AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS 

RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 

 

 
 

 
 

 
 
 

 
 
 

DOCKET NUMBER:  BC-2011-05123 
COUNSEL:  NONE 
HEARING DESIRED:  NO 

IN THE MATTER OF:   
 
 
     
   
     
 
   
 
________________________________________________________________ 
 
APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:  
 
1.  He be awarded the Bronze Star Medal (BSM).  
 
2.  He  be  awarded  the  Air  Force  Outstanding  Unit  Award  w/Valor 
(AFOUA w/V). 
 
3.  He  be  awarded  the  Air  Force  Good  Conduct  Medal. 
(ADMINISTRATIVELY CORRECTED) 
 
4.  Three  Bronze  Service  Stars  be  added  to  his  Vietnam  Service 
Medal. (ADMINISTRATIVELY CORRECTED) 
 
5.  He  be  awarded  the  Small  Arms  Expert  Marksmanship  Ribbon 
(SAEMR). 
 
6.  He  be  awarded  the  Republic  of  Vietnam  Gallantry  Cross  w/ 
Palm. (ADMINISTRATIVELY CORRECTED) 
 
7.  He  be  awarded  the  Republic  of  Vietnam  Campaign  Medal. 
(ADMINISTRATIVELY CORRECTED) 
 
________________________________________________________________ 
 
APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT: 
 
He should be awarded the BSM for his actions on 15 January 1969.  
On 15 January 1969, North Vietnamese successfully blew up a fuel 
storage area and ignited 90,000 gallons of fuel.  As a result of 
the extreme fires, the only fuel left to fuel the planes were in 
15,000 gallon gas trailers which were situated in the middle of 
the burning fuel dupe.  Those trailers were being used to refuel 
at the fuel storage and were inoperable.   
 
A  group  of  men  from  the  Transportation  Squadron  ran  into  the 
fire  and  saved  the  trailers  by  making  them  operable.    This 
entailed  them  to  crawl  under  the  tankers  to  release  the  air 
brakes  with  everything  around  them  on  fire  and  exploding 
incoming rockets.  They also had to haul the trailer out of the 
fire  under  these  extreme  circumstances.  Several  of  the 
participants were honored with the Bronze Star with Valor. 
 
 
 

In support of his appeal, the applicant provides a copy of his 
DD Form 214, Armed Forces of the Transfer Report of Transfer or 
Discharge, witness statements, a Combat Operations After Action 
Report and other supporting documentation.  
 
The  applicant’s  complete  submission,  with  attachments,  is  at 
Exhibit A. 
 
________________________________________________________________ 
 
STATEMENT OF FACTS: 
 
The applicant enlisted in the Regular Air Force on 2 July 1968. 
He  departed  for  Pleiku  Air  Base  Vietnam  on  5  July  1969  and 
remained  there  until  1  December  1969.    The  applicant  was 
honorably  discharged  on  30  June  1972  and  credited  with  serving 
3 years, 11 months and 29 days of active duty service.  
 
The  remaining  relevant  facts  are  pertaining  to  the  application 
are  contained  in  the  letter  prepared  by  the  appropriate  office 
of the Air Force which is at Exhibit C.  
 
_______________________________________________________________ 
 
AIR FORCE EVALUATION: 
 
AFPC/DPSIDR  recommends  denial  of  the  Bronze  Star  Medal,  Air 
Force Outstanding Unit Award w/ Valor and the Small Arms Expert 
Marksmanship Ribbon.   
 
They were able to verify the applicant’s entitlement to the Air 
Force  Achievement  Medal,  Air  Force  Good  Conduct  Medal,  Vietnam 
Service  Medal  with  Three  Bronze  Service  Stars,  Republic  of 
Vietnam  Gallantry  Cross  w/  Palm  and  the  Republic  of  Vietnam 
Campaign Medal.  His records were administratively corrected. 
 
