| Mr. Carl W. S. Chun | Director | |
| Mr. Kenneth H. Aucock | Analyst |
| Mr. Elzey J. Arledge, Jr. | Chairperson | |
| Mr. Thomas B. Redfern III | Member | |
| Ms. Karen A. Heinz | Member |
2. The applicant requests award of the Purple Heart. He states around September 1951 he was wounded in Korea, which affected his hearing. He refused the Purple Heart because his mother was very sick and he did not want her to know he was hurt. He states that he was in the hospital at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, and then transferred to Fort Rucker, Alabama, where he was discharged.
3. The applicant's military records were lost or destroyed in the National Personnel Records Center fire of 1973. Information herein was obtained from alternate sources.
4. The applicant was inducted into the Army on 16 January 1951, served in Korea, and was awarded the United Nations Service Medal and the Korean Service Medal with one bronze service star. Item 29 (Wounds Received as a Result of Action with Enemy Forces) of his DD Form 214 contains the letters, “NA” (Not Applicable). It also does not show award of the Purple Heart. The applicant was released from active duty on 23 October 1952. He had 1 year, 9 months, and 8 days of service of which 9 months and 29 days was overseas.
5. Information from hospital admission cards created by the Office of The Surgeon General show that the applicant was admitted to the hospital at Fort Jackson on 31 March 1951 with diagnoses of Rubella (German measles) and Tonsillitis. Information also shows that he was admitted to a hospital (possibly in Alabama) on 2 October 1952 with a diagnosis of inflammation of the ear.
6. 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.
7. The Good Conduct Medal is awarded to individuals who distinguish themselves by their conduct, efficiency and fidelity during a qualifying period of active duty enlisted service. This period is 3 years except in those cases when the period for the first award ends with the termination of a period of Federal military service.
8. The National Defense Service Medal is awarded for honorable active service for any period between 27 June 1950 and 27 July 1954.
9. As a matter of information, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Korean War, the Government of the Republic of Korea issued the Korean War Service Medal to pay tribute to eligible Korean War veterans for their historic endeavors to preserve the freedom of the Republic of Korea and the free world. On 20 August 1999, the Department of Defense approved acceptance and wear of this foreign award to eligible US veterans of the Korean War, or their surviving next of kin. The medal is provided at no cost to the veterans.
10. The Department of Defense has assigned responsibility to the Department of the Air Force for distribution of the Korean War Service Medal to eligible veterans or their surviving next of kin. To apply, veterans must provide a copy of their discharge paper (DD Form 214) to the Awards and Decorations Section, Headquarters, Air Force Personnel Center, 550 C Street West, Suite 12, Randolph Air Force Base, Texas 78150-4714. A sample request form is being provided to the applicant. Once the Korean War Service Medal has been authorized by the Department of the Air Force, the applicant may apply to the Army Board for Correction of Military Records to add this foreign award to his DD Form 214.
CONCLUSIONS:
1. There is no evidence and the applicant has not submitted any to show that he was wounded in action. There is insufficient evidence to correct the applicant’s record to show award of the Purple Heart.
2. The applicant served his country faithfully and honorably. He is entitled to award of the Army Good Conduct Medal for the period 16 January 1951 through 23 October 1952. He is entitled to award of the National Defense Service Medal.
3. In view of the foregoing, the applicant’s records should be corrected as recommended below.
RECOMMENDATION:
1. That all of the Department of the Army records related to this case be corrected by showing that the individual concerned was awarded the Army Good Conduct Medal and the National Defense Service Medal.
2. That so much of the application as is in excess of the foregoing be denied.
BOARD VOTE:
__EJA __ __TBR __ __KAH __ GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION
________ ________ ________ GRANT FORMAL HEARING
________ ________ ________ DENY APPLICATION
___Elzey J. Arledge, Jr.___
CHAIRPERSON
| CASE ID | AR2002072251 |
| SUFFIX | |
| RECON | YYYYMMDD |
| DATE BOARDED | 20020917 |
| 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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