RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 

AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS 

 

IN THE MATTER OF: DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2011-04215 

 COUNSEL: NONE 

 HEARING DESIRED: NO 

 

 

 

_________________________________________________________________ 

 

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT: 

 

He be awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC). 

 

_________________________________________________________________ 

 

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT: 

 

Either the recommendation for the DFC was lost or it may not have 
been submitted after he completed a combat tour from 1944 to 
1945. Many or most combat crews that successfully completed a 
combat tour over Germany and/or singularly performed beyond 
expectations were awarded the DFC upon completion of a combat 
tour. Additionally, after he transferred to another assignment, 
a senior staff officer noted that he was not wearing the DFC 
ribbon and was told to follow-up with the 466 Bomb Group on the 
status of his DFC. 

 

In support of his request, the applicant provides excerpts from 
has Master Personnel Records, a copy of his Combat Missions 
record, a copy of another member’s Bronze Star Medal (BSM), a 
copy of his citation for award of the BSM, an unsigned letter 
from a navigator, a letter to the Veterans Affairs (VA) office, 
e-mail communications, a copy of an unsigned DFC citation, a copy 
of a DFC citation with a seal and the signed certificate on 
another member, copies of special orders, and a copy of his 
Congressional Inquiry. 

 

His complete submission, with attachments, is at Exhibit A. 

 

_________________________________________________________________ 

 

STATEMENT OF FACTS: 

 

The applicant enlisted into Regular Air Force on 11 Sep 42 and 
was commissioned on 7 Jan 44. He received a regular commissioned 
in Jul 46 and was progressively promoted to the grade of 
lieutenant colonel (0-5). He retired on 29 Feb 72 after serving 
25 years, 7 months, and 26 days on active duty. 

 

 

The DFC criteria: This medal is awarded to any officer or 
enlisted person of the Armed Forces of the United States who 


shall have distinguished her/himself in actual combat in support 
of operations by heroism or this medal is awarded to any officer 
or enlisted person of the Armed Forces of the United States who 
shall have distinguished her/himself in actual combat in support 
of operations by heroism or extraordinary achievement while 
participating in an aerial flight, subsequent to November 11, 
1918. 

 

The remaining relevant facts pertaining to this application are 
contained in the letters prepared by the appropriate offices of 
the Air Force, which is at Exhibit C. 

 

_________________________________________________________________ 

 

AIR FORCE EVALUATION: 

 

AFPC/DPSIDR recommends denial. The applicant provided a typed 
citation stating he is entitled to the DFC for the following 
reason, “while serving as pilot on B-24 airplanes on many 
bombardment missions over enemy occupied Continental Europe 
during the summer and winter of 1944 and 1945”; however, no 
special orders could be located to verify that he was submitted 
or ever awarded the DFC. Furthermore, in order to reasonably 
consider to award the DFC under the Fiscal Year 1996 National 
Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), (Section 526), by the military 
service involved, it is important that the recommendation be 
accompanied by eyewitness statements, attesting to the act(s), 
sworn affidavits, certificates, and any other related 
documentation. Should the applicant decide to pursue this course 
of action, as a courtesy, DPSIDR provided the information needed 
to help in the submission of his package. 

 

The complete DPSIDR evaluation, with attachments, is at Exhibit 
B. 

 

_________________________________________________________________ 

 

APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION: 

 

He states the DFC was awarded to a member of his crew who may 
have found documentation for one particular mission – 19 Oct 44. 
The hydraulic lines were torn loose as the bombs were released. 
He provides clarification to his service dates and explains that 
most of the personnel in his chain of command that could have 
corroborated this statement are either deceased or the addresses 
are unknown. 

 

 

 

The applicant’s complete submission, 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. Sufficient relevant evidence has been presented to demonstrate 
the existence of error or injustice warranting the award of the 
DFC. In this respect, we note that the applicant while assigned 
to the 466th Bomb Group as a Pilot flew aerial missions over 
enemy-occupied Continental Europe during 1944 through 1945. 
Additionally, we note the applicant’s evident accomplishments as 
stated in his proposed DFC citation, which are verified by the 
witness statement of the gunner of the mission that was flown on 
19 October 1944. As such, based on the applicant’s verifiable act 
of extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight, 
we believe it would be in the interest of equity and justice to 
award the applicant the DFC for his service to the Nation. 
Therefore, we recommend that his records 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 on 1 March 1945, 
he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for extraordinary 
achievement while participating in aerial flights as a B-24 pilot 
on bombardment missions over enemy occupied Continental Europe. 

 

_________________________________________________________________ 

 

The following members of the Board considered AFBCMR Docket Number 
BC-2011-04215 in Executive Session on 27 Mar 12, under the 
provisions of AFI 36-2603: 

 

 , Panel Chair 

 , Member 

 , Member 

 

 

 

 

 

All members voted to correct the records, as recommended. The 
following documentary evidence for Docket Number BC-2011-04215 was 
considered: 

 

 Exhibit A. DD Form 149, dated 24 Oct 11, w/atchs. 

 Exhibit B. Applicant's Master Personnel Records. 


 Exhibit C. Letter, AFPC/DPSIDR, dated 15 Dec 11. 

 Exhibit D. Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 22 Dec 11. 

 Exhibit E. Letter, Applicant, dated 16 Jan 12, w/atchs. 

 

 

 

 

 Panel Chair