| Mr. Carl W. S. Chun | Director | |
| Mrs. Carolyn G. Wade | Analyst |
| Ms. Irene N. Wheelwright | Chairperson | |
| Mr. Raymond J. Wagner | Member | |
| Ms. Gail J. Wire | Member |
2. The applicant requests that he be awarded the “Japanese Occupation Medal or Campaign Medal” (sic).
3. The applicant states, in effect, that he served in Japan from September 1945 until approximately November 1945 and that he wants his WD AGO Form 53-55 (Enlisted Record and Report of Separation and Honorable Discharge) corrected to reflect his service in Japan.
4. The applicant's military records were lost or destroyed in the National Personnel Records Center fire of 1973. Information herein was obtained from the applicant’s WD AGO Form 53-55 and Department of the Army Pamphlet 672-1 (Unit Citation and Campaign Participation Credit Register).
5. The applicant was inducted in the Army of the United States on 3 February 1942. Following completion of all military training, he was awarded military occupational specialty (MOS) 838, Seaman Landing Craft, and assigned to Company A, 543rd Engineer Boat and Shore Regiment.
6. The 543rd Engineer Boat and Shore Regiment was formed at Camp Canduit, Massachusetts in late 1942. After service on the East Coast of the United States, the unit moved to Fort Ord, California, in April 1943. In January 1944, the unit embarked for the Southwest Pacific bound for New Guinea by way of Australia and New Zealand. When the war ended, the 543rd Engineer Boat and Shore Regiment was located in the Philippine Islands (P.I.). In September 1945, it left Leyte, P.I. for occupation duty in Japan. Company A, 543rd Engineer Boat and Shore Regiment was credited with participation in an assault landing on Noemfoor Island on 2 July 1944.
7. The applicant departed the Asiatic-Pacific Theater of Operations (APTO) and arrived in the United States on 6 November 1945. On 16 November 1945, he was honorably discharged under the provision of Army Regulation 615-365 for the convenience of the government – demobilization. He was credited with 1 year, 11 months, and 16 days of creditable military service. His WD AGO 53-55 shows he participated in the following campaigns: New Guinea, Bismarck Archipelago, and Southern Philippines. It also shows he was awarded the following awards and decorations: Good Conduct Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Theater Campaign Ribbon [Medal], American Theater Campaign Ribbon [Medal], Philippine Liberation Ribbon [Medal] with one Bronze Service Star, and the [World War II] Victory Medal.
8. Army Regulation 600-8-22 (Military Awards) provides, in pertinent part, that the Army of Occupation Medal (AOM) is awarded for service of 30 consecutive days at a normal post of duty in a qualifying location. Qualifying service in Japan included service in the Japanese Home Islands, the Ryukyu Islands, and the Bonin-Volcano Islands between 3 September 1945 and 27 April 1952. Service between 3 September 1945 and 2 March 1946 is qualifying only if the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal was earned prior to 3 September 1945. Department of the Army Pamphlet 672-1 (Unit Citation and Campaign Participation Credit Register), dated 6 July 1961, will show whether or not a World War II unit was authorized occupation credit and, thus, entitlement to the Army Occupation Medal. The applicant’s unit is entitled to the AOM with Japan Clasp.
9. Army Regulation 600-8-22 (Military Awards) provides, in pertinent part, for the “arrowhead” to be worn on the appropriate service medal to denote participation in a combat parachute jump, helicopter assault landing, combat glider landing, or amphibious assault landing while assigned or attached as a member of an organized force carrying out an assigned tactical mission. The regulation specifies that individual assault credit is tied directly to the combat assault credit decision for the unit to which the soldier is assigned. The regulation requires that the unit must be credited with a combat assault in order for the soldiers to receive credit for a combat assault and the soldier must physically exit the aircraft or the watercraft as appropriate. The regulation also specifies that the arrowhead is authorized for wear on the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, the Korean Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal, and the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal. The applicant is entitled to wear the “arrowhead” on his Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal.
10. Army Regulation 600-8-22 (Military Awards), in pertinent part, authorizes award of a bronze service star (BSS), based on qualifying service, for each campaign listed in Appendix B of this regulation and states that authorized BSS will be worn on the appropriate service medal. During the applicant’s assignment in the APTO, he participated in four campaigns, Bismarck, Luzon, New Guinea, and Southern Philippines. He is entitled to four BSS on his Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal.
CONCLUSIONS:
1. The evidence of record indicates the applicant is entitled to four BSS and an arrowhead for his Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal.
2. The evidence of record also indicates the applicant is entitled to the AOM with Japan Clasp and credit for participation in the Luzon Campaign.
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 issuing to the individual concerned a DD Form 215, Correction to DD Form 214 [or, in this case, WD AGO Form 53-55], awarding him the Army of Occupation Medal with Japan Clasp, four BSS and an arrowhead for his Asiatic-Pacific Theater Campaign Medal, and crediting him with participation in the Luzon Campaign.
BOARD VOTE:
__INW__ __RJW___ __GJW_ GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION
________ ________ ________ GRANT FORMAL HEARING
________ ________ ________ DENY APPLICATION
_Irene N. Wheelwright_
CHAIRPERSON
| CASE ID | AR2001063125 |
| SUFFIX | |
| RECON | |
| DATE BOARDED | 20020312 |
| TYPE OF DISCHARGE | HD |
| DATE OF DISCHARGE | 19451116 |
| DISCHARGE AUTHORITY | AR 615-365 |
| DISCHARGE REASON | Demobilization |
| BOARD DECISION | GRANT PLUS |
| REVIEW AUTHORITY | DASA |
| ISSUES 1. | 107.0067 |
| 2. | |
| 3. | |
| 4. | |
| 5. | |
| 6. |
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