RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
             AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS

IN THE MATTER OF:                       DOCKET NUMBER:  BC-2005-01238
                                             INDEX CODE:  107.00
      XXXXXXX                COUNSEL:  NONE

      XXXXXXX                           HEARING DESIRED:  NO


MANDATORY CASE COMPLETION DATE:  15 Oct 06


________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:

He be awarded the Air Medal (AM).

________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:

He should be awarded the AM because he was assigned to the  flight  crew  of
the commander of the 84th Depot Repair Squadron, 15th  Air  Force,  who  was
awarded the AM.

In support of the appeal, the applicant submits a letter from his member  of
Congress, his report  of  separation  issued  in  conjunction  with  the  10
November 1952 release from active duty, an October  1944  squadron  activity
report, and transcripts of his flying time.

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

________________________________________________________________

STATEMENT OF FACTS:

The National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) has indicated  the  applicant’s
records were charged-out to AFPC/DSXI.  However, AFPC/DSXI has  been  unable
to locate the  records.   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 was assigned  to
the 84th Depot Repair Squadron, 15th Air Force,  at  Foggia  Main  Airdrome,
Italy.

________________________________________________________________






AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

AFPC/DPPPR recommends the application be denied and  that  applicant  pursue
the AM under the provisions of the 1996 National Defense  Authorization  Act
(NDAA).  While applicant has provided a  copy  of  his  flight  log  and  an
affidavit,  this  is  not  sufficient  documentation  to  justify  the   AM.
AFPC/DPPPR 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.
Further, under the 1996 NDAA service members may  request  consideration  of
awards not previously eligible because of  time  limitations,  provided  the
written recommendations be made by someone other than  the  member  himself,
in the member’s chain of command  at  the  time  of  the  incident  who  has
firsthand knowledge of the acts or achievements, and be submitted through  a
member of Congress.

The AFPC/DPPPR evaluation is at Exhibit B.

________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

After reviewing the evaluation, the applicant provided  through  his  member
of Congress, an affidavit from a former aircraft  crew  member  recommending
him for the AM because the applicant was a member of Major  Curtis’s  flight
crew.  Major Curtis was awarded the AM  because  his  achievements  met  the
criteria for the AM in existence when the event occurred.

Applicant’s complete response, with attachments, 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.  The applicant contends he  should
be awarded the AM because he was assigned  to  the  same  aircrew  as  Major
Curtis, who was awarded the AM.  In support of this contention he submits  a
Squadron Activity Report; however, this  document  only  indicates  that  an
awards presentation ceremony occurred, and does not show who the  recipients
were.  Further, we find no evidence the  applicant  and  Major  Curtis  were
assigned to the same crew.  Regardless,  the  evidence  indicates  that  the
applicant completed a total of 174.50 flying hours  while  assigned  to  the
84th Depot Repair Squadron, 15th Air Force, at Foggia Main Airdrome,  Italy.
 We note that during the contested period, the Fifteenth Air  Force  had  an
established policy whereby an AM was awarded  upon  the  completion  of  150
hours of  satisfactory  participation  in  operational  flight  missions  in
active combat theatres.  In view of this, and  given  the  total  number  of
hours  of  operational  flight  missions  he  completed  in  active   combat
theatres, we believe he should be awarded the 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 on 30 April 1945, he was awarded  the
Air Medal  for  extraordinary  achievement  while  participating  in  aerial
flight, having participated in 150 hours of operational  flight  over  enemy
occupied Continental Europe.

________________________________________________________________

The following members of the Board considered AFBCMR Docket Number  BC-2005-
01238 in Executive Session on 13 September 2005,  under  the  provisions  of
AFI 36-2603:

                       Mr. John B. Hennessey, Panel Chair
                       Ms. Renee M. Collier, Member
                       Mr. Richard K. Hartley, Member

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

     Exhibit A.  DD Form 149, dated 17 Apr 05, w/atchs.
     Exhibit B.  Letter, AFPC/DPPPR, dated 1 Jul 05.
     Exhibit C.  Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 15 Jul 05.
     Exhibit D.  Letter, Applicant, dated 10 Aug 05.
     Exhibit E.  Letter, C/M Sessions, dated 25 Aug 05, w/atchs.




                                  JOHN B. HENNESSEY
                                  Panel Chair

AFBCMR BC-2005-01238




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 on 30 April 1945, he was
awarded the Air Medal for extraordinary achievement while participating in
aerial flight, having participated in 150 hours of operational flight over
enemy occupied Continental Europe.









JOE G. LINEBERGER

Director

Air Force Review Boards Agency