RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
             AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS


IN THE MATTER OF:      DOCKET NUMBER:  BC-2005-01949
            INDEX CODE:  107.00

            COUNSEL:  NONE

            HEARING DESIRED:  NO

MANDATORY CASE COMPLETION DATE:  20 DEC 06

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:

He be awarded the  Distinguished  Flying  Cross  (DFC),  Distinguished  Unit
Badge (DUB), and the European African  Middle  Eastern  Service  Medal  with
Eight Bronze Service Stars (EAME w/8BSS).

Examiner’s Note:  The applicant’s WD AGO Form  53-55,  Enlisted  Record  and
Report of Separation, Honorable Discharge, reflects award  of  the  DUB  and
EAME w/8BSS.  Therefore, the only issue before the Board is the DFC.

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:

He desires the requested awards for his service in World War II.

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

_________________________________________________________________

STATEMENT OF FACTS:

Portions of the applicant's military personnel  records  were  destroyed  by
fire in 1973 at the National Personnel Record Center (NPRC)  in  St.  Louis,
Missouri.  The available records indicate the following.

The applicant enlisted in the Army Air Corps on 1 March 1943.

On 5 October 1945, the applicant was honorably discharged in  the  grade  of
technical sergeant under the provisions of AR 615-365,  Convenience  of  the
Government, RR 1-1 Demobilization.  He served 2 years, 1 month, and 17  days
total active duty service.

The  applicant’s  WD  AGO  Form  53-55  (Enlisted  Record  and   Report   of
Separation) indicates the applicant received the following  decorations  and
citations:  the European-African-Middle Eastern  Service  Medal  with  Eight
Bronze Service Stars (EAME w/8BSS), Good  Conduct  Medal  (GCM),  Air  Medal
with three Oak Leaf Clusters (AM w/3OLCs), and the Distinguished Unit  Badge
(DUB).

_________________________________________________________________

AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

AFPC/DPPPR recommended denial for  the  DFC  indicating  the  applicant  was
assigned to the 775th Bomb Squadron, 463rd Bomb Group, Foggia,  Italy,  from
10 April 1944 to 30 September 1944.  The applicant  requests  award  of  the
DFC for completing 50 missions during the summer  of  1944.   The  applicant
states he was shot down  on  three  occasions  and  spent  10  days  in  the
hospital.  The applicant states upon  completion  of  his  last  mission  on
9 September 1944 only officers were awarded the DFC.

In the applicant’s request for award of the Distinguished  Unit  Badge  they
assume the applicant is requesting award of the Distinguished Unit  Citation
(DUC), which is now the Presidential Unit Citation (PUC).   The  applicant’s
WD AGO Form 53-55 reflects this award.  The applicant will  be  forwarded  a
replacement ribbon.

In the applicant’s request for the EAME w/8  BSS  they  have  verified  this
award is already reflected on his WD  AGO  53-55;  therefore  a  replacement
will be sent along with the Army Good  Conduct  Medal  (GCM),  and  the  Air
Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters (AM w/3 OLC).

They have verified the applicant is also entitled to award of  the  American
Campaign Medal (ACM) and the World  War  II  Victory  Medal  (WWIIVM).   The
applicant’s WD AGO Form 53-55 will be updated to reflect the  aforementioned
awards not previously listed.

After a thorough review of the applicant’s military record  they  could  not
locate a decoration recommendation on the applicant for the DFC from  either
someone within his chain of command, or who had firsthand knowledge  of  the
act or achievement.

The evaluation, with attachments, is at Exhibit C.

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

On 29 July 2005, a copy of the Air Force evaluation  was  forwarded  to  the
applicant for review and response within 30  days.   As  of  this  date,  no
response has been received by this office.

_________________________________________________________________

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 an error or injustice.   We  took  notice  of  the  applicant's
complete submission in judging the merits of the  case;  however,  we  agree
with the  opinion  and  recommendation  of  the  Air  Force  and  adopt  its
rationale as the basis for our conclusion that the applicant  has  not  been
the victim of an error  or  an  injustice.   It  is  noted  the  applicant’s
records reflect he was awarded the DUB and the EAME w/8BSS; therefore,  this
portion of  the  applicant’s  request  is  moot.   In  addition,  AFPC/DPPPR
verified his entitlement to the ACM and the WWIIVM  and  replacement  medals
and ribbons are being forwarded to  the  applicant.   With  respect  to  the
issue of the DFC,  the  Board  finds  no  supporting  documentation  in  the
applicant’s record to indicate he was recommended  for  award  of  the  DFC;
therefore, his entitlement to the award cannot be verified.  In view of  the
above and in the absence of evidence to the contrary, we find no  compelling
basis to recommend granting the relief sought.

_________________________________________________________________

THE BOARD DETERMINES THAT:

The applicant be notified the evidence presented  did  not  demonstrate  the
existence of an error or injustice; the application  was  denied  without  a
personal appearance; and 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 AFBCMR Docket Number  BC-2005-
01949 in Executive Session on 14 September 2005,  under  the  provisions  of
AFI 36-2603:

                 Ms. Kathleen F. Graham, Panel Chair
                 Ms. Kathy L. Boockholdt, Member
                 Mr. Wallace F. Beard, Jr., Member

The following documentary evidence was considered:

   Exhibit A.  DD Form 149, dated 13 June 2005, w/atchs.
   Exhibit B.  Available Master Personnel Records.
   Exhibit C.  Letter, AFPC/DPPPR, undated w/atchs.
   Exhibit D.  Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 29 July 2005.



                       KATHLEEN F. GRAHAM
                       Panel Chair