RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 

AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS 

(Administratively 

DOCKET NUMBER:  BC-2012-00612 
 
COUNSEL:  NONE 
HEARING DESIRED:  NO 

 
 
IN THE MATTER OF: 
   
    
 
   
 
 
________________________________________________________________ 
 
APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT: 
 
The deceased former member’s records be corrected to reflect he 
was awarded the following awards and decorations:  
 
1.  The Silver Star (SS) (Already reflected on WD AGO 53, dated 
21 Feb 49). 
 
2.  The  Prisoner  of  War  (POW)  Medal 
corrected). 
 
3.  The  Army  Good  Conduct  Medal  with  four  Bronze  Loops  (GCM 
w/4 Brz Lps) (Already reflected on WD AGO 53, dated 21 Feb 49). 
 
4.  The  American  Defense  Service  Medal  (ADSM)  with  foreign 
service clasp (Administratively corrected to the ADSM w/1 Bronze 
Service Star (BSS) and the foreign service clasp).    
 
5.  The  Asiatic-Pacific  Campaign  Medal  with  one  Bronze  Service 
Star  (APCM  w/1  BSS)  (Administratively  corrected  to  APCM 
w/3 BSS).  
 
6.  The  Philippine  Defense  Ribbon  with  one  Bronze  Service  Star 
(PDR w/1 BSS) (Administratively corrected). 
 
7.  The  Presidential  Unit  Citation  (PUC)  with  two  Oak  Leaf 
Clusters  (PUC  w/2  OLCs)  (Administratively  corrected  to  PUC 
w/1 Silver Oak Leaf Cluster (SOLC)). 
 
8.  The 
Presidential 
(Administratively corrected). 
 
9.  The Army/Air Force Air Crew Badge. 
 
10.  The Army/Air Force Flight Engineering Badge.    
 
________________________________________________________________ 
 
 
 
 
 

Philippine 

Unit 

Citation 

(PPUC) 

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT: 
 
There  are  numerous  errors  and/or  omissions  in  the  deceased 
former  member’s  military  records.    These  errors  were  not  known 
until a 9 Jan 12 review of his personal files.   
 
1.  The deceased qualifies for the Air Crew Badge because he was 
eligible to wear wings while on active duty, as evidenced by two 
Special Orders (Number 125, dated 6 May 49 & Number 157, dated 6 
Jun  49)  in  which  he  is  identified  as  the  Crew  Chief  of  the 
aircraft  involved  in  the  transportation  of  personnel,  his 
Physical  Record  Card  which  reflects  his  Aeronautical  Rating 
indicating  he  was  “Qualified”  each  year  during  the  period  1947 
to  1951,  and  his  official  military  photo  showing  him  wearing 
wings.   
 
2.    The  deceased  qualifies  for  the  Flight  Engineering  Badge 
because he was a qualified flight engineer eligible to wear this 
badge  while  on  active  duty,  as  evidenced  by  two  Special  Orders 
(Number  90,  dated  1 Apr  49  &  Number  117,  dated  28  Apr  49) 
placing  the  applicant  on  TDY  in  which  he  is  identified  as  the 
Assistant  Aerial  Engineer  (Aircrew)  and  Aerial  Engineer 
(Aircrew),  respectively,  “requiring  regular  and  frequent 
participation in aerial fights.”   
 
In  support  of  his  appeal,  the  applicant  provides  copies  of  the 
deceased former member’s death certificate, four Special Orders, 
Flight Physical Records, and other documentation related to his 
requests.   
 
The  applicant’s  complete  submission,  with  attachments,  is  at 
Exhibit A. 
 
________________________________________________________________ 
 
STATEMENT OF FACTS: 
 
The deceased entered active duty on 21 Feb 39.   
 
The  deceased  was  a  prisoner  of  war  of  the  Japanese  Government 
from 7 May 42 to 5 Sep 45.   
 
On 23 Nov 52, while on active duty, the deceased former member 
passed  away  when  he  drowned  at  the  Rocky  Mountain  Arsenal 
Military Reservation, Colorado.  
 
On  16  Apr  12,  AFPC/DPSIDRA  notified  the  applicant  they  had 
reviewed  his  application  and  the  deceased  former  member’s 
official  military  records  and  were  able  to  verify  his 
entitlement to the following awards and decorations: 1) the SS, 
2) the  POW  Medal,  3)  the  GCM  w/4  Brz  Lps,  4)  the  ADSM  w/1  BSS 
and the foreign service clasp, 5) APCM w/3 BSS, 6) the PDR w/1 
BSS, 7) the PUC w/1 SOLC, and 8) the PPUC. 

