| Mr. Carl W. S. Chun | Director | |
| Mr. Jessie B. Strickland | Analyst |
| Ms. Joann H. Langston | Chairperson | |
| Ms. Margaret K. Patterson | Member | |
| Mr. Eric N. Andersen | Member |
2. The applicant requests that he be awarded a second award of the Purple Heart and the Army of Occupation Medal (AOM) of Germany.
3. The applicant states, in effect, that he should have received a second award of the Purple Heart for frostbite to his feet during World War II and he should have received the AOM (Germany) for his service in that country as well. In support of his application he submits a copy of his Separation Qualification Record (WD AGO Form 100), a copy of his separation document (WD AGO Form 53-55), and a copy of a Veterans Administration (VA) rating decision indicating that he sustained frostbite to both feet in January 1945.
4. The applicant’s military records were destroyed in the 1973 fire at the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis, Missouri, which destroyed millions of service records. However, information obtained from alternate sources show that he was inducted on 22 November 1943 and entered active duty on 13 December 1943. He deployed to the European Theater of Operations (ETO) on 7 November 1944 and participated in the Ardennes, Rhineland and Central Europe Campaigns. He departed the ETO on 28 February 1946 and was transferred to Camp Atterbury, Indiana, where he was honorably discharged on 14 March 1946.
5. His report of separation shows that he was wounded on 26 January 1945 in Germany and that he was awarded the Purple Heart, the European-African-Middle Eastern Theater Ribbon with three bronze service stars, the Good Conduct Medal, and the World War II Victory Medal, at the time of separation. He was subsequently awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB) and the Bronze Star Medal (BSM) by the Army Reserve Personnel Center in 1992; however, there is no indication that his separation document was ever corrected to reflect those awards.
6. Information obtained from hospital admission records compiled by the Office of The Surgeon General of the Department of the Army show that the applicant was admitted to a general hospital as a battle casualty on 26 January 1945 and was diagnosed as having a shrapnel wound to the face and frostbite of the foot.
7. The VA Rating Decision provided by the applicant with his application indicates that the applicant’s service medical records show that he sustained frostbite to both feet in January 1945, that he was treated and that he was returned to duty. He was given an evaluation of 30% service-connected disability rating for each foot, effective 10 November 1999.
8. Army Regulation 600-45, the regulation in effect at the time, governed the award of the Purple Heart. It provided, in pertinent part, that the Purple Heart is awarded for a wound/injury sustained as a result of hostile action. Substantiating evidence must be provided to verify that the wound was a result of hostile action, that the wound must have required treatment by a medical officer, and that the medical treatment was made a matter of official record. At the time, the regulation provided that a Purple Heart was authorized for frostbite and it specified that multiple awards were not authorized for wounds/injuries that were treated at the same instant.
9. Army Regulation 600-8-22, currently in effect, provides, in pertinent part, that the Purple Heart is awarded for a wound sustained as a result of hostile action. Substantiating evidence must be provided to verify that the wound was a result of hostile action, that the wound must have required treatment by a medical officer, and that the medical treatment was made a matter of official record. The regulation currently in effect provides that a Purple Heart is not authorized for frostbite and that multiple awards are not authorized for multiple wounds/injuries that are treated at the same time.
10. Army Regulation 600-8-22 establishes the criteria for award of the AOM. It states, in pertinent part, that the AOM was established by War Department General Orders 32 in 1946. It is awarded for 30 consecutive days of service at a normal post of duty while assigned to the Army of Occupation of Germany between 9 May 1945 and 5 May 1955. Service between 9 May and 8 November 1945 will be counted only if the EAME Campaign Medal was awarded for service before 9 May 1945.
CONCLUSIONS:
1. While there is sufficient evidence to show that the applicant did receive frostbite to the feet while in combat, his injury was diagnosed at the same time as his wound to his face was treated. Accordingly, he was properly awarded one Purple Heart Medal for the wounds/injuries he sustained. Multiple awards are not authorized for multiple wounds/injuries that are sustained in the same instance/event. Accordingly, there is no basis to issue him another Purple Heart.
2. However, the applicant was entitled to receive the award of the AOM (Germany) for his service in that country and it appears that an administrative oversight resulted in his not being awarded that medal. Therefore, it would be in the interest of justice to do so at this time.
3. Additionally, the applicant was awarded the CIB and BSM and those awards have not been added to his separation documents. Accordingly, it would be appropriate to do so at this time.
4. In view of the foregoing, the applicant’s records should be corrected as recommended below.
RECOMMENDATION:
1. That all of the Department of the Army records related to this case be corrected by awarding the individual concerned the AOM (Germany) and adding it to his separation document along with awards of the CIB and BSM that were previously issued but not entered onto his separation document.
