| Mr. Carl W. S. Chun | Director | |
| Ms. Beverly A. Young | Analyst |
| Ms. Jennifer L. Prater | Chairperson | |
| Mr. Hubert O. Fry | Member | |
| Ms. Gail J. Wire | Member |
2. The applicant, as the widow of a deceased former service member (FSM), requests correction of her husband’s WD AGO Form 53-55 (Enlisted Record and Report of Separation) to show the European-African-Middle Eastern Theater Ribbon (currently known as the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal) with one silver service star.
3. The applicant states that the FSM received credit for five major battle campaigns to include: Normandy, Northern France, Ardennes-Alsace, Rhineland, and Central Europe. In support of her application, the applicant submits a copy of the FSM's WD AGO Form 53-55, a death certificate, and two letters and a discharge document from fellow soldiers who served with the FSM.
4. The FSM's military records were lost or destroyed in the National Personnel Records Center fire of 1973. Records available to the Board were obtained from alternate sources and show he entered active duty on 1 July 1943 and completed training as a cannoneer. The FSM served in the European Theater of Operations from 23 July 1944 through 24 November 1945 and was honorably discharged on 12 December 1945.
5. The FSM's WD AGO Form 53-55 shows entitlement to the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with three bronze service stars.
6. Item 32 (Battles and Campaigns) on the FSM's WD AGO Form 53-55 shows he received campaign credit for participation in the Northern France Campaign, the Rhineland Campaign, and the Central Europe Campaign.
7. Department of the Army Pamphlet 672-1 (Unit Citation and Campaign Participation Credit Register) dated 6 July 1961, shows, among other information, unit awards authorized for units which served during World War II. This document shows that, at the time of the FSM’s assignment to Battery A, 195th Antiaircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons Battalion, that unit received campaign credit for the Ardennes-Alsace Campaign (16 December 1944 – 25 January 1945) and the Normandy Campaign (6 June – 24 July 1944).
8. The Board noted that the FSM is entitled to the Distinguished Unit Citation, the Army of Occupation Medal (Germany), and the Belgian Fourragere which are not shown on his discharge document.
9. Department of the Army Pamphlet 672-1 (Unit Citation and Campaign Participation Credit Register) shows that, at the time of the FSM’s assignment to the 195th Antiaircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons Battalion, the unit was cited
for award of the Distinguished Unit Citation for actions during the period
27 to 30 July 1944. Battery A of the 195th Antiaircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons Battalion was cited for this award by Department of the Army General Orders Number 28-43.
10. Department of the Army Pamphlet 672-1 (Unit Citation and Campaign Participation Credit Register), will show whether or not a World War II unit was authorized occupation credit, thus entitlement to the Army of Occupation Medal. This document shows the FSM's unit received occupation credit for Germany for the period from 2 May to 18 September 1945.
11. Department of the Army Pamphlet 672-1 (Unit Citation and Campaign Participation Credit Register) shows that, at the time of the FSM’s assignment to the 195th Antiaircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons Battalion, the unit was cited for award of the Belgian Fourragere for the periods 2 September 1944 and
21 to 28 December 1944 by Department of the Army General Orders
Number 43-50.
12. Army Regulation 600-8-22 also authorizes a bronze service star, based on qualifying service, for each campaign listed in Appendix B of this regulation and states that authorized bronze service stars will be worn on the appropriate campaign or service medal including the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal. A silver service star is authorized in lieu of five bronze service stars.
13. Army Regulation 600-8-22 provides for award of the Belgian Fourragere. The regulation states that it may be awarded by the Belgian Government when a unit has been cited twice in the Order of the Day of the Belgian Army. The award of the Belgian Fourragere is not automatic but must be by special decree of the Belgian Government. Persons who were present in only one action are not authorized to wear the Fourragere.
CONCLUSIONS:
1. The FSM's WD AGO Form 53-55 shows he received campaign credit for participation in Northern France, Rhineland, and Central Europe. However, the Department of the Army Pamphlet 672-1 shows the FSM's unit also received credit for participation in the Ardennes-Alsace Campaign and the Normandy Campaign. Therefore, he is entitled to two additional bronze service stars to be affixed to his European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal and correction of his WD AGO Form 53-55 to show the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with one silver service star (in lieu of five bronze service stars).
2. Based on paragraph 1, above, the FSM is entitled to correction of
item 32 (Battles and Campaigns) on his WD AGO Form 53-55 to show the entries "Ardennes-Alsace" and "Normandy."
3. While the FSM was assigned to the 195th Antiaircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons Battalion, the unit was cited for award of the Distinguished Unit Citation, therefore, his WD AGO Form 53-55 will be amended to show this award.
4. Evidence of record shows that the FSM's unit received occupation credit for Germany; therefore, he is entitled to the Army Occupation Medal (Germany) and correction of his records to show this award.
5. The Department of the Army Pamphlet 672-1 shows that the FSM's unit was cited twice for the Belgian Fourragere; therefore, he is entitled to the Belgian Fourragere and correction of his WD AGO Form 53-55 to show this foreign award.
6. In view of the foregoing, the FSM’s records should be corrected as recommended below.
RECOMMENDATION:
That all of the Department of the Army records related to this case be corrected:
a. by deleting the entry "EUROPEAN AFRICAN MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER RIBBON W/3 BRONZE STARS" from item 33 (Decorations and Citations) of the WD AGO Form 53-55 of the individual concerned;
b. by adding the entries "Ardennes-Alsace" and "Normandy" to
item 32 (Battles and Campaigns) on his WD AGO Form 53-55; and
c. by showing he was awarded the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with one silver service star, the Distinguished Unit Citation, the Army Occupation Medal (Germany), and the Belgian Fourragere.
BOARD VOTE:
JLP_____ GJW____ HOF____ GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION
________ ________ ________ GRANT FORMAL HEARING
________ ________ ________ DENY APPLICATION
Jennifer L. Prater____
CHAIRPERSON
| CASE ID | AR2002070711 |
| SUFFIX | |
| RECON | YYYYMMDD |
| DATE BOARDED | 20020723 |
| 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 | Mr. Schneider |
| ISSUES 1. | 107.0000 |
| 2. | |
| 3. | |
| 4. | |
| 5. | |
| 6. |
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