RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS


IN THE MATTER OF:	DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2014-01277
			COUNSEL:  NONE
			HEARING DESIRED:  NO


APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:

He be awarded service stars for his previously awarded Asiatic-
Pacific Campaign Medal for his participation in the Okinawa, 
Japan and China campaigns.


APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:

He is pursuing the aforementioned awards at the urging of his 
family.

The Board should find it in the interest of justice to consider 
his untimely application because he was young and never thought 
to pursue the request.

In support of his request the applicant provides copies of his 
WD AGO Form 53-55, Enlisted Record and Report of Separation - 
Honorable Discharge and an excerpt from the 866th Bombardment 
Squadron unit history, which reflects the unit’s battle 
participation and appears to reflect that the unit was awarded 
the Presidential Unit Citation.

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


STATEMENT OF FACTS:

According to his WD AGO Form 53-55, the applicant served in the 
military from 1 June 1943 to 10 December 1945.  At the time of 
his separation, he was assigned to the “868 Bomb Squadron.”  
Item 32, Battles and Campaigns, reflects:  New Guinea, Northern 
Solomons, Eastern Mandates, Bismarck, Archipelago, Western 
Pacific and Southern Philippines.  Item 33, Decorations and 
Citations, reflects that he was awarded the Good Conduct Medal, 
the Victory Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Theater Campaign Ribbon and 
Philippine Liberation Ribbon.


?
AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

AFPC/DPSID recommends denial of the applicant’s request that he 
be awarded a service star for his previously awarded Asiatic-
Pacific Campaign Medal for his participation in the Okinawa 
campaign.  The Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal is awarded for 
service within the Asiatic-Pacific theater between 7 December  
1941 and 2 March 1946 under any of the following conditions:  on 
permanent assignment in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater, in a 
passenger status or on temporary duty for 30 consecutive days or 
60 nonconsecutive days, in active combat against the enemy and 
awarded a combat decoration or furnished a certificate by the 
commanding general of a corps, higher unit, or independent force 
that the member actually participated in combat.  The boundaries 
of the Asiatic-Pacific Theater are as follows:  Eastern Boundary 
coincides with the western boundary of the American Theater; 
Western Boundary from the North Pole, south along the 60th 
meridian east longitude to its intersection with the east 
boundary of Iran, then south along the Iran boundary to the Gulf 
of Oman and the intersection of the 60th meridian east longitude, 
then south along the 60th meridian east longitude of the South 
Pole.  A service star is authorized to indicate participation in 
certain engagements with the enemy.  According to his WD AGO 53-
55, the 868th Bombardment Squadron did not receive credit for the 
Okinawa Campaign.  Based on the information from the Air Force 
Historical Research Agency it appears Okinawa may have been a 
battle within one of the nine authorized campaigns.  To grant 
relief would be contrary to the criteria established by DoD 
Manual 1348.33, Manual of Military Decorations and Awards, 
Secretary of the Air Force, Chief of Staff, and/or the War 
Department.

Notwithstanding the above, DPSID recommends approval for two 
additional bronze service stars to his previously awarded 
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with one silver service star and 
one bronze service star.  The applicant served on active duty 
from 18 May 1943 to 10 December 1945 with his service from 
23 December 1943 to 7 November 1945 being in the Asiatic-Pacific 
Theater assigned to the 868th Bombardment Squadron.  Therefore, 
it can be presumed he was present for every campaign the unit 
was credited with participation in.  According to his WD AGO 53-
55, the Japan and China campaigns are the only two out of nine 
campaigns the 868th Bombardment Squadron received credit for that 
the applicant did not also receive credit for.  DPSID also 
recommends approval for award of the Presidential Unit Citation. 
While the applicant's official military personnel record was 
completely destroyed and there is no official documentation 
verifying he was assigned to the 868th Bombardment Squadron as of 
7 May 1945; it appears more likely than not that the 868th 
Bombardment Squadron was the only unit he served with during his 
enlistment. 


APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

On 25 August 2014, a copy of the Air Force evaluation was 
forwarded to the applicant for review and comment within 
30 days.  As of this date, no response has been received by this 
office (Exhibit D).


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 error or injustice regarding the 
applicant’s request for award of the service star for his 
participation in the Okinawa campaign.  We took notice of the 
applicant's complete submission in judging the merits of the 
case; however, we agree with the opinion and recommendation of 
the Air Force Office of Primary Responsibility (OPR) and adopt 
the rationale expressed as the basis for our conclusion the 
applicant has not been the victim of an error or injustice.  
Therefore, in the absence of evidence to the contrary, we find 
no basis to recommend granting the relief sought in this portion 
of his application.

4.  Notwithstanding the above, sufficient relevant evidence has 
been presented to demonstrate the existence of an error or 
injustice warranting award of two additional bronze service 
stars to his previously awarded Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal 
and the Presidential Unit Citation.  Having carefully reviewed 
this application, we agree with the recommendation of the Air 
Force OPR and adopt the rationale expressed as the basis for our 
decision that the applicant has been the victim of either an 
error or an injustice  Therefore, we recommend the applicant's 
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 APPLICANT, be corrected to show that:

      He was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation while 
assigned to the 868th Bombardment Squadron from 23 December 
1943 to 7 November 1945.
      
      In addition to the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with one 
Silver Service Star and one Bronze Service Star, previously 
awarded based on his participation in the following six Asiatic-
Pacific Theater of war campaigns: New Guinea, Northern Solomons, 
Eastern Mandates, Bismarck Archipelago, Western Pacific, and 
Southern Philippines, he was also awarded two additional Bronze 
Service Stars to the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal.


The following members of the Board considered this application 
in Executive Session on 15 January 2015, under the provisions of 
AFI 36-2603:
      
       , Panel Chair
       , Member
       , Member
      
All members voted to correct the record as recommended.  The 
following documentary evidence pertaining to AFBCMR BC-2014-
01277 was considered:
      
      Exhibit A. DD Forms 149, dated 18 March 2014, w/atchs.
      Exhibit B. Letter, AFPC/DPSID, dated 8 August 2014, w/atch.
      Exhibit C. Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 25 August 2014.





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