AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS 

RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 

 

 
 
 

 
 

 
  

 
 
 

DOCKET NUMBER:  BC-2012-00501 
COUNSEL: None 
HEARING DESIRED:  No 

IN THE MATTER OF:   
     
 
      
 
 
_________________________________________________________________ 
 
APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:  
 
His DD Form 214,  Report  of  Separation  from  the  Armed  Forces  of 
the United States, be corrected to reflect the following: 
 
1.  He  was  awarded  the  Korean  Service  Medal  (KSM)  with  Seven 
Bronze  Service  Stars  (w/7BSS)  and  the  Arrowhead  Device  for  his 
service with the 85th Troop Carrier Squadron. 
 
2.  Block 5, Qualifications, reflect the correct “symbol” for his 
being a crew chief and flight engineer. 
 
_______________________________________________________________ 
 
APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT: 
 
He was not given full credit or entitlement to additional Bronze 
Service Stars for his KSM.  He was with the 85th Troop Carrier 
Squadron,  437th  Troop  Carrier  Group  from  the  beginning  (10  Aug 
50) to 8 May 52.  He participated in all seven campaigns in Korea 
for which the 437th received credit. 
 
In  support  of  his  appeal,  the  applicant  provides  a  personal 
statement,  copies  of  his  DD  Form  214,  and  other  documents  from 
his personnel records, and correspondence between he and AFPC and 
with the National Personnel Records Center. 
 
The  applicant’s  complete  submission,  with  attachments,  is  at 
Exhibit A. 
 
_________________________________________________________________ 
 
STATEMENT OF FACTS: 
 
The applicant’s military personnel records were destroyed in the 
fire in 1973 at the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC).   
 
According to the applicant’s WD AGO 53, he commenced his initial 
tour  of  active  duty  with  the  Army  Air  Corps  on  24  Jul  46  and 
served  on  active  duty  until  20  Jul  49  when  he  was  honorably 
discharged and credited with 2 years, 11 months, and 27 days of 
total active service. 
 
 
 

According to a typewritten notation on the applicant’s honorable 
discharge  certificate,  he  enlisted  in  the  Air  Force  Reserve  on 
8 Jul  50  for  a  period  of  three  years.    On  10  Aug  50,  the 
applicant was called to active duty for a period of 21 months.   
 
According  to  the  applicant’s  DD  Form  214,  Report  of  Separation 
from the Armed Forces of the United States, on 8 May 52, he was 
released from active duty and credited with 1 year, 8 months, and 
29 days of active service; one year, five months, and nine days 
of  which  were  credited  as  foreign  service.    His  DD  Form  214 
reflects that his primary unit of assignment during this period 
of service was the 85th Troop Carrier Squadron. 
 
On 4 May 11, AFPC/DPSIDRA notified the applicant that while they 
were  able  to  verify  that  he  was  assigned  to  the  85th  Troop 
Carrier  Squadron,  and  the  85th  Troop  Carrier  Squadron  was 
entitled to seven Service Stars and one Bronze Arrowhead device 
for participation in seven campaigns and one airborne attack in 
Korea from 8 Nov 50 through 10 Jun 52, they were unable to verify 
the duration of the applicant’s assignment to this unit because 
his records were destroyed in the fire at NPRC in 1973.  
 
On 30 Oct 12, AFPC/DPSOR advised the applicant that Block 5 of 
his DD form 214 was correctly accomplished at his separation and 
that his Air Force Specialty Code (AFSC) as indicated is correct.  
They  also  advised  the  applicant  that  the  title  of  “Crew  Chief” 
was  a  general  term  used  throughout  the  Air  Force  Maintenance 
community and does not have an official AFSC Title. 
 
________________________________________________________________ 
 
AIR FORCE EVALUATION: 
 
AFPC/DPAPP  recommends  denial  of  the  applicant’s  request  for 
credit  for  foreign  service  in  Korea.    A  review  of  his  Master 
Personnel  Records  and  documentation  submitted  failed  to  provide 
any evidence that substantiates foreign service time in Korea. 
 
A complete copy of the AFPC/DPAPP evaluation is at Exhibit C. 
 
