| 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.
3. The applicant states that he received a head wound in Korea on 11 June 1953.
4. 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.
5. The applicant entered on active duty on 11 September 1952, served in Korea, and was awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Korean Service Medal with one bronze service star, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Meritorious Unit Commendation, and the Bronze Star Medal with “V” device. His DD Form 214 (Report of Separation from the Armed Forces of the United States) does not show award of the Purple Heart, but does show that he was lightly wounded in action by a gunshot wound to the top of his head on 11 June 1953. The applicant was released from active duty with an honorable characterization of service on 9 September 1955. He had 2 years, 11 months, and 29 days of service, of which 1 year, 3 months, and 15 days was overseas.
6. Information from the hospital admission cards created by the Office of The Surgeon General show that the applicant was wounded in action in June 1953, sustaining a wound to his head. His unit is shown as the 32nd Infantry Regiment. The 32nd Infantry Regiment was awarded the Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation for its actions during the time the applicant was assigned to that organization.
7. Army Regulation 600-8-22 provides that 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. Although there is no automatic entitlement to the Good Conduct Medal, disqualification must be justified.
8. 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.
9. 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. The applicant was wounded in action on 11 June 1953. He is entitled to 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 11 September 1952 through 9 September 1955. He is also entitled to award of the Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation.
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 by showing that the individual concerned was awarded the Purple Heart, the Army Good Conduct Medal, and the Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation.
BOARD VOTE:
__EJA __ __TBR __ __KAH __ GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION
________ ________ ________ GRANT FORMAL HEARING
________ ________ ________ DENY APPLICATION
___Elzey J. Arledge, Jr.__
CHAIRPERSON
| CASE ID | AR2002073061 |
| 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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