| Mr. Carl W. S. Chun | Director | |
| Mrs. Nancy Amos | Analyst |
| Mr. Raymond V. O’Connor, Jr. | Chairperson | |
| Mr. John P. Infante | Member | |
| Mr. William D. Powers | Member |
APPLICANT REQUESTS: In effect, that he be awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB).
APPLICANT STATES: That he was a chauffer up until he shipped out to Guadalcanal in November 1942 with Company H, 19th Infantry as part of the 25th Division. He was made a squad leader when they shipped out. He served with the 25th Division until Guadalcanal was secured. He spent 21 days on the front line as a squad leader. He had two machine guns and men to man them. He lost two men, one killed and one from battle fatigue. After everything was secured they moved back to the beach. Shortly after this he was evacuated with malaria and jaundice.
EVIDENCE OF RECORD: The applicant's military records were lost or destroyed n the National Personnel Records Center fire in 1973. Information contained herein was obtained form alternate sources.
The applicant enlisted in the Army on 2 April 1940. He arrived in the Central Pacific Theater of Operations on 17 June 1940. He departed the theater on 11 June 1943 and arrived in the States on 25 June 1943. His Report of Separation, WD AGO Form 53-55, shows his branch of service as Transportation Corps and his military occupational specialty (MOS) as Chauffeur. He separated on 28 August 1945.
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.
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. 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.
2. The evidence of record shows that the applicant did not hold an infantry MOS and he did not perform infantry duties on a regular basis. As he acknowledges, he was a chauffeur up until the time his unit shipped out to Guadalcanal and he served on the front lines, albeit as a squad leader of a machine gun unit, for only 21 days. It appears it was not his daily mission while in the Central Pacific to close with and destroy the enemy and to seize and hold terrain and it appears he was never awarded an infantry MOS. It was not unusual for all soldiers in a unit in the Pacific Theater of Operations to temporarily fight as infantrymen until a beachhead could be secured and the Board acknowledges the valuable services he performed during this time; however, they do not qualify him for award of the CIB.
3. 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
__rvo___ __jpi___ __wdp___ DENY APPLICATION
| CASE ID | AR2001062660 |
| SUFFIX | |
| RECON | |
| DATE BOARDED | 20011129 |
| TYPE OF DISCHARGE | |
| DATE OF DISCHARGE | |
| DISCHARGE AUTHORITY | |
| DISCHARGE REASON | |
| BOARD DECISION | (DENY) |
| REVIEW AUTHORITY | |
| ISSUES 1. | 107.0111 |
| 2. | |
| 3. | |
| 4. | |
| 5. | |
| 6. |
ARMY | BCMR | CY2012 | 20120007734
The applicant, the nephew of a deceased former service member (FSM), requests his uncle be awarding the Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB) and the Bronze Star Medal (BSM). He goes on to state that during World War II there was no requirement for individuals to hold an infantry military occupational specialty (MOS) in order to be awarded the CIB. Therefore, the BSM is to be awarded to individuals who were authorized either badge for service during World War II.
ARMY | BCMR | CY2005 | 20050004439C070206
The applicant’s military records are not available to the Board for review. Item 31 (Military Qualification and Date) does not show award of the Combat Infantryman Badge. His Separation Qualification Record shows he served as a cook during the last 8 months of service (around July 1945 to March 1946) and he did not receive combat infantry pay.
ARMY | BCMR | CY2011 | 20110008226
The applicant requests that he be awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB). War Department Circular 269-1943 established the CIB and the Expert Infantryman Badge to recognize and provide an incentive to infantrymen. The Board wants the applicant and all others concerned to know that this action in no way diminishes the sacrifices made by the applicant in service to the United States during WWII.
ARMY | BCMR | CY2014 | 20140017172
The applicant requests correction of his military records to show award of the Combat Infantryman Badge for his service during World War II. The applicant's military records are not available to the Board for review. The applicant contends that his military records should be corrected to show award of the Combat Infantryman Badge for his service during World War II because he was assigned to an infantry company as a squad leader.
ARMY | BCMR | CY2002 | 2002077930C070215
The applicant requests correction of military records as stated in the application to the Board and as restated herein. There is no evidence of record and the applicant provides none to substantiate his contention that he was wounded in action. There is no evidence of record and the applicant provides none to show he served in China.
ARMY | BCMR | CY2001 | 2001059446C070421
The applicant requests that the records of his deceased brother, a former service member (FSM), be corrected to show he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal (BSM) and the Presidential Unit Citation. The applicant states that he has been told the FSM is eligible for the BSM because he was awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge. General Order 5, Headquarters, 475 th Infantry dated 15 September 1944 awarded the applicant the Combat Infantryman Badge effective 20 February 1944.
ARMY | BCMR | CY2011 | 20110014611
The applicant requests correction of his military records to show award of the Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB) for service during World War II. War Department Circular 269-1943 established the Combat Infantryman Badge and the Expert Infantryman Badge to recognize and provide an incentive to infantrymen. The applicant contends that his military records should be corrected to show award of the CIB for his combat service during World War II.
ARMY | BCMR | CY2012 | 20120000239
The previous ROP concluded that the FSM's military record is void of documentation showing he was awarded the CIB or that he served in an infantry MOS while assigned to an infantry unit. The War Department received requests to award the CIB to non-infantry individuals and units employed as infantry during tactical emergencies. In the absence of evidence showing the FSM held an infantry MOS, the orders for the BSM are insufficient evidence on which to base award of the CIB in this case.
ARMY | BCMR | CY2013 | 20130014133
The applicant requests that the records of his father, a deceased former service member (FSM), be corrected by showing his award of the Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB) and by showing his ASR (Army Service Rating) score as 101. The War Department received requests to award the Combat Infantryman Badge to non-infantry individuals and units employed as infantry during tactical emergencies. War Department Circular 269-1943 established the Combat Infantryman Badge and the Expert Infantryman...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2006 | 20060009173C070205
The applicant requests correction of his records to show award of the Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB). The applicant’s military records are not available to the Board for review. As a result, the Board recommends that all Department of the Army records of the individual concerned be corrected by showing he was awarded the CIB, the Bronze Star Medal (based on award of the CIB), and showing one bronze service star for wear on his already awarded European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal.