| Mr. Carl W. S. Chun | Director | |
| Ms. Joyce A. Wright | Analyst |
| Ms. Margaret K. Patterson | Chairperson | |
| Mr. Richard T. Dunbar | Member | |
| Mr. Elzey J. Arledge | Member |
2. The applicant requests that he be awarded the Purple Heart.
3. The applicant states that he was injured by shrapnel to the head during the Battle of the Bulge and was never awarded the Purple Heart. In support of his application, he submits a copy of his WD AGO Form 53-55 (Enlisted Record and Report of Separation) and a copy of his Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) Rating Decision, dated 27 July 2001.
4. The applicant’s military records were lost or destroyed in the National Personnel Records Center fire of 1973. Records available to the Board were obtained from alternate sources and show he was inducted on 31 March 1944,
as a clerk typist (405). He served in the European-African-Middle Eastern Theater of Operations from 22 October 1944 to 5 July 1945, and continued to serve until he was honorably discharged on 26 April 1946.
5. The applicant’s WD AGO Form 53-55 shows that he was awarded the
Good Conduct Medal, the Army of Occupation Medal with Germany Clasp, the
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with three bronze service stars, the American Theater Ribbon, the World War II Victory Medal, and the
Combat Infantryman Badge.
6. The applicant’s WD AGO Form 53-55 does not show the Purple Heart as an authorized award. Item 34 (Wounds Received In Action) of the applicant’s
WD AGO Form 53-55, which was authenticated in his own hand, shows the entry “NONE.” There is no record that the applicant was awarded the Purple Heart. There also is no indication that he was wounded as a result of hostile action.
7. A copy of his DVA Rating Decision, dated 27 July 2001, shows that he was granted a 10 percent service-connected disability for a scar, residuals of a shell fragment wound, right scalp with retained foreign body. There is no indication in the available records to show that his service-connected disability for a scar, residuals of a shell fragment wound was the result of hostile action.
8. 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.
9. Army Regulation 600-8-22 provides, in pertinent part, that the Bronze Star Medal is awarded for heroism and for meritorious achievement or service in military operations against an armed enemy. The Bronze Star Medal 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 or whose achievement or service, during that period, was confirmed by documents executed prior to 1 July 1947. An award of the Combat Infantryman Badge or the Combat Medical Badge is considered to be a citation in orders. This means, in effect, that the Bronze Star Medal is to be awarded to individuals who were authorized either badge for service during World War II.
CONCLUSIONS:
1. The Board notes the DVA Rating Decision, dated 27 July 2001, provided by the applicant which shows that he was granted a 10 percent service-connected disability for a scar, residuals of a shell fragment wound, right scalp with retained foreign body. However, his DVA Rating Decision failed to show that his injuries were the result of hostile action.
2. There is no evidence of record available to the Board, and the applicant has provided no evidence, which shows he was injured or wounded due to hostile action during World War II.
3. The evidence of record shows the applicant is entitled to the Bronze Star Medal based on award of the Combat Infantryman Badge.
4. In view of the foregoing findings and conclusions, it would be appropriate to correct the applicant’s records, but only as recommended below.
RECOMMENDATION:
1. That all of the Department of the Army records related to this case for the individual concerned be corrected by showing that he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal based on award of the Combat Infantryman Badge
