RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
             AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS


IN THE MATTER OF:      DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2005-00538
            INDEX NUMBER: 107.00

      XXXXXXX    COUNSEL:  ROBERT L. ASTON

      XXXXXXX    HEARING DESIRED:  NO

MANDATORY CASE COMPLETION DATE:  20 Aug 06

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:


He be awarded three additional oak leaf clusters to 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, he was awarded  the  AM  and
three oak leaf clusters for flying his first 20 combat missions.  Due  to  a
clerical error, he never received three additional  oak  leaf  clusters  for
his  21st  through  36th  missions.   Counsel  cites  the  Board’s  previous
favorable consideration of similar requests.

In support of the appeal, applicant submits  a  statement  from  the  former
506th Bomb Squadron Commander recommending him for  award  three  additional
AMs, 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.  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, as  a  B-24,  Liberator,  co-pilot.   He  was
awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) and  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 recommends the application be denied, and states, in  part,  that
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.   Although  applicant  has  provided
documentation indicating he completed 36 combat missions, due  to  the  fact
that there is no military record,  they  cannot  verify  that  he  was  ever
recommended for three additional AMs.

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.   Further,
previous evaluations refer to General Arnold’s 1946 memorandum, rather  than
1943 memorandum.  Counsel cites the Board’s  favorable  consideration  of  a
similar request (AFBCMR BC-2000-03359).

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  warranting  award  of   three
additional oak leaf clusters to the  AM.   In  this  respect,  we  note  the
applicant completed a total of 36 combat  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  heavy  bombardment  missions.
In support of the appeal, the applicant has provided a  recommendation  from
his former commanding officer.  In view of this, and given the total  number
of missions the applicant completed, we believe he should be  awarded  three
additional AMs.  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 3 October 1944, 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 25 October 1944, he was awarded  the  Air  Medal,  Fifth  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.

      c.    On 6 November 1944, he was awarded  the  Air  Medal,  Sixth  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.

_________________________________________________________________

The following members of the Board considered  Docket  Number  BC-2005-00538
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 11 Feb 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-2005-00538




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 3 October 1944, 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 25 October 1944, he was awarded the Air Medal, Fifth 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.

      c.    On 6 November 1944, he was awarded the Air Medal, Sixth 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.











JOE G. LINEBERGER

Director

Air Force Review Boards Agency