The  BSM  is  awarded  to  a  person  in  any  branch  of  the  military 
service who, while still serving in any capacity with the Armed 
Force  of  the  United  States  on  or  after  7  December  1941,  shall 
have  distinguished  themselves  by  heroic  or  meritorious 
achievement  or  service,  not  involving  participation  in  aerial 
flight, in connection with military operations against an armed 
enemy.  Additionally, the BSM is limited to members of the Armed 
Forces  who  are  in  receipt  of  special  pay  at  the  time  of  the 
event or who receives such pay as a result of those events. 
 
The  applicant  received  an  Air  Force  Commendation  Medal  for 
meritorious  service  for  his  10  month  tour  in  Vietnam,  however, 
no  official  recommendation  within  the  chain  of  command,  no 
proposed  citation,  or  special  orders  were  provided  for  the  BSM 
to  commemorate  the  heroic  initiative  of  the  applicant  on 
15 January 1969.   
 

 

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The  applicant  has  provided  three  witness  statements  as 
recommendation  for  the  BSM.    Each  witness  attests  to  the 
applicant saving motorized equipment.  One of the witnesses was 
awarded  the  BSM  with  Valor  for  the  incident.    The  applicant’s 
paid voucher shows he arrived in Vietnam on 7 January 1969 and 
the  witnesses  attest  the  applicant  arrived  on  the  night  of  the 
attack, 15 January 1969.   
 
The Air Force Outstanding Unit Award is awarded by the Secretary 
of the Air Force to units that have distinguished themselves by 
exceptionally  meritorious  service  or  outstanding  achievement 
that  clearly  sets  the  unit  above  and  apart.    The  633rd  Combat 
Support  Group,  Headquarters  SQ  SEC  received  the  award;  however 
the  applicant’s  records  to  not  support  he  was  assigned  to  the 
Headquarters.  The applicant is ineligible for the AFOUA w/V. 
 
The  SAEMR  is  awarded  to  all  Air  Force  members  who,  after 
1 January 1963 qualify as expert in small arms marksmanship with 
either  the  M-16  rifle  or  issue  handgun.    A  review  of  the 
applicant’s  record  revealed  no  documentation  designating  the 
award of the SAEMR.   
 
The complete DPSIDR evaluation is at Exhibit C.   
 
________________________________________________________________ 
 
APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION: 
 
A  copy  of  the  Air  Force  evaluations  was  forwarded  to  the 
applicant  on  20  March  2012,  for  review  and  comment  within  30 
days (Exhibit D).  As of this date, this office has received no 
response. 
 
________________________________________________________________ 
 
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  an  error  or  injustice.    We  took 
notice of the applicant's complete submission and the available 
evidence  of  record  in  judging  the  merits  of  the  case;  however, 
we  are  not  persuaded  based  upon  the  evidence  presented  of  his 
entitlement to the award of the Bronze Star Medal, AFOUA w/V and 
Small  Arms  Expert  Marksmanship  Ribbon.    We  agree  with  the 
opinion  and  recommendation  of  the  Air  Force  office  of  primary 
responsibility  and  adopt  its  rationale  as  the  basis  for  our 
conclusion 
granted 

already 

beyond 

that 

relief 

that 

 

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administratively  is  not  warranted.    While  the  applicant  has  a 
commendable  record  of  service,  regrettably,  in  the  absence  of 
evidence to the contrary, we find no basis to grant the relief 
sought in this application.   
 
________________________________________________________________ 
 
THE BOARD DETERMINES THAT: 
 
The  applicant  be  notified  the  evidence  presented  did  not 
demonstrate  the  existence  of  material  error  or  injustice;  the 
application  was  denied  without  a  personal  appearance;  and  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 BCMR Docket Number 
BC-2011-05123 in Executive Session on 30 August 2012, under the 
provisions of AFI 36-2603: 
 

  Panel Chair 
  Member 
  Member 

Exhibit A.  DD Form 149, dated 11 Jun 12 w/atchs. 
Exhibit B.  Applicant's Master Personnel Records. 
Exhibit C.  Letter, AFPC/DPSIDR, dated 23 Feb 12. 
Exhibit D.  Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 20 Mar 12. 

 
The following documentary evidence was considered: 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 

 

 
 
Panel Chair 

 
 

 
 

 
 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 

 

 

 

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