RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS
IN THE MATTER OF: DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2007-01675
INDEX CODE: 107.00
COUNSEL: NONE
HEARING DESIRED: NOT INDICATED
_________________________________________________________________
APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:
He be awarded the Purple Heart (PH) Medal for an injury he sustained
when his aircraft was shot down on 4 Aug 44, and any other awards to
which he may be entitled.
_________________________________________________________________
APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:
He was hit by shrapnel in his ankle and sustained an injury by enemy
fire on 4 August 1944. His plane was shot down and he was treated for
his wounds by the Germans and held as a prisoner of war (POW).
In support of his request, applicant submits a statement from his
daughter, excerpts from his military personnel records, a statement
from his former squadron commander and his personal statement detailing
the events of his capture on 4 Aug 44.
Applicant’s complete submission, with attachments, is at Exhibit A.
_________________________________________________________________
STATEMENT OF FACTS:
The applicant’s military personnel records were destroyed by fire at
the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) in 1973. His available
records reflect he enlisted in the Army on 28 Apr 41, and was honorably
discharged on 2 Nov 43. He was commissioned a second lieutenant in the
Army Air Corps on 3 Nov 43, promoted to the grade of first lieutenant
and honorably relieved from duty on 5 Jun 47. He reenlisted as a
master sergeant on 17 Jun 47, and was honorably discharged on 3 Mar 53.
He served a total of 11 years, 9 months, and 28 days military service.
On 29 Aug 07, his records were administratively corrected to reflect
award of the POW medal, the Army Good Conduct medal with Army Loops,
the American Campaign medal, the European-African-Middle Eastern
Campaign medal, the World War II Victory medal, the National Defense
Service medal and the Honorable Service Lapel Button WWII.
_________________________________________________________________
AIR FORCE EVALUATION:
AFPC/DPPPR recommends denial. DPPPR states in part, the applicant did
not provide medical documentation to substantiate injuries received
were a direct result of enemy action. He was also notified of the
criteria to submit documentation for review to the Purple Heart Review
Board.
The DPPPR evaluation is attached at Exhibit C.
_________________________________________________________________
APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION:
A copy of the Air Force evaluation was forwarded to the applicant on 14
Sep 07, for review and comment 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. Sufficient relevant evidence has been presented to demonstrate
the existence of an injustice warranting the award of the PH. After a
thorough review of the applicant’s submission, the majority of the
Board is persuaded by the applicant's assertion concerning his alleged
injury, the corroboration of his story by other former POWs stating he
was shot in the left ankle, was injured during combat and received
medical treatment by his captors. The absence of any information
pertaining to the asserted wounds from the existing records is not
surprising considering the member was captured and held as a POW from
4 Aug 44 to 29 Apr 45, which prevented the proper documentation of his
medical records. The Board notes, a complete review of the
applicant’s records verified his entitlement to the POW medal, the
Army Good Conduct medal with Army Loops, the American Campaign medal,
the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign medal, the World War II
Victory medal, the Nation Defense Service medal and the Honorable
Service Lapel Button, WWII. Also, further review of his records
verified his entitlement to the Air Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster.
His records will be administratively corrected to reflect these
medals. In view of the foregoing and in recognition of his service to
the Nation, it is the majority of the Board’s opinion that any doubt
concerning the applicant’s entitlement to the PH should be resolved in
his favor and his records should be corrected as 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 he was awarded the
Purple Heart for injuries he received in action against an enemy of the
United States in a B-24 aircraft during a mission over England, on 4
August 1944.
_________________________________________________________________
The following members of the Board considered Docket Number BC-2007-
01675 in Executive Session on 4 Dec 07, under the provisions of AFI 36-
2603:
Ms. Kathleen F. Graham, Panel Chair
Mr. Richard K. Hartley, Member
Mr. Reginald P. Howard, Member
By a majority vote, the Board voted to correct the records, as
recommended. Ms. Graham voted to deny the applicant’s request, and
has submitted a minority report, which is attached at Exhibit E.
The following documentary evidence was considered:
Exhibit A. DD Form 149, dated 15 Feb 07, w/atchs.
Exhibit B. Applicant's Available Master Personnel Records.
Exhibit C. Letter, AFPC/DPPPR, dated 29 Aug 07.
Exhibit D. Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 14 Sep 07.
Exhibit E. Minority Report, dated 28 Mar 08.
