| Mr. Carl W. S. Chun | Director | |
| Mr. William Blakely | Analyst |
| Ms. Margaret K. Patterson | Chairperson | |
| Mr. Thomas B. Redfern, III | Member | |
| Ms. Regan K. Smith | Member |
2. The applicant requests, in effect, that his unit of assignment be corrected on his discharge records.
3. The applicant states, in effect, that the unit shown on his separation document, Company A, 129th Ordnance Maintenance Battalion, is incorrect and he in fact served in the 3rd Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment, 29th Infantry Division during his World War II service. He claims that all his overseas combat service was in the European Theater of Operations (ETO) and was performed with this unit. He claims that he was only assigned to the unit listed in his separation document for separation processing. In support of his application, he submits a copy of his War Department (WD) Adjutant General Office (AGO) Form 53-55 (Enlisted Record and Report of Separation), his honorable discharge certificate, and a copy of the award certificate that shows he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal (BSM).
4. The applicant’s military records were not available to the Board for review. A fire destroyed approximately 18 million service members’ records at the National Personnel Records Center in 1973. It is believed that the applicant’s records were lost in that fire.
5. The available evidence does include a WD AGO Form 53-55, which confirms that the applicant was inducted into the Army of the United States on 17 June 1943 and served on active duty until 21 October 1945, at which time he was honorably discharged in the rank of private first class (PFC).
6 The separation document issued to the applicant upon his discharge indicates in block 6 (Organization) that his unit at the time of his separation was Company A, 129th Ordnance Maintenance Battalion.
7. The WD AGO Form 53-55 also shows that he arrived in the ETO on
20 December 1943 and served there until his return to the United States for separation on 10 October 1945. In addition, it confirms he participated in the following campaigns of World War II: Central Europe; Normandy; Northern France; and Rhineland and that he was awarded the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, Good Conduct Medal, Purple Heart (2nd OLC), and Combat Medical Badge during his tenure in service.
8. The applicant provided a copy of a Bronze Star Medal (BSM) certificate that shows he was awarded the BSM for meritorious achievement in military operations against the enemy in Western Europe from 6 June 1944 to
29 June 1944 and from 13 September 1944 to 8 May 1945. This certificate shows his unit of assignment as the 116th Infantry Regiment, 29th Infantry Division. Item 33 (Awards and Decorations) of the applicant’s WD AGO Form 53-55 does not show award of the BSM.
9. Technical Manual 12-235, which prescribed the policy and procedure for the preparation and distribution of separation documents during the period in question, states that the last unit, or similar element to which the individual was assigned, rather than the element of which he was part while moving to a separation activity will be entered in item 6 (Organization) of the WD AGO Form 53-55. It also notes that assignments to units for the purpose of transfer from a theater to the United States is considered part of the movement to a separation activity.
10. Army Regulation 600-8-22 (Military Awards) prescribes the policy and procedure for individual military awards. Paragraph 3-13 provides guidance for awarding the Bronze Star Medal (BSM) and states, in pertinent part, that it is awarded for heroism and for meritorious achievement or service in military operations against an armed enemy. In addition, the regulation states that the BSM is authorized for each individual who was cited in orders or awarded a certificate for exemplary conduct in ground combat between 7 December 1941 and 2 September 1945 and that for this purpose award of the CMB serves as a citation in orders.
11. Paragraph 5-11 provides guidance on awarding the World War II Victory Medal and states, in pertinent part, that this award is given for service between
7 December 1941 and 31 December 1946, both dates inclusive. Paragraph 5-12 contains guidance on awarding the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal and states, in pertinent part, that one bronze service star is authorized for each campaign a member participated in while in the theater.
CONCLUSIONS:
1. The Board finds the independent evidence provided by the applicant is sufficient to support his claim that he served in the 3rd Medical Battalion,
116th Infantry Regiment, 29th Infantry Division during the majority of his World War II service in the ETO and that Company A, 129th Ordnance Maintenance Battalion was likely a transitional unit based on the short period of time between his departure from the ETO and his separation from active duty.
2. The applicant’s period of service from 17 June 1943 to 21 October 1945 entitles him to award of the World War II Victory Medal. In addition, based on his participation in four campaigns of World War II while assigned to the ETO, he is also entitled to 4 bronze service stars for his European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal. Therefore, the Board finds it would be appropriate to add these items to his record at this time.
3. The Board also concludes that the BSM certificate provided by the applicant confirms that he was awarded the BSM for meritorious achievement in military operations against the enemy in Western Europe from 6 June 1944 to
29 June 1944 and from 13 September 1944 to 8 May 1945. Further, based on his having earned the CMB, the Board finds the applicant meets the regulatory criteria to be awarded the BSM 1st Oak Leaf Cluster for his exemplary conduct in ground combat between 7 December 1941 and 2 September 1945.
4. In view of the foregoing, the applicant’s records should be corrected as recommended below.
RECOMMENDATION:
That all of the Department of the Army records related to this case be corrected to showing, in block 6 (Organization) of the WD AGO 53-55 of the individual concerned, that his unit of assignment was the 3rd Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment, 29th Infantry Division; by showing he earned the BSM, BSM (1st OLC), World War II Victory Medal and 4 bronze service stars for his European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal; and by providing him a corrected separation document that reflects these changes.
