| Mr. Carl W. S. Chun | Director | |
| Mr. W. E. Schnupp | Analyst |
| Ms. Joann H. Langston | Chairperson | |
| Mr. Thomas B. Redfern | Member | |
| Mr. Roger W. Able | Member |
2. The applicant requests that he be awarded the Purple Heart.
3. The applicant states, in effect, that he was wounded in France on 6 November 1944. The fact of his wounding is recorded on his WD AGO Form 53-55, Enlisted Record and Report of Separation, but the Purple Heart is not shown on the document. He says that he needs documentation that he was awarded the Purple Heart so his billing by the Department of Veterans Affairs can be corrected.
4. The applicant’s military records show that he was inducted on 24 August 1943, and was an infantry squad leader with C Company, 157th Infantry Regiment, in the European Theater of Operations from March 1944 to December 1945. He was honorably discharged at demobilization on 30 December 1945, in the grade of sergeant.
5. His awards include the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Ribbon with 4 bronze battle stars and bronze arrowhead, the Good Conduct Medal, the World War II Victory Medal, the Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB) and the Marksman Badge with rifle bar. The Purple Heart is not listed as an authorized award.
6. His WD AGO Form 53-55 shows in block 34 (wounds received in action) that he was “wounded in France 6 Nov 1944.”
7. Information obtained from hospital admission cards created by The Office of the Surgeon General (OTSG) for the year 1944, shows that the applicant was admitted to a medical treatment facility on 14 November 1944 with a penetrating wound to the back that resulted from enemy artillery fragments.
8. Army Regulation 600-8-22, Military Awards, 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 by a medical officer, and the medical treatment must have been made a matter of official record.
9. Subsequent to the cessation of hostilities during World War II, the regulation governing the award of the Bronze Star Medal (BSM) was changed, in part, to provide for the award of this decoration to those individuals who had been awarded the CIB or the Combat Medical Badge for meritorious achievement in ground combat against the armed enemy between 7 December 1941 and 2 September 1945.
10. Department of the Army Pamphlet 672-1, Unit Citation and Campaign Participation Credit Register, shows that during the period of the applicant’s assignment to the 157th Infantry Regiment, the unit was awarded occupation credit for the occupation of Germany from 2 May to 14 August 1945.
CONCLUSIONS:
1. Hospital admission information for the year 1944, maintained by the OTSG, shows that the applicant was wounded in action in France in 1944, which entitles him to award of the Purple Heart.
2. Additionally, by virtue of his having been awarded the CIB during World War II service, he is also entitled to award of the BSM under rules established subsequent to World War II for awarding the BSM. Likewise, he is authorized award of the Army of Occupation Medal with Germany clasp, representing his assignment to a unit during the period that unit performed occupation duty.
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 showing that the individual concerned was awarded the Purple Heart for wounds sustained in France in November 1944, the BSM, based on award of the CIB, and the Army of Occupation Medal with Germany clasp.
BOARD VOTE:
____jhl__ ____tbr__ ____rwa_ GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION
________ ________ ________ GRANT FORMAL HEARING
________ ________ ________ DENY APPLICATION
_________Joann H. Langston_______
CHAIRPERSON
| CASE ID | AR2002066455 |
| SUFFIX | |
| RECON | YYYYMMDD |
| DATE BOARDED | 20020709 |
| TYPE OF DISCHARGE | (HD, GD, UOTHC, UD, BCD, DD, UNCHAR) |
| DATE OF DISCHARGE | YYYYMMDD |
| DISCHARGE AUTHORITY | AR . . . . . |
| DISCHARGE REASON | |
| BOARD DECISION | (GRANT PLUS) |
| REVIEW AUTHORITY | |
| ISSUES 1. 107.00 | |
| 2. | |
| 3. | |
| 4. | |
| 5. | |
| 6. |
ARMY | BCMR | CY2007 | 20070005936C071029
The applicant requests, in effect, award of the Purple Heart (PH) and correction of his record to include all awards to which he is entitled based on his World War II service. 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: a. awarding him the Bronze Star Medal 1st Oak Leaf Cluster for his exemplary conduct in ground combat against an armed...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2008 | 20080003718
Application for correction of military records (with supporting documents provided, if any). Item 31 (Military Qualifications) shows that he received the Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB), and Item 33 (Decorations and Citations) shows that during his active duty tenure, he earned the Purple Heart, Army Good Conduct Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with 2 bronze service stars. As a result, the Board recommends that all Department of the Army records of the individual...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2005 | 20050006585C070206
RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS IN THE CASE OF: BOARD DATE: 14 December 2005 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20050006585 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. Michael J. Flynn | |Member | The Board considered the following evidence: Exhibit A - Application for correction of military records. The applicant’s military records are not available to the Board for review.
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 | CY2013 | 20130009183
He provides: * WD AGO Form 53-55 (Enlisted Record and Report of Separation - Honorable Discharge) * WD AGO Form 38 * Congressional correspondence * Veterans Administration (VA) Rating Decision * Application to the State of Iowa for World War II Service Compensation * three National Archives Forms 13045 (Informal Information Reply) * Request for Service Information in Connection with Insurance * National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) Test Form 99-2B (Addendum to DA Form 1577 (Authorization...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2006 | 20060008440
The Board considered the following evidence: Exhibit A - Application for correction of military records. The FSM's military records are not available to the Board for review. Item 33 (Decorations and Awards) of the FSM's separation document shows he earned the following awards during his active duty tenure: European-African-Middle Eastern (EAME) Campaign Medal with 1 bronze service star; Army Good Conduct Medal (AGCM); and American Theater Medal.
ARMY | BCMR | CY2012 | 20120009626
The applicant requests that the records of her deceased father, a former service member (FSM), be corrected to show he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal (BSM), European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with three bronze service stars, Army of Occupation Medal with Germany clasp, and the French Croix de Guerre with Palm. The FSM's military records are not available for review. His WD AGO Form 53-55 issued at the time of his discharge shows that he participated in the Rhineland and...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2002 | 2002082060C070215
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 applicant’s military records were not available to the Board for review. Although the standard evidentiary documentation required for awarding the PH is not present in this case, the Board does find that the information contained in the unit historical files of the applicant’s unit maintained at the...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2002 | 2002070703C070402
The applicant requests, in effect, reconsideration of his earlier appeal to correct his records by awarding him the Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB). He is entitled to award of the Bronze Star Medal based upon the CIB. That all of the Department of the Army records related to this case be corrected by showing that individual has been awarded the CIB, the Bronze Star Modal, the Purple Heart with First Oak Leaf Cluster, the Good Conduct Medal, the Meritorious Unit Commendation with First Oak...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2003 | 2003086212C070212
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 finds that the applicant’s records should be corrected to show his awards as: the Bronze Star Medal with one bronze oak leaf cluster, the Purple Heart, the Good Conduct Medal, the American Service Medal, the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with four bronze service stars, the Army...