  active  duty,
reflects that he was awarded the AM, with two Oak Leaf Clusters (OLCs).

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.

In 1944, the Fifteenth Air Force had an established  policy  whereby  a  DFC
was awarded upon the completion of one lead mission.

_________________________________________________________________


AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

AFPC/DPPPR recommends denial of applicant’s request for the DFC and  states,
in part, that in 1946, General “Hap” Arnold ordered theater  commanders  not
to award the AM or DFC  based  solely  on  the  number  of  combat  missions
completed;  each  decoration  had  to  have  had  a  signed   and   endorsed
recommendation package, and been forwarded through  administrative  channels
to the final approval authority.  There is no indication he was  recommended
for award of the DFC.  AFPC/DPPPR assumes applicant is requesting  award  of
a Silver Service Star (SSS), which  represents  five  Bronze  Service  Stars
(BSS) for his European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal (EAME).   Since
the applicant participated in 10 campaigns during World War II, his  records
will be administratively corrected to reflect the EAME  with  1  SSS  and  4
BSS.

The AFPC/DPPPR evaluation is at Exhibit B.

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT’S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

A complete copy of the Air Force evaluation was forwarded to  the  applicant
on 8 April 2005 for review and response within  30  days.   However,  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 he is  entitled  to
the DFC based upon  his  completion  of  a  total  of  50  combat  missions.
However, during the period in question, the Fifteenth Air  Force,  to  which
the applicant was assigned, did not have an established policy  of  awarding
the DFC for completion  of  a  total  of  50  combat  missions.   They  did,
however, have an established policy of awarding the DFC upon the  completion
of one lead mission but there is no evidence the applicant completed a  lead
mission.  Further, in 1943, theater commanders were  ordered  not  to  award
the AM or DFC based solely on the number of combat  missions  completed  and
each  decoration  had  to   have   a   signed   and   endorsed   justifiable
recommendation based on heroism and/or achievement, which distinguished  the
recipient from  members  of  his  crew,  and  have  been  forwarded  through
administrative channels  to  the  final  approval  authority.   We  find  no
evidence the applicant was ever recommended  for  award  of  the  DFC.   The
personal sacrifice the applicant endured for his country is  noted  and  our
decision in no way diminishes the high  regard  we  have  for  his  service;
however, insufficient documentary evidence has  been  presented  to  warrant
awarding him the  DFC.   Therefore,  in  the  absence  of  evidence  to  the
contrary, we find no compelling basis to recommend awarding  the  DFC.   The
applicant also requested entitlement to the Silver Star based  on  his  nine
battle stars for the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal  (EAME);
however, since he participated in 10 campaigns  during  World  War  II,  his
records have been administratively corrected to reflect the EAME,  with  one
Silver Service Star (SSS) and four Bronze Service Stars (BSS).

4.  The applicant's case is adequately documented and it has not been  shown
that a personal appearance with or without counsel will  materially  add  to
our understanding of the issues involved.   Therefore,  the  request  for  a
hearing is not favorably considered.

_________________________________________________________________

THE BOARD DETERMINES THAT:

The applicant be notified that the evidence presented  did  not  demonstrate
the existence of 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  Docket  Number  BC-2005-00413
in Executive Session on 10 May 2005, under the provisions of AFI 36-2603:

                       Ms. Cathlynn B. Sparks, Panel Chair
                       Mr. Patrick C. Daugherty, Member
                       Ms. Marcia Jean Bachman, Member

The following documentary evidence was considered:

    Exhibit A.  DD Form 149, dated 30 Jan 05, w/atch.
    Exhibit B.  Applicant's Master Personnel Records.
    Exhibit C.  Letter, AFPC/DPPPR, dated 30 Mar 05.
    Exhibit D.  Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 8 Apr 05.




                                   CATHLYNN B. SPARKS
                                   Panel Chair