ADDENDUM TO
RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS
IN THE MATTER OF: DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2013-01795
COUNSEL: NONE
HEARING DESIRED: NO
APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:
Her deceased father be awarded the Purple Heart (PH) medal for injuries suffered during World War II (WWII).
RESUME OF THE CASE
On 13 Feb 14, the Board considered and denied the applicants original request for her deceased father to be awarded the PH. In the original case, the applicant contented that because the deceased member was formally diagnosed with combat fatigue which was the direct result of combat with the enemy, he should have been awarded the PH. In this case, the Board agreed with the recommendation of AFPC/DPSID that there was no evidence her father received wounds through enemy action, citing the fact that to qualify for the PH a wound must have required treatment, not merely an examination, by a medical officer. For an accounting of the facts and circumstances surrounding the applicants original request and the rationale of the earlier decision by the Board, see the Record of Proceedings (ROP) at Exhibit E.
On 7 May 14, the applicant submitted a request for reconsideration of her original request. She contends that during a bombing mission on 25 Jun 44, her father received multiple shrapnel wounds to his lower extremities as the direct result of enemy fire which required medical attention. In support of her contention, she submits documentation showing her father was placed on a seven-day leave of absence on or about 1 Jul 44; cites Army Regulation (AR) 605-115, Commissioned Officers, which states officers may grant sick leave to officers under their control upon recommendation of the medical officer concerned; and, argues the AR verbiage is proof that her father was examined by a medical officer and was determined to have sufficient injuries to require a seven day leave of absence instead of receiving an oral sick leave of three days. In addition, she includes a notarized letter from the daughter of one of the other crewmembers of the 25 Jun 44 mission contending that her father also received multiple flak injuries due to enemy fire.
The applicants complete submission, with attachments, is at Exhibit F.
THE BOARD CONCLUDES THAT:
After again reviewing the evidence in the applicants case, and taking into consideration the additional documentation provided by the applicant, we remain unconvinced that corrective action is warranted. Other than the applicants own contention that the seven days of leave granted to her father in 1944 must have been due to a physical injury that would have merited award of the PH, there is no documentation which established that her father received wounds through enemy action or evidence that treatment for such a wound was rendered by a medical officer. Therefore, in the absence of evidence to the contrary, we find no basis to recommend granting the requested relief.
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 AFBCMR Docket Number BC-2013-01795 in Executive Session on 19 Mar 15 under the provisions of AFI 36-2603:
Panel Chair
Member
Member
The following documentary evidence was considered:
Exhibit E. DD Form 149, dated 5 Jul 14, w/atchs.
Exhibit F. Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 30 Jul 14.
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