APPLICANT REQUESTS: That his military records be corrected to show that he was held prisoner by the hostile government of Syria from 9 September 1972 to 31 October 1972 and that he be awarded the Prisoner of War (POW) Medal for this period of detention.
APPLICANT STATES: That at the time of the incident and during the subsequent investigation the matter was classified and did not appear in his records. Due to the classified nature of the incident he has no records in his possession to substantiate the period of his POW status. He believes that in light of current public and political interest in the POW and missing in action issue, it is in the best interest of the US Government to recognize an individual formerly held by a hostile government.
EVIDENCE OF RECORD: The applicant's military records show:
He was commissioned a 2nd lieutenant in the infantry on 1 June 1959 and after 21 years and 4 months of continuous active service he retired as a lieutenant colonel on 30 September 1980. During the course of his career he served overseas tours in Germany, Saudi Arabia, Vietnam, Lebanon and a 3 month tour in Jordan. His significant military awards include the Bronze Star Medal, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal, the Vietnam Campaign Medal, the Vietnam Gallantry Cross, the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Expert Infantryman Badge and the Ranger Tab.
He completed Arabic language training in 1966 and graduated from the foreign area specialty program specializing in the Arab world. His personnel qualification record reflects that he was interned on 9 September 1972 while assigned as an assistant Army attache in Jordan.
On 15 August 1975, he received a General Officer Letter of Reprimand (GOLOR) alleging that in 1970, 1971 and 1972 while in the Middle-east he violated security regulations. In his rebuttal to the (GOLOR), and in an accompanying supporting statement from another officer, there appears the only reference to the fact that he was detained by the Syrian government. No place in the record, however, does there appear any information reflecting that he was a POW.
Army Regulation 600-8-22, Military Awards, provides in pertinent part, that the POW Medal is to be issued only to those U.S. military personnel and other personnel granted creditable U.S. military service, who were taken prisoner and held captive while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States, while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force, or while serving with foreign forces engaged in an armed conflict against an opposing force in which the United States is not a belligerent party.
The same regulation states that hostages of terrorist and persons detained by governments with which the United States is not engaged actively in armed conflict are not eligible for the medal.
DISCUSSION: Considering all the evidence, allegations, and information presented by the applicant, together with the evidence of record, applicable law and regulations, it is concluded:
1. The record reflects that he was interned on 9 September 1972. He was correctly not classified as a POW; however, because at the time of his detention, the United States was not actively engaged in a conflict or military operation against the government of Syria, which was a necessary prerequisite for designation as a POW.
2. For the same reason as stated above, neither is he eligible for award of the POW Medal.
3. In view of the foregoing, there is no basis for granting the applicants request.
DETERMINATION: The applicant has failed to submit sufficient relevant evidence to demonstrate the existence of probable error or injustice.
BOARD VOTE:
GRANT
GRANT FORMAL HEARING
DENY APPLICATION
David R. Kinneer
Executive Secretary
ARMY | BCMR | CY2013 | 20130022067
The applicant requests, in effect, correction of his military records by showing he qualified for award of the Prisoner of War (POW) Medal. Army Regulation 600-8-22 (Military Awards) Army Regulation 600-8-22 (Military Awards) states the POW Medal was authorized on 8 November 1985 and is awarded to individuals who in past armed conflicts were taken prisoner or held captive after 5 April 1917. a. There is no available evidence showing that the applicant was ever a POW, or was otherwise held...
AF | BCMR | CY2010 | BC-2010-03600
RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS IN THE MATTER OF: DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2010-03600 COUNSEL: NONE HEARING DESIRED: NO _________________________________________________________________ APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT: He be awarded the Prisoner of War (POW) Medal and his DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, be corrected to reflect the POW Medal. The applicants complete submission, with attachments, is at Exhibit A. If he had POW...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2011 | 20110016057
The applicant requests his Prisoner of War (POW) status be added to his DD Form 214 (Armed Forces of the United States Report of Transfer or Discharge). The United States was not at war with the Soviet Union at the time his aircraft was forced to land. _______ _ X______ ___ CHAIRPERSON I certify that herein is recorded the true and complete record of the proceedings of the Army Board for Correction of Military Records in this case.
ARMY | BCMR | CY2014 | 20140006013
The applicant provides: * 4 letters from governmental agencies * 4 Western Union telegrams * a Time Magazine article * printout from the Seaboard and Western/Seaboard World Airlines webpage * newspaper article * DD Form 214 (Armed Forces of the United States Report of Transfer or Discharge) * DD Form 215 (Correction to DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) CONSIDERATION OF EVIDENCE: 1. The applicant provides: a. In order to be granted POW status, a declaration...
AF | BCMR | CY2010 | BC-2010-04213
The statute requires the Secretary concerned to issue a POW medal to any person who was taken prisoner and held captive by foreign armed forces that are hostile to the United States, under circumstances which the Secretary finds to have been comparable to those under which persons have generally been held captive by enemy armed forces during periods of armed conflict. Finally, while the claim the Secretary of the Air Force has made no such finding about whether internees of Switzerland meet...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2014 | 20140006797
The applicant requests correction of his military records to show award of the Prisoner of War (POW) Medal. As an administrative remedy, he separated the request for the POW Medal from the other awards recommendations and in 2009 finally submitted a request to the HRC Awards Branch for award of his POW Medal. The applicant provides: * his letter to Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) GD * LTC GD's letter to him * multiple letters to and from members of Congress * rewritten recommendations for...
AF | BCMR | CY2010 | BC-2010-00736
RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS IN THE MATTER OF: DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2010-00736 COUNSEL: HEARING DESIRED: NO _________________________________________________________________ APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT: Her late father be awarded the Prisoner of War (POW) Medal. POW status to internees in Switzerland requires the Secretary of the Air Force to determine that Swiss officials were acting on behalf of a foreign armed force hostile to the United States during...
AF | BCMR | CY2004 | BC-2004-00563
_________________________________________________________________ THE APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT: Based on the Army’s definition of internment as a person interned as a POW or enemy alien, he should be identified as a former POW and receive the POW medal. _________________________________________________________________ AIR FORCE EVALUATION: AFPC/DPF recommends the application be denied and states, in part, that Title 10, United States Code, Section 101(32), defines “former prisoner of war” as...
AF | BCMR | CY2010 | BC-2010-01883
RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS IN THE MATTER OF: DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2010-01883 COUNSEL: NONE HEARING DESIRED: NO _________________________________________________________________ APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT: He be awarded the Prisoner of War (POW) Medal. POW status to internees in Switzerland requires the Secretary of the Air Force to determine that Swiss officials were acting on behalf of a foreign armed force hostile to the United States during World...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2015 | 20150001341
The applicant provides: * previous correspondence with and from the Board * letter, dated 27 October 2014 from the National Archives * Congressional correspondence * newspaper articles dated 17 August 2014 * self-authored memoirs * letter, dated 29 August 2014 from the U.S. Army Human Resources Command (HRC) * Certificate of Death * letter, dated 11 November 2013 from the National Personnel Records Center * Application for Headstone or Marker * photograph of a headstone with the name "Edward...