RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
         AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS


IN THE MATTER OF:      DOCKET NUMBER:  BC-2005-01013

            INDEX CODE:  107.00

      xxxxxxxxxxxxxx   COUNSEL:  NOT INDICATED

      xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx      HEARING DESIRED:  NOT INDICATED

MANDATORY CASE COMPLETION DATE:  26 AUG 2006

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:

His records be corrected to reflect  award  of  the  Korean  Defense
Service Medal (KDSM).

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:

The KDSM was recently authorized for award to those who served in or
in support of South Korea during a period of time that includes  the
time in which he participated  in  frequent  airlift  missions  into
South Korea.

In support of his request, applicant submits a  personal  statement,
and a copy of Air Form 11,  Officer  Military  Record,  and  Special
Order number 30, dated 24 July 1966, showing the  applicant’s  title
as instructor pilot, C-124 type aircraft, the  374th  Troop  Carrier
Wing, 6th Troop Carrier Squadron.

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

_________________________________________________________________

STATEMENT OF FACTS:

Applicant’s military personnel records reflect he served  on  active
duty as a commissioned officer from 15  September  1950  through  30
June 1972 and retired in the grade of Colonel.  He served  in  Japan
from 22 October 1955 through 22 February 1958 and in  Thailand  from
29 October 1968 through 29 October 1969.

His DD Form 214, Report of Separation reflects award of  the  Bronze
Star,  Distinguished  Flying  Cross  with  5/OLCs,  Air  Medal  with
11/OLCs, Combat Readiness Medal, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal,
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal  with  two  Bronze  Service  Stars,
National Defense Service Medal with one Bronze Service Star, Vietnam
Service Medal with one Bronze Service  Star,  Armed  Forces  Reserve
Medal and the Korean Service Medal.

_________________________________________________________________

AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

AFPC/DPPPR recommends the  applicant's  request  be  denied.   DPPPR
states the KDSM is awarded for military service in the  Republic  of
Korea (ROK) and surrounding waters after 28 July 1954, to a date  to
be determined by the Secretary of  Defense.  Individuals  must  have
been assigned, attached, or mobilized to units operating or  serving
on all the land area of the ROK, and the contiguous waters out to 12
nautical miles, and all airspace above all the land  area  of  Korea
and waters areas.  To be eligible for the KDSM, personnel must  have
been physically present in the areas above for 30  consecutive  days
or 60 nonconsecutive days.

DPPPS states the applicant’s AF Form 11,  Item  14,  Combat  Record,
shows 211 combat missions, Korea, from 7 December 1950  to  15 March
1952.  There is no documentation in applicant’s record indicating he
was in Korea after 28 July 1954.

The DPPPR evaluation is at Exhibit C.

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

The applicant states he submitted orders, which assigned him to  the
6th  Troop  Carrier  Squadron,  Tachikawa  Air  Base,  Japan,   from
September 1955 to September 1958.

During that time he served as a pilot  on  C-124  aircraft  and  his
unit’s mission was  to  provide  theater  airlift.   These  missions
included all of South Korea.  His Form  5  records  the  flight  and
flying hours, but does not record destinations.

He states the advisory indicates his Form 5 could  not  be  located.
This is because he has the  Form  5  in  his  possession  like  most
retired Air Force  pilots.   His  missions  to  Korea  were  support
missions, not combat missions and a review of  the  mission  of  the
374th Troop Carrier Group of which the  6th  Squadron  was  a  part,
should be evidence that any crewmember assigned to the Group  during
the mid 50s flew into Korea at least twice a month during  a  three-
year tour.

He is enclosing copies of 3 different months from  his  Form  5,  as
proof that he did fly while the 6th Troop Carrier Squadron  and  the
Form 5, which the Board could not locate, is in his possession.

He states if a person must prove that missions were flown into Korea
to be awarded this medal, many deserving crewmembers will be  denied
the award.

His 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.     Insufficient  relevant  evidence  has   been   presented   to
demonstrate the existence of error or injustice.  After  a  thorough
review of the available evidence, a majority of  the  Board  is  not
persuaded that the applicant is entitled  to  award  of  the  Korean
Defense Service Medal.  The Board majority agrees with the  opinions
and  recommendations  of   the   Air   Force   office   of   primary
responsibility and  adopts  its  rationale  as  the  basis  for  our
conclusion that the applicant has not been the victim of an error or
injustice.  Therefore, in the absence of evidence to the contrary, a
majority of  the  Board  finds  no  compelling  basis  to  recommend
granting the relief sought in this application.

_________________________________________________________________

THE BOARD DETERMINES THAT:

The applicant be  notified  that  the  evidence  presented  did  not
demonstrate the existence of a 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-
01013 in Executive Session on 29 June 2005, under the provisions  of
AFI 36-2603:

                 Mr. Gregory H. Petkoff, Panel Chair
                 Ms. Jan Mulligan, Member
                 Ms. Patricia A. Robey, Member

By a majority vote, the Board recommended denial of the application.
 Mr. Petkoff voted to correct the  records  but  does  not  wish  to
submit a Minority Report.  The following  documentary  evidence  was
considered:

      Exhibit A. DD Form 149, dated 18 Mar 05, w/atchs.
      Exhibit B. Applicant's Master Personnel Records.
      Exhibit C. Letter, AFPC/DPPPR, dated 12 Apr 05.
      Exhibit D. Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 22 Apr 05.
      Exhibit E. Letter, Applicant, dated 25 Apr 05, w/atchs.







      GREGORY H. PETKOFF
      Panel Chair