| Mr. Carl W. S. Chun | Director | |
| Mrs. Joyce A. Hall | Analyst |
| Ms. Celia L. Adolphi | Chairperson | |
| Ms. Barbara J. Ellis | Member | |
| Mr. Donald P. Hupman, Jr. | Member |
APPLICANT REQUESTS: In effect, award of the Purple Heart (PH).
APPLICANT STATES: In effect, that he was wounded while serving in the Philippines. He was driving a jeep on a mission to pick up supplies, when a supply truck was blown up that was being loaded by the Filipinos. He received shrapnel wounds to his right arm and wrist. He was treated at a field hospital where some shrapnel was removed and some was not.
EVIDENCE OF RECORD: The applicant’s military records were lost or destroyed in the National Personnel Records Center Fire in 1973. The information contained herein was obtained from alternate sources.
The applicant was inducted on 16 April 1943 and entered active service on
23 April 1943. He served in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater of Operations from
13 March 1944 to 9 January 1946.
The applicant’s WD AGO Form 53-55 (Enlisted Record and Report of Separation) does not show the PH as an authorized award. Item 34 (Wounds Received in Action) of his WD AGO 53-55 shows the entry, None.
Information from the three available Surgeon General Hospital Admission Cards shows that the applicant was admitted/treated at an overseas field hospital on three separate occasions. The first admission occurred on 17 October 1944. The second admission occurred on 27 October 1945 and the third admission occurred on 18 December 1945. The Office of the Surgeon General did not characterize the applicant’s three separate admissions/treatment as battle related casualties.
On 3 February 1946, the applicant was discharged from active duty. His
WD AGO Form 53-55 shows as authorized awards: the Good Conduct Medal, the Meritorious Unit Award, the Philippine Liberation Ribbon with 1 Bronze Star, the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with 2 Bronze Stars and the World War II Victory Medal. It does not show the PH as an authorized award.
Army Regulation 600-8-22 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, 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, applicable law and regulations, it is concluded:
1. 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.
2. The applicant contends that he was wounded, and that his injury resulted from enemy action. There is no available corroborating evidence to support his contentions of an injury caused by hostile action.
3. The evidence available to the Board shows that the applicant was admitted and was treated on three different occasions; however, the evidence does not authenticate that the applicant’s admissions/treatment resulted from enemy actions.
4. 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
__CLA_ _ __BJE__ __DPH___ DENY APPLICATION
| CASE ID | AR2002069862 |
| SUFFIX | |
| RECON | YYYYMMDD |
| DATE BOARDED | 2002/06/13 |
| 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. | 107.0015 |
| 2. | |
| 3. | |
| 4. | |
| 5. | |
| 6. |
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