| Mr. Carl W. S. Chun | Director | |
| Mr. W. W. Osborn, Jr. | Analyst |
| Ms. Karol A. Kennedy | Chairperson | |
| Mr. Melvin H. Meyer | Member | |
| Mr. Allen L. Raub | Member |
APPLICANT REQUESTS: That he be promoted.
APPLICANT STATES: That he should be promoted to the rank of technician 4 because he was a prisoner of war (POW) from 17 December 1944 until 13 April 1945.
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 reconstructed personnel records.
The applicant's WD AGO Form 53-55 (Enlisted Record and Report of Separation) shows that the applicant was inducted on 3 March 1943. He served in the European Theater of Operations, arriving there on 18 November 1944 and returning to the United States on 15 May 1945. He received campaign credit for the Northern France, Ardennes-Alsace and Rhineland campaigns and was authorized the Good Conduct Medal, the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with three bronze service stars, the American Campaign Medal, the World War II Victory Medal and the Marksman Qualification Badge with Rifle Bar. On 16 November 1945 he was separated as a technician 5 with an honorable discharge.
His WD AGO Form 100 (Separation Qualification Record) shows his rank as technician 5 as does his Final Payment Work Sheet.
In mid 1945 and shortly thereafter, numerous policy letters were issued concerning the promotion of World War II POWs, escapees and evaders. Except for personnel who had served in the Dutch East Indies, the Philippines, or on Wake Island or Guam prior to May 1942, these directives uniformally provided for a one-grade promotion for individuals who had been POWs (or otherwise honorably absent from military control) for 18 months or more. The policy applied to officers below the rank of colonel and enlisted personnel below the rank of master sergeant.
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 applicant was a POW for approximately 4 months. He did not qualify under the special provisions that provided for promotion of those soldiers who had been in a POW or related status for at least 18 months.
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: The applicant was authorized the POW Medal by a DA Form 1577 (Authorization for Issuance of Awards) published by the Army Reserve Personnel Center on 25 October 1988. ARBA Support Division, St Louis will be requested to issue a DD Form 215 (Correction) to his discharge document.
BOARD VOTE:
________ ________ ________ GRANT
________ ________ ________ GRANT FORMAL HEARING
_KAK___ __MHM __ __ALR__ DENY APPLICATION
| CASE ID | AR2002067458 |
| SUFFIX | |
| RECON | |
| DATE BOARDED | 20020618 |
| TYPE OF DISCHARGE | |
| DATE OF DISCHARGE | |
| DISCHARGE AUTHORITY | |
| DISCHARGE REASON | |
| BOARD DECISION | GRANT |
| REVIEW AUTHORITY | |
| ISSUES 1. | 131.00 |
| 2. | |
| 3. | |
| 4. | |
| 5. | |
| 6. |
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