| Mr. Carl W. S. Chun | Director | |
| Ms. Deborah L. Brantley | Senior Analyst |
| Mr. Samuel A. Crumpler | Chairperson | |
| Mr. Melvin H. Meyer | Member | |
| Ms. Regan K. Smith | Member |
2. The applicant requests award of the Purple Heart. He states he has been attempting to obtain the award "for at least 1 year" and to be able to prove that he received the award. He notes, in effect, that while he recently received a statement confirming his military service, he has never received confirmation of his award of the Purple Heart. He submitted no evidence in support of his application.
3. The applicant's military records were likely lost or destroyed during the 1973 fire at the National Personnel Records Center. However, in November 2001 a Certification of Military Service (NA Form 13038) was provided to the applicant that indicated he served on active duty between 14 September 1944 and
31 October 1945. The certificate was provided to the applicant in response to his request for a copy of his separation document, which he had misplaced.
4. Although records pertaining to the applicant's military service were not available, information contained in files maintained by the Office of The Surgeon General, commonly referred to as the SGO Files, did confirm that the applicant was admitted to the hospital on 6 April 1945 as a result of fracture he sustained as a result of hostile action. He remained hospitalized until October 1945 when he was discharged as a result of his combat incurred injury.
5. 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.
CONCLUSIONS:
1. The evidence confirms the applicant was wounded as a result of hostile action during World War II and as such is entitled to an award of the Purple Heart.
2. The Board acknowledges that in the absence of a separation document (WD AGO Form 53-55) the applicant will only receive the Purple Heart Medal, certificate and confirmation orders. However, in the event that a copy of his WD AGO Form 53-55 does become available the Board concludes it would be appropriate to add the award to that document.
3. In view of the foregoing, the applicant’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 awarding the individual concerned the Purple Heart for the injury sustained to his leg as a result of hostile action during World War II; and
b. in the event a copy of the applicant's World War II separation document becomes available in the future, that it be corrected to reflect award of the Purple Heart.
BOARD VOTE:
__SAC__ ___MHM_ __RKS__ GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION
________ ________ ________ GRANT FORMAL HEARING
________ ________ ________ DENY APPLICATION
___Samuel A. Crumpler____
CHAIRPERSON
| CASE ID | AR2002071217 |
| SUFFIX | |
| RECON | YYYYMMDD |
| DATE BOARDED | 20020801 |
| TYPE OF DISCHARGE | (HD, GD, UOTHC, UD, BCD, DD, UNCHAR) |
| DATE OF DISCHARGE | YYYYMMDD |
| DISCHARGE AUTHORITY | AR . . . . . |
| DISCHARGE REASON | |
| BOARD DECISION | GRANT |
| REVIEW AUTHORITY | |
| ISSUES 1. | 107.00 |
| 2. | |
| 3. | |
| 4. | |
| 5. | |
| 6. |
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The applicant requests correction of his records to show that he sustained wounds to his right leg in action during World War II. There are no orders in records available to the Board which show that he was awarded the Purple Heart. The Board also noted that the applicant authenticated his WD AGO Form 53-55 at the time of his separation from the Army and this document did not show award of the Purple Heart or that he was wounded as a result of hostile action.
ARMY | BCMR | CY2006 | 20060002417C070205
The applicant states he was wounded during World War II, but he was not awarded the Purple Heart at the time of his discharge. A fire destroyed approximately 18 million service members’ records at the National Personnel Records Center in 1973. As a result, the Board recommends that all Department of the Army records of the individual concerned be corrected by: a. awarding him the Purple Heart for wounds received in action on 19 November 1944 and the Bronze Star Medal (based on award of the...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2007 | 20070012370
Based on the available evidence and the lack of corroborating evidence to show he was wounded in action by a hostile enemy, he is therefore not entitled to award of the Purple Heart and to have it added to his WD AGO Form 53-55. Evidence shows that the applicants records contain administrative error which does not require action by the Board. Therefore, the Board requests that the CMSD-St. Louis administratively correct the records of the individual concerned to show award of three bronze...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2001 | 2001064946C070421
The applicant requests correction of his records to show his birth date as 26 December 1924 instead of 26 November 1924, to show he served in the 75th Infantry Division, to show he was a prisoner of war and to show he was in a convalescent hospital for nine months. The applicant’s WD AGO Form 24 (Service Record) shows his birth date is 26 November 1924. Therefore, he is entitled to award of the Prisoner of War Medal and correction of his records to shows this award.
ARMY | BCMR | CY2002 | 2002072655C070403
The applicant requests correction of his records to show the second award of the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star Medal. In support of his application, he submits a copy of his WD AGO Form 53-55 (Enlisted Record and Report of Separation), his Honorable Discharge Certificate, a record of hospitalization, and a newspaper article. Therefore, he is entitled to correction of his records to show the Bronze Star Medal based on award of the Combat Infantryman Badge.
ARMY | BCMR | CY2002 | 2002081962C070215
Item 33 (Decorations and Citations) of the applicant's WD AGO Form 53-55 does not show award of the Purple Heart. The Board reviewed the statements submitted by the applicant and found the statement from the F Battery Executive Officer provided evidence that the applicant was wounded on the morning of 30 April 1943 near hill 609. After careful review of all the evidence, the Board determined that the statement by the F Battery Executive Officer combined with the Record of Events for the...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2005 | 20050003154C070206
The "SGO Files Report," was reviewed for any information that the applicant was wounded in action while he served in the PTO. The evidence shows that the applicant was wounded in action two times while he served in World War II. As a result, the Board recommends that all Department of the Army records of the individual concerned be corrected by: a. awarding the applicant the Purple Heart, with oak leaf cluster, or the second wound he sustained in action against the enemy on Cebu Island,...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2006 | 20060007447
The applicant requests, in effect, that his military records be corrected to show that he was awarded the Purple Heart. The applicant contends that his military records should be corrected to show that he was awarded the Purple Heart. While the Board does not doubt the veracity of the applicants claim to entitlement to award of the Purple Heart, regrettably, absent evidence that conclusively shows that he was wounded as a result of hostile action, and that this medical treatment was made...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2001 | 2001055095C070420
I certify that hereinafter is recorded the true and complete record of the proceedings of the Army Board for Correction of Military Records in the case of the above-named individual. His WD AGO Form 53-55 also lists the Purple Heart as one of his decorations; however, it also includes a “NO RECORD” entry which indicates that there was no record of the applicant being entitled to the award prior to his discharge. Although his WD AGO Form 53-55 indicates that, at the time of his discharge,...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2006 | 20060001722C070205
The applicant requests, in effect, that the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star Medal be added to his WD AGO Form 53-55, Enlisted Record and Report of Separation – Honorable Discharge. Item 34 (Wounds Received in Action), of the applicant's WD AGO Form 53- 55, shows the entry, "None." As a result, the Board recommends that all Department of the Army records of the individual concerned be corrected by: a. deleting the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal from the applicant's WD AGO...