2. That so much of the application as is in excess of the foregoing be denied.
BOARD VOTE:
_mp___ __rd___ __ea____ GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION
________ ________ ________ GRANT FORMAL HEARING
________ ________ ________ DENY APPLICATION
__Margaret K. Patterson__
CHAIRPERSON
| CASE ID | AR2001062239 |
| SUFFIX | |
| RECON | |
| DATE BOARDED | 20020411 |
| TYPE OF DISCHARGE | HD |
| DATE OF DISCHARGE | 19460426 |
| DISCHARGE AUTHORITY | AR 615-365 |
| DISCHARGE REASON | |
| BOARD DECISION | GRANT |
| REVIEW AUTHORITY | |
| ISSUES 1. 61 | |
| 2. | |
| 3. | |
| 4. | |
| 5. | |
| 6. |
ARMY | BCMR | CY2011 | 20110024144
The applicant provides a statement from his spouse and a VA rating decision as new evidence that will be considered by the Board. d. Reasonable doubt was resolved in favor of the applicant and it was determined he suffered shell fragment wounds to the left leg during combat in World War II that have resulted in the three tender scars of the left lower leg shown by objective findings during his latest VA examination. The available evidence shows the VA granted the applicant service...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2006 | 20060009461
The Board considered the following evidence: Exhibit A - Application for correction of military records. They also show, in pertinent part, that the DVA effectively awarded service connection for these scars based upon the applicants award of the Combat Infantryman Badge. There is no evidence in the applicants available military or medical records which conclusively shows that he was wounded as a result of hostile action or friendly fire.
ARMY | BCMR | CY2002 | 2002081690C070215
[The applicant's records provided by the National Personnel Records Center contained a DD Form 149 (Application for Correction of a Military Record), dated 6 April 1998 and signed by a Veterans Service Officer for the American Legion. In the discussion of the claim, the rating decision stated that service medical records were negative for evidence of a left hand injury during active military service. The Board considered the applicant's request for award of the Purple Heart as stated in...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2008 | 20080018369
Copies of orders awarding the applicant the Purple Heart are not on file in the applicant's reconstructed records. Based on this evidence and the special provisions of the Army's awards regulation, the applicant is therefore entitled to award of the Bronze Star Medal and to have it added to his WD AGO Form 53-55. 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 Purple Heart for wounds he...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2002 | 2002080207C070215
The applicant requests correction of his WD AGO Form 53-55 (Enlisted Record and Report of Separation) to show award of the Purple Heart. There is no evidence in the available records that shows the applicant was awarded the Purple Heart or was wounded as a result of hostile action during World War II. However, evidence of record shows that the applicant's unit received two awards of the Distinguished Unit Citation.
ARMY | BCMR | CY2001 | 2001064311C070421
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 Board noted that the applicant was awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge, but that his discharge document does not show award of the Bronze Star Medal based on award of the Combat Infantryman Badge. In view of the applicant's own signature authenticating that he received no wounds in action and in view of...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2009 | 20090001179
The applicants military records are not available to the Board for review. Therefore, the applicant is entitled to award of the Purple Heart for wounds sustained as a result of hostile action on 29 April 1945, and his WD AGO Form 53-55 should be amended. As a result, the Board recommends that all Department of the Army records of the individual concerned be corrected by: a. awarding him the Purple Heart for wounds received on 29 April 1945; b. awarding him the Bronze Star Medal (based on...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2002 | 2002079334C070215
The applicant requests correction of his WD AGO Form 53-55 (Enlisted Record and Report of Separation) to show award of the Bronze Star Medal and the Purple Heart in item 33 (Decorations and Citations). The applicant's WD AGO Form 53-55 shows he received credit for participation in the New Guinea and Luzon campaigns and was awarded the Asiatic-Pacific Theater Ribbon with two bronze service stars. ' b. by adding award of the Bronze Star Medal (based on award of the Combat Infantryman Badge),...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2007 | 20070002722
The applicant's military service records are not available to the Board for review. The applicant's military service records contain a copy of WD AGO Form 106 (Request for Decoration and/or Citation), dated 5 October 1945, which shows the applicant initiated a claim for award of the Purple Heart for injuries sustained on 4 September 1944. 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...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2003 | 2003084587C070212
The applicant was honorably discharged on 18 November 1945. The Board reviewed Department of Veterans Affairs decisional document and noted that it does not show that the applicant was wounded as a result of hostile action or that he was treated wounds as a result of hostile action. Evidence of record shows that the applicant was awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge.