RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
             AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS


IN THE MATTER OF:      DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2008-03898
            INDEX NUMBER: 107.00

      XXXXXXX    COUNSEL:  NONE

            HEARING DESIRED:  NO

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:

His records be amended to reflect award of the Air Medal (AM)  and  that  he
be credited with combat service during World War II (WWII).

_________________________________________________________________

THE APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:

His records should be corrected to reflect that he served in combat and  was
awarded the AM.  After enlistment, he was  trained  as  a  waist-gunner  and
assigned to Seventh Air Force, 396th Bomb Squadron (BS).  Once they  reached
the Gilbert Isles with the  B-25s,  he  was  placed  with  more  experienced
personnel.  He flew at least 10 – 15 missions in the Gilbert Isles.

He was then moved to  the  Mariana  Isles,  where  he  flew  more  missions;
however, he cannot remember because he contracted the  “Dengue  Fever,”  and
was hospitalized for three to four months.  After being discharged from  the
hospital, he was able to rejoin  his  squadron,  who  was  now  in  Okinawa.
While he was hospitalized, his squadron received the Air Medal,  along  with
other awards.  He flew several more  missions  in  Okinawa  before  the  war
ended.

He is now 86 years of age, and would like to get  his  records  straightened
out.  In the past, he did not care about the correction, because he was  one
of the fortunate ones who made it home in one piece.

In support of his appeal, the applicant submits  a  personal  statement  and
two pictures taken during his period of service.

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

_________________________________________________________________




STATEMENT OF FACTS:

The applicant’s master personnel records  were  destroyed  by  fire  at  the
National Personnel Record Center (NPRC), in St. Louis, in  1973.   A  review
of the documents from his reconstructed records reveal the  applicant  is  a
former member of the Army Air Corps who served in  the  Pacific  Theater  of
Operation from 17 February 1943 to 28 January  1946,  as  a  radio  operator
gunner, on B-25 airplanes.  The 396th BS record reflects  the  applicant  on
flying  duty  requiring  regular  and  frequent  participations  in   aerial
flights;  and  VII  Bomber  Command  B-25  Radio  Operator-Gunner’s   Combat
Qualification  Card  confirms  the  applicant  successfully  completed   the
requirements and was rated as a Combat Radio Operator-Gunner  on  B-25  type
airplanes.

His Separation Qualification Record reflects the applicant was separated  on
28 January 1946, in the grade of staff sergeant.

The AM is awarded for heroic or meritorious achievement while  participating
in aerial flight.

During World War II,  the  Seventh  Air  Force  had  an  established  policy
whereby an AM was awarded upon the completion of  every  five  heavy  bomber
strike sorties or every 10 operational missions.  In  1943,  the  policy  of
awarding the DFC and AM based solely on the  number  of  missions  completed
was discontinued.

_________________________________________________________________

AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

HQ AFPC/DPSIDR  recommends  denial,  noting  there  are  no  special  order,
recommendation, proposed citation, or any other  evidence  provided  by  the
applicant or located within his limited official military personnel file  to
support that he was submitted for the AM.

Prior to the National Defense Authorization Act  (NDAA),  Section  526,  the
timeline for submitting decorations was two years from the date of  the  act
or achievement.  Based on current law and statute,  this  timeline  has  now
been  waived;  however,  the  original  or   reconstructed   written   award
recommendation  is   required.    All   military   decorations   require   a
recommendation from a recommending official within  the  member’s  chain  of
command at the time of the act or achievement,  or  someone  with  firsthand
knowledge.  The recommending official must sign the recommendation.

The complete HQ AFPC/DPSIDR evaluation is at Exhibit C.

_________________________________________________________________




APPLICANT’S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

The applicant reiterates  his  original  contentions  that  he  flew  actual
combat missions while assigned to the Pacific theater.

In support of his appeal, he provides a copy of a  Special  Order,  SQ  O-33
and pictures to substantiate his claim.

The 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.  Insufficient relevant evidence has been  presented  to  demonstrate  the
existence of error or injustice warranting a correction to  the  applicant’s
request for award of the AM.  After a thorough review  of  the  evidence  of
record and that provided by the applicant, we note that  Seventh  Air  Force
had an established policy whereby an AM was awarded upon the  completion  of
every five heavy bomber strike sorties or  every  10  operational  missions.
However, based on the documentation presented, we could not find  conclusive
evidence of the actual number of missions flown.  In this respect,  we  were
not able to substantiate the applicant’s entitlement to the AM.  Should  the
applicant provide further documentation, to  include  the  total  number  of
missions flown, we would be inclined to reconsider his request for  the  AM.
Notwithstanding the above, in regards to the applicant’s request that he  be
credited with combat service  during  World  War  II;  we  note,  while  the
evidence was not conclusive as to the number of missions flown,  the  record
reflects while serving in the Pacific Theater, he  participated  in  regular
and frequent aerial flights during World War II.   Therefore,  we  recommend
the applicant’s record be  corrected  in  regard  to  this  portion  of  his
request.

_________________________________________________________________

THE BOARD RECOMMENDS THAT:

The pertinent military records of the Department of the Air  Force  relating
to APPLICANT, be corrected to show that  his  WD  AGO  Form 100,  Separation
Qualification  Record,  be  amended  in  Section  13,  Summary  of  Military
Occupation, to reflect in 1942, while serving as an aerial  gunner  on  B-25
airplanes, he had regular and frequent participation in  aerial  flights  in
the Pacific Theater.

_________________________________________________________________

The following members of the Board considered AFBCMR Docket Number  BC-2008-
03898 in Executive Session on 29 July 2009, under the provisions of AFI  36-
2603:

      Mr. Joseph D. Yount, Panel Chair
      Ms. Barbara J. Barger, Member
      Mr. Grover L. Dunn, Member

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

     Exhibit A.  DD Form 149, dated 1 Nov 08, w/atchs.
     Exhibit B.  Applicant's Reconstructed Personnel Records.
     Exhibit C.  Letter, HQ AFPC/DPSIDR, dated 15 Jun 09,
                 with attachments.
     Exhibit D.  Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 2 Jul 09.
     Exhibit E.  Letter, Applicant, dated 8 Jul 09, w/atchs.




                                   JOSEPH D. YOUNT
                                   Panel Chair




AFBCMR BC-2008-03898




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 that his WD AGO
Form 100, Separation Qualification Record, be, and hereby is, amended in
Section 13, Summary of Military Occupation, to reflect in 1942, while
serving as an aerial gunner on B-25 airplanes, he had regular and frequent
participation in aerial flights in the Pacific Theater.






            JOE G. LINEBERGER
            Director
            Air Force Review Boards Agency