| Mr. Carl W. S. Chun | Director | |
| Mr. Lee Cates | Analyst |
| Ms. JoAnn H. Langston | Chairperson | |
| Mr. Raymond J. Wagner | Member | |
| Mr. Richard T. Dunbar | Member |
APPLICANT REQUESTS: That his records be corrected to show entitlement to award of the Purple Heart (PH).
APPLICANT STATES: That he was wounded at Aachen, France. He provides copies of his WD AGO Form 53-55 (Enlisted Record and Report of Separation – Honorable Discharge), dated 18 September 1945; a request for a “Thank-You-America Certificate” from the Embassy of France, dated 16 February 2001; and a partial V.A. Form 2545 (Veterans Administration - Report of Physical Examination), dated 15 December 1948.
EVIDENCE OF RECORD: The applicant's military records were lost or destroyed in the National Personnel Records Center fire of 1973. Information herein was obtained from alternate sources.
On 8 December 1941, the applicant was inducted into the Enlisted Reserve Corps.
On 10 December 1941, he entered into active service of the Army of the United States. He attended the Armor Articifer School, Camp Croft, South Carolina. He was serving in military occupational specialty 821 (Supply Sergeant) at the time of his separation. He was promoted to the rank of staff sergeant.
During the period 2 August 1942 until 23 August 1945, he served in the European-African-Middle Eastern (EAME) Theater of Operations.
According to records of the Office of The Surgeon General, he was hospitalized at the 7th General Hospital on 13 July 1945 for duodenum, peptic ulcer without obstruction. Records show he was “Invalided Home.”
On 18 September 1945, he was honorably separated and issued a Certificate of Disability for Discharge, by the Tilton General Hospital, Fort Dix, New Jersey. His separation document indicates he had 3 years, 9 months and 11 days of creditable service. He was entitled to the Bronze Star Medal, the Soldier’s Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, and the EAME Ribbon with one silver service star and three bronze service stars,
On 2 December 1948, in a V.A. Form 2545, for the purpose of claiming a pension during WWII, for his stomach condition, item 27 shows the applicant made a statement that he had a small shell fragment wound [to the] right lower thigh. In item 8, of the same report, he indicated the wound occurred in June 1943 and that the shrapnel had been removed without symptoms.
On 1 May 2000, this office advised the applicant that after a through search for his records by the records custodian, they were not found.
Army Regulation 600-8-22 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 the result of hostile action, the wound must have required treatment, and the medical treatment must have been made a matter of official record.
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. There is no evidence of record available to the Board, which shows that the applicant was wounded or treated for wounds due to hostile action; therefore, he is not entitled to award of the Purple Heart.
2. While the applicant stated he was wounded, the circumstances are not described, and there is no material evidence showing he was wounded as the result of hostile action.
3. In order to justify correction of a military record the applicant must show to the satisfaction of the Board, or it must otherwise satisfactorily appear, that the record is in error or unjust. The applicant has failed to submit evidence that would satisfy this requirement
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
_jhl_____ _rtd_____ _rjw____ DENY APPLICATION
| CASE ID | AR2001061826 |
| SUFFIX | |
| RECON | |
| DATE BOARDED | 20020226 |
| TYPE OF DISCHARGE | |
| DATE OF DISCHARGE | |
| DISCHARGE AUTHORITY | |
| DISCHARGE REASON | |
| BOARD DECISION | DENY |
| REVIEW AUTHORITY | |
| ISSUES 1. | 107.0015 |
| 2. | |
| 3. | |
| 4. | |
| 5. | |
| 6. |
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