RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS
IN THE MATTER OF: DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2006-02827
COUNSEL: NONE
HEARING DESIRED: NO
MANDATORY CASE COMPLETION DATE: 20 MAR 08
_________________________________________________________________
APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:
His records be corrected to reflect award of the Purple Heart Medal,
and his WD AGO Form 53-98, Military Record and Report of Separation
Certificate of Service be amended in Item 30, Wound Received in
Action, to reflect “Yes,” rather than “None.”
_________________________________________________________________
APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:
He should be awarded the Purple Heart for the shrapnel wounds he
received when his plane was shot down, and his separation document
should reflect he received his wounds in action.
In support of his appeal, the applicant provided documentation from
his military personnel records and Veterans Administration, and
congressional correspondence.
Applicant’s complete submission, with attachments, is at Exhibit A.
_________________________________________________________________
STATEMENT OF FACTS:
Applicant’s available military personnel records indicates he was
commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Army of the United States
(Air Corps), and entered on active duty on 1 Apr 44. He separated
from active duty on 23 Nov 45 in the grade of second lieutenant. He
was credited with 1 year, 7 months, and 23 days of active service.
_________________________________________________________________
AIR FORCE EVALUATION:
AFPC/DPPPR recommends denial indicating that to be awarded the Purple
Heart, there must be documentation showing the applicant’s wounds were
a direct result of enemy action. There were unable to verify his
entitlement to the Purple Heart and the applicant has not provided
documentation to substantiate his claim. Further, on 2 Nov 06, the
applicant’s request for award of the Purple Heart was considered by
the Purple Heart Review Board, which disapproved his request.
A complete copy of the AFPC/DPPPR evaluation is at Exhibit C.
_________________________________________________________________
APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION:
A copy of the Air Force evaluation was forwarded to applicant on 1 Dec
06 for review and response within 30 days. As of this date, no
response has been received by this office (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 error or injustice. A review of the available evidence
reveals the applicant received shrapnel wounds when a plane in which
he was a crewmember was shot down during a bombing mission over
Cologne, Germany, resulting in his capture as a prisoner of war (POW).
Although sufficient documentation has not been presented showing that
his wounds were the direct result of enemy action, after a thorough of
the facts and circumstances of this case, we believe any doubt
regarding his entitlement to the Purple Heart should be resolved in
favor of the applicant. In view of the foregoing, as well as the
applicant’s service and sacrifice for his country, we recommend the
applicant’s records be corrected as set forth 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 22 Nov 45, he was awarded the Purple Heart for injuries
he received in action against an enemy of the United States in
Cologne, Germany.
b. His WD AGO Form 53-98, Military Record and Report of
Separation Certificate of Service be amended in Item 30, Wound
Received in Action, to reflect “Yes,” rather than “None.”
_________________________________________________________________
The following members of the Board considered AFBCMR Docket Number BC-
2006-02827 in Executive Session on 17 Jan 07, under the provisions of
AFI 36-2603:
Mr. Thomas S. Markiewicz, Chair
Ms. Karen A. Holloman, Member
Mr. Wallace F. Beard, Jr., Member
All members voted to correct the records, as recommended. The
following documentary evidence was considered:
Exhibit A. DD Form 149, dated 19 Apr 06, w/atchs.
Exhibit B. Applicant's Master Personnel Records.
Exhibit C. Letter, AFPC/DPPPR, dated 24 Nov 06.
Exhibit D. Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 1 Dec 06.
THOMAS S. MARKIEWICZ
Chair
AFBCMR BC-2006-02827
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 , be corrected to show that:
a. On 22 November 1945, he was awarded the Purple Heart
for injuries he received in action against an enemy of the United
States in Cologne, Germany.
b. His WD AGO Form 53-98, Military Record and Report of
Separation Certificate of Service be, and hereby is, amended in Item
30, Wounds Received in Action, to reflect “Yes,” rather than “None.”
JOE G. LINEBERGER
Director
Air Force Review Boards Agency
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