| Mr. Carl W. S. Chun | Director | |
| Mr. Edmund P. Mercanti | Analyst |
| Mr. Arthur A. Omartian | Chairperson | |
| Mr. Melvin H. Meyer | Member | |
| Mr. Karen A. Heinz | Member |
2. The applicant requests that he be awarded 24 oak leaf clusters (sic) to his Air Medal.
3. The applicant states that in Vietnam, Air Medals were awarded for every 25 hours of combat flight time. His unit, as well as other units, would award aviators all of their Oak Leaf Clusters upon completion of their tour. He says that he received his initial award after 25 hours, but never received the awards due for the remainder of his combat flight time.
4. In support of his application, he submits a DA Form 759, Individual Flight Record and Flight Certificate – Army, which shows that he is credited with flying 648 hours of combat pilot time while in Vietnam, from August 1968 to June 1969.
5. The applicant's military records show that he entered active duty as an officer on 17 April 1967, was awarded the area of concentration of rotary wing aviator, and was promoted to the rank of captain.
6. He served in Vietnam as a rotary wing aircraft pilot, a section commander, and a maintenance officer in a cavalry unit.
7. He was honorably released from active duty on 16 August 1971. His separation document shows that he was awarded the National Defense Service Medal, the Army Aviation Badge, the Vietnam Service Medal, the Vietnam Campaign Medal with 1960 Device, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Bronze Star Medal, and the Army Commendation Medal. Neither his DD Form 214, Report of Transfer or Discharge, nor his personnel records show that he was awarded the basic Air Medal.
8. Army Regulation 600-8-22 provides, in pertinent part, that the Air Medal is awarded in time of war for heroism, for meritorious achievement (single acts of a lessor degree than which required for the Distinguished Flying Cross) and for meritorious service (sustained distinction in the performance of duties). In this regard, accumulation of a specified number of hours and missions will not serve as the basis for award of the Air Medal. As with all personal decorations, formal recommendations, approval through the chain of command, and announcement in orders are required. Arabic numerals are now used instead of oak leaf clusters for the second and succeeding awards.
9. U.S Army Vietnam (USARV) Regulation 672-1 provided, in pertinent part, guidelines for award of the Air Medal. It defined the departure point for the award
of the Air Medal based on sustained operations as 25 Category I missions and a minimum of 25 hours of flight time engaged in Category I missions (air assault and equally dangerous missions); 50 Category II missions and has accrued a minimum of 50 hours of flight time engaged in Category II missions (support rendered a friendly force immediately before, during or following a combat operation); or 100 Category III missions and a minimum of 100 hours of flight time engaged in Category III missions (support of friendly forces not connected with an immediate combat operation but which must be accomplished at altitudes which make the aircraft at times vulnerable to small arms fire, or an operation conducted under hazardous weather or terrain conditions). However, the regulation was clear that these guidelines were considered only a departure point. Nothing created an entitlement to the award. To the contrary, the award was limited to individuals whose accomplishments and service for the entire group of missions must reflect meritorious performance throughout, with no instance of nonprofessionalism, mediocrity, or failure to display an offensive spirit. The individual must not have caused, either directly or indirectly, an aircraft abort, late take-off, accident or incident. The individual must have continuously demonstrated a high degree of air discipline. And the individual’s performance of duty must have been clearly exceptional in every respect during the period for which recommended. There was no provision for making the award simply because an aircraft was struck by enemy fire.
DISCUSSION: Considering all the evidence, allegations, and information presented by the applicant, together with the evidence of record and applicable law and regulations, it is concluded:
1. The applicant accrued a total of 648 hours as a pilot flying combat missions while in Vietnam.
2. Since there is no record of how many individual missions the applicant actually flew each day, the Board must default to the standard of 25 hours for the award of each Air Medal (648 hours divided by 25 Category I missions), which would authorize the applicant a total of 25 Air Medals (the basic Air Medal with numeral 24).
3. 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 by showing that the applicant was awarded the Air Medal with Numeral 24, to denote the award of a total of 25 Air Medals.