AFPC/DPSID  recommends  denial  of  the  applicant’s  request  for 
additional Bronze Service Stars and an Arrowhead Device for his 
KSM.    While  they  could  confirm  the  85th  Troop  Carrier  Squadron 
(TCS)  was  credited  with  participating  in  several  campaigns  as 
well  as  an  assault  landing  credit  for  an  airborne  attack,  they 
were  unable  to  confirm  the  applicant  was  assigned  during  the 
period of eligibility for the additional Bronze Service Stars and 
Arrowhead Device. 
 
A complete copy of the AFPC/DPSID evaluation is at Exhibit D. 
 
_________________________________________________________________ 
 
 
APPLICANT’S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATIONS: 
 
 

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Copies  of  the  Air  Force  advisories  were  forwarded  to  the 
applicant  on  14  Nov  12  for  review  and  response  within  30  days 
(Exhibit E).  To date, a response has not been received. 
 
_________________________________________________________________ 
 
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 with respect 
to  the  applicant’s  request  to  have  his  record  corrected  to 
reflect he served as a crew chief and flight engineer.  After a 
thorough  review  of  the  evidence  of  record  and  the  applicant’s 
complete submission, we are not convinced that his records are in 
error.  In this respect, we agree with the determination of the 
Air Force office of primary responsibility (OPR) indicating the 
applicant’s  DD  Form  214  accurately  reflects  the  specialty  in 
which he served and that the term “Crew Chief” was a general term 
used throughout the Air Force Maintenance community and does not 
have  an  official  AFSC  Title.    Therefore,  in  the  absence  of 
evidence to the contrary, we find no basis to recommend granting 
this aspect of the applicant’s request.   
 
4.  Notwithstanding  the  above,  we  believe  the  substantial 
evidence  indicates  that  corrective  action  is  warranted  with 
respect  to  the  applicant’s  request  to  be  credited  with  seven 
bronze service stars and an arrowhead device for his previously 
awarded  Korean  Service  Medal  (KSM).    In  this  respect,  we  note 
that  while  the  Air  Force  OPR  was  unable  to  confirm  the  exact 
duration  of  the  applicant’s  assignment  with  the  85th  Troop 
Carrier Squadron, we find it substantially more likely than not 
that he served with the noted unit during the period for which it 
was  credited  with  participating  in  seven  campaigns  and  an 
airborne  attack.    In  this  respect,  we  note  the  applicant  has 
provided a supporting statement from a fellow veteran attesting 
to his presence during the period under review.  Furthermore, we 
note  the  applicant  was  involuntarily  mobilized,  presumably  for 
the purpose of participating in the Korean Conflict, and find it 
likely  that  he  served  with  the  85th  Troop  Carrier  Squadron  for 
the  duration  of  his  17-month  overseas  tour  in  support  of  this 
national  emergency.    Therefore,  in  view  of  the  above,  we  find 
sufficient  evidence  to  resolve  any  doubt  in  this  matter  in  the 
applicant’s  favor  and  recommend  his  records  be  corrected  as 
indicated below. 
 
_________________________________________________________________ 
THE BOARD RECOMMENDS THAT: 
 
 
 

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  Chair 
  Member 
  Member 

The pertinent military records of the Department of the Air Force 
relating  to  the  APPLICANT  be  corrected  to  reflect  that  he  was 
awarded  the  Korean  Service  Medal  (KSM)  with  one  silver  service 
star, two bronze service stars, and one bronze arrowhead device. 
 
_________________________________________________________________ 
 
The  following  members  of  the  Board  considered  AFBCMR  Docket 
Number BC-2012-00501 in Executive Session on 27 Nov 12, under the 
provisions of AFI 36-2603: 
 
 
 
 
 
The following documentary evidence was considered: 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Exhibit A.  DD Form 149, dated 20 Jan 12, w/atchs. 
Exhibit B.  Applicant's Master Personnel Records. 
Exhibit C.  Letter, AFPC/DPAPP, dated 20 Apr 12. 
Exhibit D.  Letter, AFPC/DPSIDR, dated 24 Sep 12. 
Exhibit E.  Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 14 Nov 12. 

  
Panel Chair 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 

    
    

 
 

 
 

 
 

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