KATHLEEN F. GRAHAM
Panel Chair
AFBCMR BC-2007-01675
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 APPLICANT, be corrected to show that he was awarded the Purple
Heart for injuries he received in action against an enemy of the United
States in a B-24 aircraft during a mission over England, on 4 August 1944.
JOE G. LINEBERGER
Director
Air Force Review Boards Agency
AF | BCMR | CY2002 | BC-2002-03684
_________________________________________________________________ AIR FORCE EVALUATIONS: AFPC/DPWCM recommends the applicant’s request for award of the POW Medal be denied. On 22 October 1944, he provided the information that immediately after being shot down, he was picked up by partisans, evading capture by the enemy. After thoroughly reviewing the evidence of record and noting the applicant’s contentions, we are not persuaded he should be awarded the PH, DFC, and POW Medal.
AF | BCMR | CY2004 | BC-2002-03224
_________________________________________________________________ AIR FORCE EVALUATION: AFPC/DPPPR recommends denial of the applicant’s request for award of the PH medal. AFPC/DPPPR recommends denial of the applicant’s request for award of the PH medal. The applicant has not provided any documentation or corroborating evidence that he suffered any injuries or wounds while a POW in Germany.
AF | BCMR | CY2007 | BC-2007-01642
The Purple Heart is awarded for wounds received as a direct result of enemy actions (e.g., gunshot or shrapnel wounds, hand-to-hand combat wounds, forced aircraft bail-out injuries, etc.). DPPPR states in order to be awarded the PH, the applicant must provide documentation to support that his wounds were a direct result of enemy action and the wounds received medical treatment by medical personnel. After a thorough review of the available evidence and the applicant’s complete submission,...
AF | BCMR | CY2004 | BC-2004-00937
_________________________________________________________________ AIR FORCE EVALUATION: HQ AFPC/DPPPR advises that, to be awarded the PH, a member must provide detailed evidence/documentation to support he was wounded as a direct result of enemy action and received treatment by medical personnel. By the time he was liberated from the POW camp nine months later, his wounds had healed and no further treatment was necessary. Exhibit E. Letter, Applicant, dated 13 Jun 04, w/atchs.
AF | BCMR | CY2003 | BC-2003-01675
RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS IN THE MATTER OF: DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2003-01675 INDEX CODE: 107.00 COUNSEL: NONE HEARING DESIRED: NO _________________________________________________________________ APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT: The applicant requests that her late-husband’s records be corrected to reflect award of the Purple Heart (PH). DPPPR is unable to verify the servicemember received an injury that meets the criteria for award of the PH. ...
AF | BCMR | CY2003 | BC-2003-01716
RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS IN THE MATTER OF: DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2003-01716 INDEX CODE: 107.00 COUNSEL: None HEARING DESIRED: No _________________________________________________________________ APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT: His records be corrected to reflect he received an Oak Leaf Cluster to the Purple Heart (PH) for being a prisoner of war (POW). DPPPR further states the applicant has not provided any documentation to show he was injured or wounded...
AF | BCMR | CY2006 | BC-2005-01990
DPPPR states to be awarded the PH, a member must provide documentation to support he was wounded as a direct result of enemy action and must have received medical treatment by medical personnel. Exhibit B. Exhibit E. Applicant's Response.
AF | BCMR | CY2003 | BC-2002-02730
_________________________________________________________________ THE APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT: He should be awarded the PH because he was hit by shrapnel from enemy fire and should be awarded the DFC because he completed over 25 combat missions. The applicant also states that during the period in question, the 8th Air Force had an established policy whereby the DFC was awarded upon the completion of 25 combat missions. ...
AF | BCMR | CY2007 | BC-2007-00263
___________________________________________________________________ AIR FORCE EVALUATION: HQ AFPC/DPPPR reviewed this application and recommended denial, stating, in part, that applicant’s plane was shot down on 23 Mar 44, over Brunswick, Germany, and he was held as a POW from 23 Mar 44 to 29 Apr 45. His DD Form 214, states no wounds received in action. We therefore agree with the opinion and recommendation of the Air Force office of primary responsibility and adopt its rationale as the...
_________________________________________________________________ AIR FORCE EVALUATION: The Recognition Programs Branch, AFPC/DPPPR, reviewed this application and indicated that to be awarded the Purple Heart Medal, a member must provide documentation to support he was wounded as a direct result of enemy action. Accordingly, we recommend that the applicant’s records be corrected to reflect award of the DFC. We note the applicant’s request that his records be corrected to reflect award of...