BOARD VOTE:
___mhm ____aao_ ____kah _ GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION
________ ________ ________ GRANT FORMAL HEARING
________ ________ ________ DENY APPLICATION
__________Arthur A. Omartian______
CHAIRPERSON
| CASE ID | AR2001059338 |
| SUFFIX | |
| RECON | YYYYMMDD |
| DATE BOARDED | 20020129 |
| 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. | 107.00 |
| 2. | |
| 3. | |
| 4. | |
| 5. | |
| 6. |
ARMY | BCMR | CY2014 | 20140018379
The applicant states: * the number of Air Medals was miscalculated * he was awarded the Air Medal (1st through 6th Award) * his flight hours in the Republic of Vietnam were 1,193 as a first pilot and 337 as an aircraft commander 3. He participated in various combat missions during his service in the Republic of Vietnam. As a result, the Board recommends that all Department of the Army records of the individual concerned be corrected by: a. awarding him the Air Medal with Numeral 16 and...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2009 | 20090021270
Item 24 (Decorations, Medals, Badges, Commendations, Citations and Campaign Ribbons Awarded or Authorized) of his DD Form 214 for the period ending on 4 April 1972 shows the Aviation Badge, Vietnam Service Medal, Air Medal, Defense Distinguished Cross, Army Commendation Medal, Purple Heart, Vietnam Campaign Medal with "1960" Device, and Bronze Star Medal. Therefore, he should receive 6 additional awards of the Air Medal based on his combat missions by subtracting 25 hours from his total...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2001 | 2001065608C070421
His DD Form 214 does not show any additional Air Medal awards nor does it show the award of the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal. The evidence of record also shows that the applicant participated in four campaigns during his assignment in the RVN. Awarding the applicant the Air Medal with numeral 48 and correcting his DD Form 214 to show the Air Medal with numeral 48, the Vietnam Service Medal with four bronze service stars, and the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal for the period...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2011 | 20110024572
His records do not contain official orders awarding him the Aircraft Crewmember Badge or any additional awards of the Air Medal. USARV Regulation 672-1 (Decorations and Awards) provided guidelines for award of the Air Medal. As a result, the Board recommends denial of so much of the application that pertains to the award of the Aircraft Crewmember Badge and correction of his DD Form 214 to show this award.
ARMY | BCMR | CY2009 | 20090005189
The applicant states that he located the orders that awarded him the Bronze Star Medal and his flight record that shows he completed 240 hours of combat flying time by 30 June 1969 which should qualify him for additional oak leaf clusters for his Air Medal. Headquarters, 101st Airborne Division, General Orders Number 12870, dated 9 October 1969, show the applicant was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for meritorious service from 1 December 1968 to 31 July 1969 in the Republic of Vietnam. To...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2007 | 20070007049C080213
The applicant requests, in three separate applications, that he be awarded 33 awards of the Air Medal and that his DD Form 214 for the period ending 31 December 1982 be amended to add the Air Medal (33 awards) (in addition to the entry that already shows the Air Medal (21 awards), the Bronze Star Medal, and the Defense Meritorious Service Medal. The evidence of record shows the applicant was awarded the Bronze Star Medal and the Defense Meritorious Service Medal. As a result, the Board...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2007 | 20070007049
The applicant requests, in three separate applications, that he be awarded 33 awards of the Air Medal and that his DD Form 214 for the period ending 31 December 1982 be amended to add the Air Medal (33 awards) (in addition to the entry that already shows the Air Medal (21 awards), the Bronze Star Medal, and the Defense Meritorious Service Medal. The applicant requests 33 awards of the Air Medal for his service during his first tour in Vietnam, stating that the 2d through 21st awards of the...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2007 | 20070007049
The applicant requests, in three separate applications, that he be awarded 33 awards of the Air Medal and that his DD Form 214 for the period ending 31 December 1982 be amended to add the Air Medal (33 awards) (in addition to the entry that already shows the Air Medal (21 awards), the Bronze Star Medal, and the Defense Meritorious Service Medal. His DD Form 214 for the period ending 31 December 1982 shows he was awarded the National Defense Service Medal, the Basic and the Master Army...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2009 | 20090009376
There are no orders or other evidence in the applicant's military personnel records that shows he was awarded the Air Medal (18th through 20th oak leaf cluster). The applicant contends that his records should be corrected to show three additional awards of the Air Medal (i.e., Air Medal with 18th through 20th oak leaf cluster) because he completed 77 combat hours and 139 combat missions in the RVN from 6 August 1967 to 29 September 1967 subsequent to his 17th award of the Air Medal. As a...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2009 | 20090008520
The applicant requests correction of his DD Form 214 (Armed Forces of the United States Report of Transfer or Discharge) to show three awards of the Bronze Star Medal and 17 additional awards of the Air Medal. The evidence of record shows the applicant served as a combat pilot during his service in the Republic of Vietnam. The evidence of record shows the applicant was awarded the Vietnam Service Medal.