| Mr. Carl W. S. Chun | Director | |
| Mrs. Nancy Amos | Analyst |
| Ms. June Hajjar | Chairperson | |
| Mr. Melvin H. Meyer | Member | |
| Mr. Ernest W. Lutz, Jr. | Member |
APPLICANT REQUESTS: That the two Reports of Separation, WD AGO Form 53-55 and WD AGO Form 53, and the discharge certificate pertaining to her deceased spouse, a former service member (FSM), be corrected.
APPLICANT STATES: That the dates the FSM was in Germany are incorrect. He jumped on the Rhine in Wesel, Germany on 24 March 1945. He was entitled to award of the Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB). His discharge certificate shows his rank as technician 4th grade; however, his military identification card shows his rank and grade as staff sergeant, E-6.
EVIDENCE OF RECORD: The FSM's military records were lost or destroyed in the National Personnel Records Center fire in 1973. The information contained herein was obtained from alternate sources.
The FSM’s WD AGO Form 53-55 for the period ending 17 January 1946 shows that he was inducted and entered active duty on 26 March 1942. He completed parachute training on 29 September 1944. Item 37 shows he spent 3 years and 21 days in continental service and 8 months and 29 days in foreign service. Item 36 shows he departed the continental United States on 5 April 1945 and arrived in the European Theater of Operations (ETO) on 18 April 1945. Item 3 shows his grade as corporal and item 38 shows his highest grade held as corporal. Item 6 shows his organization as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 505th Parachute Infantry. Item 30 shows his military occupational specialty (MOS) as message center clerk. Item 36 shows he departed the ETO on 29 December 1945 and arrived in the continental United States on 3 January 1946. He separated on 17 January 1946 for the purpose of immediately reenlisting on 18 January 1946. His honorable discharge certificate shows his rank as corporal.
The FSM’s WD AGO Form 53 for the period ending 10 August 1947 shows that he departed the continental United States on 29 August 1946 and arrived in the European-African-Middle Eastern Theater of Operations on an unknown date. He was apparently injured while in Germany and was returned to the continental United States on 22 December 1946. He was discharged on 10 August 1947 with a certificate of disability. Item 3 shows his grade as technician 4th grade and item 36 shows his highest grade held as technician 4th grade. His honorable discharge certificate shows his rank as technician 4th grade.
The applicant provides a photograph of the FSM taken on an unknown date. In the photograph he is wearing corporal stripes and what appears to be a CIB. She provides a photograph taken on an unknown date of what is identified as the 507th Regiment’s headquarters’ location. She provides what appears to be an undated extract from a unit roster showing the FSM was in the “507.” She provides a one-page extract from an article titled “Talon Crosses the Rhine,” a brief history of the 507th Parachute Infantry Combat Team’s actions on 24 March 1945. She provides an undated change of address card showing the FSM’s new permanent address was Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 507th Parachute Infantry and that his rank was corporal. She provides a xerox copy of the FSM’s military identification card showing his rank as staff sergeant, E-6.
Army Regulation 600-8-22 prescribes Army policy and criteria concerning individual military awards. In pertinent part, it states that the CIB was established during World War II to provide special recognition of the unique role of the Army infantryman, the only soldier whose daily mission is to close with and destroy the enemy and to seize and hold terrain. The badge was intended as an inducement for individuals to join the infantry while serving as a morale booster for infantrymen. In developing the CIB, the War Department did not dismiss or ignore the contributions of other branches. Their vital contributions to the overall war effort were noted, but it was decided that other awards and decorations were sufficient to recognize their contributions. From the beginning, Army leadership have taken care to retain the badge for the unique purpose for which it was established. There are basically three requirements for award of the CIB. The soldier must be an infantryman satisfactorily performing infantry duties, must be assigned to an infantry unit during such time as the unit is engaged in active ground combat, and must actively participate in such ground combat.
The rank “staff sergeant, E-6” was established on 1 June 1958. During the period 1 September 1942 through 31 July 1948, the enlisted rank structure ranged from grade 7, private up to grade 1, master sergeant and first sergeant. Corporal and technician 5th grade were grade 5; sergeant and technician 4th grade were grade 4.
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 Board acknowledges that there is evidence to show that the FSM was assigned to the 507th Parachute Infantry; however, there is no evidence to show he was assigned to that unit on 24 March 1945. The applicant has provided no evidence to show that the FSM did not first arrive in the ETO on 18 April 1945.
2. The Board acknowledges that it appears the FSM is wearing the CIB in the one photograph provided by the applicant. However, the evidence of record shows he did not hold an infantry MOS. Therefore, he did not meet the eligibility criteria for award of the CIB. Many individuals were probably not aware of the strict requirements for award of the CIB and commanders may have erroneously awarded the CIB where the eligibility criteria had not been met. Nevertheless, that would be insufficient reason to add the CIB to the FSM’s Report of Separation.
3. There is no evidence of record to show that the FSM ever held any rank other than corporal during the period covered by his WD AGO Form 53-55 or technician 4th grade during the period covered by his WD AGO Form 53. The photograph and change of address card provided by the applicant shows he was a corporal. She provides no evidence to show he was promoted beyond those grades. From the evidence available, it appears that his military identification card showing his rank and grade as staff sergeant, E-6 was in error.