 
2 

2.  Participated  in  at  least  10  combat  missions  as  a  crew 

3.  Incapacitation for further aircrew duty, as a result of 

 
1.  Attained  at  least  150  hours  of  flying  duty  as  an 

The remaining relevant facts pertaining to this application are 
contained  in  the  letter  prepared  by  the  Air  Force  office  of 
primary responsibility (OPR), which is attached at Exhibit C. 
 
________________________________________________________________ 
 
AIR FORCE EVALUATION: 
 
USAF/A3O-AIF  recommends  denial  of  the  applicant’s  request  for 
the  Aircrew  Member  and  Flight  Engineer  Badges  indicating  there 
is no evidence of an error or injustice.  During the period of 
the  deceased  former  member’s  service,  individuals  were 
authorized  to  permanently  wear  the  Aircrew  Member  Badge 
providing they met one of the following requirements of the Army 
Air Force Regulation 35-30, dated Dec 43:  
 
 
assigned member of an aircrew. 
 
 
member. 
 
 
enemy action or injury while performing aircrew duties.   
 
The  deceased  former  member’s  personnel  record  indicates  he  was 
an Airplane Mechanic during his service.  There is no indication 
he  was  ever  placed  on  aeronautical  orders  or  was  required  to 
perform flying duties as a member of an aircrew. 
 
A complete copy of the USAF/A30-AIF evaluation is at Exhibit C. 
 
________________________________________________________________ 
 
APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION: 
 
A  copy  of  the  Air  Force  evaluation  was  forwarded  to  the 
applicant on 6 Jun 12 for review and comment within 30 days.  As 
of  this  date,  no  response  has  been  received  by  this  office 
(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 an error or injustice regarding the 
applicant’s request for the Army/Air Force Aircrew Member Badge 

 
3 

administrative 

corrections 

to 

his 

and  the  Army/Air  Force  Flight  Engineer  Badge.    We  note  the 
comments of the Air Force OPR indicating there is no indication 
the  applicant  was  ever  placed  on  aeronautical  orders  or  was 
required  to  perform  flying  duties  as  a  member  of  an  aircrew; 
however,  after  careful  review  of  the  applicant’s  complete 
submission,  to  include  the  Special  Orders  provided  which 
indicate  he  was  assigned  as  a  Crew  Chief,  Assistant  Aerial 
Engineer  (Aircrew),  and  Aerial  Engineer  (Aircrew)  respectively, 
his Aircrew Member Physical Card showing this qualification for 
Aircrew  service  each  year  from  May  47  through  Jan  51,  and  his 
official  photo  showing  him  wearing  Aircrew  wings,  we  believe  a 
preponderance  of  the  evidence  supports  corrective  action.    We 
note the Air Force OPR determined the applicant is entitled to: 
1) the SS, 2) the POW Medal, 3) the GCM w/4 Brz Lps, 4) the ADSM 
w/1  BSS  and  the  foreign  service  clasp,  5) APCM  w/3  BSS,  6) the 
PDR w/1 BSS, 7) the PUC w/1 SOLC, and 8) the PPUC, and made the 
appropriate 
records. 
Therefore,  we  recommend  his  records  be  corrected  to  the  extent 
indicated below.   
 
________________________________________________________________ 
 
THE BOARD RECOMMENDS THAT: 
 
The  pertinent  military  records  of  the  Department  of  the  Air 
Force relating to the APPLICANT be corrected to show that he was 
awarded  the  Air  Force  Aircrew  Member  Badge  and  the  Air  Force 
Flight Engineer Badge.  
 
________________________________________________________________ 
 
The  following  members  of  the  Board  considered  AFBCMR  Docket 
Number  BC-2012-00612  in  Executive  Session  on  31  Oct  12,  under 
the provisions of AFI 36-2603: 
 
 
 
 
 
All  members  voted  to  correct  the  records  as  recommended.    The 
following documentary evidence was considered: 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
   
 

Exhibit A.  DD Form 149, dated 14 Feb 12, w/atchs. 
Exhibit B.  Applicant's Master Personnel Records. 
Exhibit C.  Letter, AF/A3O-A1F, undated. 
Exhibit D.  Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 6 Jun 12. 

  Panel Chair 
  Member 
  Member 

    
  Panel Chair  

 
4