| Mr. Carl W. S. Chun | Director | |
| Mr. Edmund P. Mercanti | Analyst |
| Ms. Joann H. Langston | Chairperson | |
| Mr. Raymond V. O'Connor, Jr. | Member | |
| Ms. Barbara J. Lutz | Member |
APPLICANT REQUESTS: That he be awarded the Purple Heart (PH).
APPLICANT STATES: He "did not turn in my shrapnel wound to my leg to the medics because 5 of my friends were killed at this time and I thought this was very slight in comparison to my friends."
In support of his request the applicant submits selected portions of the publication, The 6th Infantry Division In World War II.
EVIDENCE OF RECORD: The applicant's military records could not be located and are presumed to have been destroyed in the fire at the records repository at St. Louis, Missouri, in 1973. The following information was derived from alternate sources.
He entered on active duty on 22 October 1942 and served as a commissioned officer. He served in the Asiatic-Pacific theater of operations from 21 July 1943 to 2 August 1945 and was promoted to major. He was credited with participation in the New Guinea and Southern Philippines campaigns. His awards and decorations consist of two awards of the Bronze Star Medal for Meritorious Service, the American Defense Service Medal, the Asiatic-Pacific Service Medal, the World War II Victory Medal, and the Philippines Liberation Medal. The applicant’s WD AGO Form 53-98, Military Record and Report of Separation, Certificate of Service, Item 30, "Wounds Received in Action" has "None" entered.
In the processing of this case, the staff of the Army Review Boards Agency contacted the applicant. The applicant could not give an approximate date of his wound. Thereafter, a search of the historical files of the 6th Infantry Division was conducted, which failed to identify the applicant as being entitled to the PH.
Army Regulation 600-8-22 provides, in pertinent part, that the Purple Heart is awarded for wounds 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.
DISCUSSION: Considering all the evidence, allegations, and information presented by the applicant, together with the evidence of record and applicable law and regulations, it is concluded:
1. It would appear from the applicant's statement that he refused medical treatment for his shrapnel wound. This would explain why there is no record of his being wounded.
2. Since a wound must have required treatment by a medical officer, and the medical treatment must have been made a matter of official record in order for a soldier to qualify for a PH, the applicant is not entitled to that decoration.
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
__jhl ____ ___rvo___ ___bjl___ DENY APPLICATION
| CASE ID | AR2002068109 |
| SUFFIX | |
| RECON | YYYYMMDD |
| DATE BOARDED | 20020822 |
| TYPE OF DISCHARGE | (HD, GD, UOTHC, UD, BCD, DD, UNCHAR) |
| DATE OF DISCHARGE | YYYYMMDD |
| DISCHARGE AUTHORITY | AR . . . . . |
| DISCHARGE REASON | |
| BOARD DECISION | DENY |
| REVIEW AUTHORITY | |
| ISSUES 1. | 107.00 |
| 2. | |
| 3. | |
| 4. | |
| 5. | |
| 6. |
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