4. In view of the foregoing, there is no basis for granting the applicant's 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
__jh____ __mhm___ __ewl___ DENY APPLICATION
| CASE ID | AR2001056337 |
| SUFFIX | |
| RECON | |
| DATE BOARDED | 20010801 |
| TYPE OF DISCHARGE | |
| DATE OF DISCHARGE | |
| DISCHARGE AUTHORITY | |
| DISCHARGE REASON | |
| BOARD DECISION | (DENY) |
| REVIEW AUTHORITY | |
| ISSUES 1. | 100.00 |
| 2. | |
| 3. | |
| 4. | |
| 5. | |
| 6. |
ARMY | BCMR | CY2012 | 20120018390
The applicant requests reconsideration of her original request that the WD AGO Form 53-55 (Enlisted Records and Report of Separation - Honorable Discharge) of her deceased husband, a former service member (FSM), be corrected to show his grade as that of a sergeant (Sgt) or staff sergeant (S/Sgt) instead of Technician Third Class (T/3). His WD AGO Form 100 (Separation Qualification Record) shows he held the grade of private first class for 7 months and the grade of T/3 for 10 months. The...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2012 | 20120011335
The applicant, the son of a deceased former service member (FSM), requests correction of the FSM's WD AGO Form 53-55 (Enlisted Record and Report of Separation Honorable) to show his grade as Technical Sergeant (T/Sgt) instead of "PFC" (Private First Class). All enlisted and noncommissioned ranks were reduced from 128 different insignias and several pay grades to only seven rank insignias and seven pay grades, which were numbered in seniority from 1st Grade (highest) to 7th Grade (lowest). ...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2012 | 20120000518
The applicant, the spouse of a deceased former service member (FSM), requests correction of the FSM's WD AGO Form 53-55 (Enlisted Record and Report of Separation Honorable Discharge) to show: * award of the World War II (WWII) Victory Medal * award of the Bronze Star Medal (BSM) based on award of the Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB) * participation credit for the Ardennes-Alsace campaign * award of the BSM with "V" Device 2. The applicant provides copies of the FSM's WD AGO Form 53-55,...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2009 | 20090013059
Chapter 5 of the awards regulation contains guidance on service medals and service ribbons. Therefore, it would be appropriate to correct item 32 of his WD AGO Form 53-55 to reflect all eight campaigns identified and to correct item 33 by adding the DUC 1st Oak Leaf Cluster (2nd Award), Army Occupation Medal with Germany Clasp, and 1 silver service star, 3 bronze service stars and 1 bronze arrowhead with his EAME Campaign Medal. As a result, the Board recommends that all Department of the...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2013 | 20130003148
The applicant, the son of the deceased former service member (FSM), requests correction of the FSM's WD AGO Form 53-98 (Military Record and Report of Separation - Certificate of Service) to show he served in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater of Operations (APTO) with campaign participation credit. Records also show the FSM was awarded the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal. The evidence of record further shows a BSM certificate was issued on 20 November 2000 that awarded the FSM the BSM for...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2010 | 20100007578
Army medical records from 1941 show the date he was wounded in action as 14 October 1943 and not 18 September 1943 as shown on his WD AGO Form 53-55. There are no general orders in the available records that show award of the Silver Star. The applicant contends that her father's WD AGO Form 53-55 should be corrected to show the Silver Star, his rank as a S/Sgt, and the date wounded as 14 October 1943.
ARMY | BCMR | CY2007 | 20070014427
RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS IN THE CASE OF: BOARD DATE: 6 May 2008 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20070014427 I certify that hereinafter is recorded the true and complete record of the proceedings of the Army Board for Correction of Military Records in the case of the above-named individual. The applicant requests the records of her deceased husband, hereafter referred to as the former service member (FSM), be corrected to show he served with the 513th Parachute Infantry Regiment (PIR), and his date of...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2010 | 20100013570
The applicant requests, in effect, correction of her deceased husbands [hereafter referred to as the former service member (FSM)] WD AGO Form 53-55 (Enlisted Record and Report of Separation Honorable Discharge) to show award of the American Campaign Medal, Army of Occupation Medal with Germany Clasp, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with 2 bronze service stars, and the Bronze Star Medal (BSM) based on award of the Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB). The FSMs military records...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2009 | 20090002526
The evidence includes orders awarding the FSM the BSM 1st Oak Leaf Cluster (2nd Award) for heroism on 13 and 14 December 1944 in Germany, and a letter from the Commanding General, Army Service Forces, which confirmed the FSM's eligibility for the CMB and directed he be issued this award. As a result, the Board recommends that all Department of the Army records of the individual concerned be corrected by amending item 33 of his WD AGO Form 53-55 by deleting the current list of awards and...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2010 | 20100017634
The applicant, the widow of a deceased former service member (FSM), requests correction of the FSM's WD AGO Form 53-55 (Enlisted Record and Report of Separation - Honorable Discharge) to show: * his correct military occupational specialty (MOS) * award of the: * Combat Infantryman Badge * Bronze Star Medal * Forward Observer Badge * Presidential Unit Citation [sic] 2. For services performed during World War II, awards will be made only to service units and only for services performed...