| Mr. Carl W. S. Chun | Director | |
| Mrs. Carolyn G. Wade | Analyst |
| Mr. Raymond V. O'Connor, Jr. | Chairperson | |
| Mr. John P. Infante | Member | |
| Ms. Paula Mokulis | Member |
APPLICANT REQUESTS: In effect, that item 32 (Battles and Campaign) of his WD AGO Form 53-55 (Enlisted Record and Report of Separation – Honorable Discharge) be corrected to reflect that he participated in the Iwo Jima Campaign and not the Ryukyus Campaign.
APPLICANT STATES: In effect, that he was at Iwo Jima during the campaign to secure the island for a United States Military Base. He believes the separation center personnel mistakenly thought he was at Ie Shima, near Okinawa, where Ernie Pyle was killed, and listed Ryukyus as the battle zone where he served instead of Iwo Jima. In support of his application, the applicant submitted a copy of his WD AGO Form 53-55 and his honorable discharge certificate.
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 the applicant’s WD AGO Form 53-55.
His WD AGO 53-55 shows he was inducted in the Army of the United States on 14 July 1943 and entered active duty on 4 August 1943. Following completion of all military training, the applicant was awarded military occupational specialty (MOS) 348, Parts Clerk Automotive.
His WD AGO 53-55 shows that he departed the United States on 3 July 1944 and arrived in the APT (Asiatic-Pacific Theater of Operations) on 9 July 1944. The date of his departure from the theater is not listed.
The applicant served in the Army of the United States from 4 August 1943 to 1 March 1946 when he was honorably discharged under the provisions of Army Regulation 615-365, by reason of demobilization-convenience of the government, after completing 2 years, 6 months, and 28 days of active military service. His WD AGO 53-55 reflects the following awards and decorations: Asiatic-Pacific Theater Campaign Medal, the World War II Victory Medal, and the Good Conduct Medal. His WD AGO 53-55 also reflects campaign participation credit for the Ryukyus Campaign.
Department of the Army Pamphlet 672-1 (Unit Citation and Campaign Participation Credit Register), dated 6 July 1961, lists the unit awards and campaign credit received by units serving in World War II. This document shows the unit to which the applicant was assigned was only cited for the Air Offense – Japan Campaign. It was awarded for the time period 17 April 1942 through 2 September 1945. Iwo Jima is not listed as an authorized Army campaign.
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. The Board noted the applicant's contention that he served at Iwo Jima during the campaign to secure the island for a military base; however, the available evidence of record does not support his contention and the applicant has not provided any corroborating evidence to support it. Furthermore, Department of the Army Pamphlet (DA PAM) 672-1 does not list Iwo Jima as an Army campaign. Therefore, the Army cannot credit the applicant with a campaign that is not listed in DA PAM 672-1.
2. 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.
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.
NOTE: Request that the Army Review Boards Agency, Support Division, St. Louis furnish a correction to the WD AGO 53-55 to show in item 32 that he was awarded campaign participation credit for the Air Offensive, Japan Campaign and delete the Ryukyus Campaign credit.
BOARD VOTE:
________ ________ ________ GRANT
________ ________ ________ GRANT FORMAL HEARING
__rvo___ __jpi___ __pm____ DENY APPLICATION
| CASE ID | AR2002067224 |
| SUFFIX | |
| RECON | |
| DATE BOARDED | 20020530 |
| TYPE OF DISCHARGE | HD |
| DATE OF DISCHARGE | 19460301 |
| DISCHARGE AUTHORITY | AR 615-365 |
| DISCHARGE REASON | |
| BOARD DECISION | DENY |
| REVIEW AUTHORITY | |
| ISSUES 1. | 107.0000 |
| 2. | |
| 3. | |
| 4. | |
| 5. | |
| 6. |
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