2. That so much of the application as is in excess of the foregoing be denied.
BOARD VOTE:
___jhl___ __mkp___ __ena___ GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION
________ ________ ________ GRANT FORMAL HEARING
________ ________ ________ DENY APPLICATION
____Joann H. Langston____
CHAIRPERSON
| CASE ID | AR2001059886 |
| SUFFIX | |
| RECON | YYYYMMDD |
| DATE BOARDED | 2001/12/04 |
| TYPE OF DISCHARGE | |
| DATE OF DISCHARGE | |
| DISCHARGE AUTHORITY | |
| DISCHARGE REASON | |
| BOARD DECISION | GRANT |
| REVIEW AUTHORITY | |
| ISSUES 1. 113 | 107.0067/AOM |
| 2. 61 | 107.0015/PH |
| 3. | |
| 4. | |
| 5. | |
| 6. |
ARMY | BCMR | CY2003 | 2003083963C070212
The Board considered the following evidence: Army Regulation 600-8-22 (Military Awards) provides, in pertinent part, that the AOM is awarded for service of 30 consecutive days at a normal post of duty in a qualifying location. The applicant served in the ETO between 5 August 1944 and 29 December 1945 and was awarded the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal.
ARMY | BCMR | CY2003 | 2003087229C070212
The applicant requests that his records be corrected to reflect his awards of the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star Medal (BSM). Although there is no evidence to show that the applicant was awarded the Purple Heart, the Board finds it reasonable to presume that given his award of the CIB and his being admitted to the hospital on 26 January 1945, for treatment of frostbite to both feet over a 90 day period, that he was injured as a result of combat operations during the Ardennes Campaign and...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2011 | 20110011341
The FSM's military records are not available to the Board for review. The applicant is basing his request for award of the Purple Heart to the FSM on the WD AGO Form 8-24, dated 12 August 1945, which clearly shows the FSM sustained NBC gunshot wounds after being shot by a Frenchman who also shot into several U.S. The applicant provided insufficient evidence to show the FSM was hospitalized to receive medical treatment for severe frostbite or frozen feet while engaged in combat.
ARMY | BCMR | CY2008 | 20080012076
The applicant requests in effect, that the records of his deceased father, a former service member (FSM), be corrected to show he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal (BSM) for valor, the Silver Star (SS), Purple Heart (PH) with 1st Oak Leaf Cluster (2nd Award), and Glider Infantry Badge; to show his eligibility for the French Fourragere, Belgian Fourragere, Netherlands Order of William, Belgium Order of the Day, and Netherlands Orange Lanyard; and that he be issued award certificates for the...
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 | CY2009 | 20090001073
The applicant requests correction of his military records to show award of the Purple Heart. There is no evidence in the documents the applicant provided that show he was treated for cold injuries. The applicants claim of entitlement to award of the Purple Heart for cold weather injuries he received while in the ETO was carefully considered.
ARMY | BCMR | CY2006 | 20060000586C070205
In support of his application, the applicant submitted a copy of his WD AGO Form 53-55, Enlisted Record and Report of Separation - Honorable Discharge. The applicant provided no service medical records to show he was hospitalized to receive medical treatment for frostbite or frozen feet during World War II. As a result, the Board recommends that all Department of the Army records of the individual concerned be corrected by: a. awarding the applicant the Bronze Star Medal based on his...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2015 | 20150012856
Application for correction of military records (with supporting documents provided, if any). A record pertaining to the applicant is included in this file and it shows he was detained as a POW from 4 December 1944 to 29 May 1945 while assigned to the 398th Infantry Regiment. In the absence of the applicants official military personnel file (OMPF), the evidence in this case is jointly derived from his WD AGO Form 53-55, witness statement and accounts, NARA WWII POW Data File, 1st Battalion...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2010 | 20100027881
Army Regulation 600-8-22 (Military Awards), currently in effect, states the Purple Heart is awarded for a wound/injury sustained in action against an enemy or as a result of hostile action. While the sincerity of the applicant's claim that he was awarded the Purple Heart while in a hospital in France and refused the award is not in doubt, the available evidence does not establish he was wounded or injured as a result of enemy action or that treatment for his wounds or injuries were made a...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2003 | 2003090535C070212
The applicant’s military records were not available to the Board for review. Paragraph 2-8f of the awards regulation states that for those who became Prisoners of War after 25 April 1962, the PH will be awarded to individuals wounded while prisoners of foreign forces, upon submission by the individual to the Department of the Army of an affidavit that is supported by a statement from a witness, if this is possible. Therefore, it would be appropriate to award the applicant the PH, for being...