BOARD VOTE:
__MKP _ __TBR __ __RKS__ GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION
________ ________ ________ GRANT FORMAL HEARING
________ ________ ________ DENY APPLICATION
__Margaret K. Patterson__
CHAIRPERSON
| CASE ID | AR2001056244 |
| SUFFIX | |
| RECON | YYYYMMDD |
| DATE BOARDED | 2001/08/07 |
| TYPE OF DISCHARGE | (HD, GD, UOTHC, UD, BCD, DD, UNCHAR) |
| DATE OF DISCHARGE | YYYYMMDD |
| DISCHARGE AUTHORITY | AR . . . . . |
| DISCHARGE REASON | |
| BOARD DECISION | (GRANT) |
| REVIEW AUTHORITY | |
| ISSUES 1.1021.00 | 100.00 |
| 2. | |
| 3. | |
| 4. | |
| 5. | |
| 6. |
ARMY | BCMR | CY2009 | 20090009116
The applicant, the widow of a deceased former service member (FSM), requests correction of the WD AGO Form 53-55 (Enlisted Record and Report of Separation-Honorable Discharge) of her late husband by adding the Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB) and a "Century Division Rangers Certificate of Proficiency." The evidence further confirms the FSM was receiving combat infantry pay at the time of his separation, which was only authorized to holders of the CIB, as evidenced by the WD Form 372 A...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2013 | 20130014150
The applicant, the widow of a deceased former service member (FSM), requests correction of the FSMs WD AGO Form 53-55 (Enlisted Record and Report of Separation-Honorable Discharge) to show he was awarded the Prisoner of War (POW) Medal, Bronze Star Medal (BSM), and Purple Heart. The National Archives WWII Prisoners of War Data File, 7 December 1941 to 19 November 1946, lists the FSM as having been captured in the European Theater on 11 July 1944. As a result, the Board recommends that all...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2010 | 20100020761
The applicant requests correction of his WD AGO Form 53-55 (Enlisted Record and Report of Separation) and Honorable Discharge Certificate to show he was a member of 75th Division and that he served all of his combat time with this division not the 29th Division. The applicant provides the following documents: * An email testimony from a former unit member * A self-authored statement * Honorable Discharge Certificate * WD AGO Form 53-55 * WD AGO Form 100 (Separation Qualification...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2014 | 20140007535
The applicant states the FSM sustained a concussion injury while serving in combat in France in December 1944. There are no documents in the reconstructed NPRC record that indicate the FSM was ever recommended for or awarded the PH by proper authority while serving on active duty. Accordingly, items 32 and 33 of his WD AGO Form 53-55 should be corrected at this time to reflect these campaigns and awards.
ARMY | BCMR | CY2005 | 20050015592C070206
The applicant requests, in effect, that his separation document (WD AGO Form 53-55) be corrected to reflect that correct organization he served with during World War II and his campaign participation with that correct unit; and that it be corrected to include all awards to which he is entitled. The applicant’s military records are not available to the Board for review. As a result, the Board recommends that all Department of the Army records of the individual concerned be corrected by...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2009 | 20090001190
The applicant requests, in effect, that his record and separation document (WD AGO Form 53-55) be corrected to add the Purple Heart he was awarded for being wounded in action in Germany in September 1944, and by providing him the correct disability compensation due from the date of his discharge in 1945. Although this treatment record does not indicate the injury was battle related, a WD AGO Form 106, dated 29 November 1945 and War Department Letter Order, dated 4 January 1946, published by...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2010 | 20100017807
The applicant requests, in effect, award of the Bronze Star Medal based on his Combat Infantryman Badge and the Army of Occupation Medal with Germany Clasp. The applicants military records are not available to the Board for review. As a result, the Board recommends that all Department of the Army records of the individual concerned be corrected by: a. deleting from item 33 of his WD AGO Form 53-55 the European-African-Middle Eastern Ribbon; b. awarding him the Bronze Star Medal effective...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2002 | 2002067479C070402
The applicant’s military records were not available to the Board for review. The Board finds the available evidence is sufficiently convincing to support the applicant’s that he served in Company M, 101 st Infantry Regiment, for the majority of his combat service in the ETO during World War II and that the unit currently listed in his separation document was a transitional unit to which he was assigned for separation movement and processing. That all of the Department of the Army records...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2003 | 2003083510C070212
The applicant’s military records were not available to the Board for review. The applicant’s reconstructed record shows that on 28 May 1991, DA, ARPERCEN, issued a correction to the applicant’s separation document (DD Form 215), which added the CIB and Bronze Star Medal to the list of authorized awards earned by the applicant during his tenure on active duty. That all of the Department of the Army records related to this case be corrected by showing that based on his unit service in the...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2007 | 20070007619
The applicant requests, in effect, that his records be corrected to show award of the Presidential Unit Citation (PUC) (formerly known as the Distinguished Unit Citation until 3 November 1966), the Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB) and the Bronze Star Medal (BSM) based on award of the CIB. Evidence of Records show that the applicant is entitled to the award of Army of Occupation Medal with Germany Clasp. Therefore, the applicant is entitled to correction to his records to show this award.