| Mr. Carl W. S. Chun | Director | |
| Mr. Hubert S. Shaw, J. | Analyst |
| Ms. Jennifer L. Prater | Chairperson | |
| Mr. Hubert O. Fry | Member | |
| Ms. Gail J. Wire | Member |
APPLICANT REQUESTS: Award of the Purple Heart.
APPLICANT STATES: That he was never put in for the Purple Heart. In support of his application, the applicant submitted a picture of a soldier with his right and left hands in white bandages and a Standard Form 600 (Chronological Record of Medical Care).
EVIDENCE OF RECORD: The applicant's military records show:
The applicant was inducted on 17 November 1966 and completed training as an indirect fire crewman. Records show that he served in Vietnam from 30 April 1967 through 22 April 1968. The applicant was honorably separated from active duty on 15 November 1968.
The applicant’s DD Form 214 (Armed Forces of the United States Report of Transfer or Discharge), which is authenticated in his own hand, does not show the Purple Heart as an authorized award.
There are no orders in the applicant’s service personnel records which show that he was awarded the Purple Heart. There also is no evidence in his records that he was wounded or treated for wounds as a result of hostile action. His DA Form 20 (Enlisted Qualification Record) does not show any entry in item 40 (Wounds) or list the Purple Heart in item 41 (Awards and Decorations). The applicant’s name is not listed on the Vietnam Casualty Roster.
The applicant submitted a picture purportedly of himself with his hands bandaged. The applicant also submitted a medical record with his name and service number which shows that he was treated on 27 July 1967 for burns on both hands and buttocks. There is no indication that these burns resulted from hostile action.
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. There is no evidence of record which shows that the applicant was awarded the Purple Heart. There also is no evidence that the applicant was wounded or treated for wounds as a result of hostile action.
2. The Board reviewed the picture and the medical record submitted by the applicant. However, neither document shows that the applicant was wounded as a result of hostile action. Therefore, these documents are not sufficient by themselves as a basis for award of the Purple Heart, particularly in view of all the Army records which show that he was not wounded or injured as result of hostile action.
3. 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 either requirement.
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
__HOF__ __GJW__ ___JLP__ DENY APPLICATION
| CASE ID | AR2002073702 |
| 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 | DENY |
| REVIEW AUTHORITY | MR CHUN |
| ISSUES 1. | 107.0015.0000 |
| 2. | |
| 3. | |
| 4. | |
| 5. | |
| 6. |
ARMY | BCMR | CY2002 | 2002067648C070402
APPLICANT STATES : That these awards were never listed in his records. The applicant was awarded one award of the Purple Heart for wounds sustained in June 1944 and the French Croix de Guerre by the Army Board for Correction of Military Records (ABCMR) of Docket Number AC98-09802 on 4 November 1998. Evidence available to the Board shows the applicant was wounded in June 1944 as a result of hostile action and was awarded the Purple Heart.
ARMY | BCMR | CY2001 | 2001057031C070420
Except for partial service medical records, the applicant official military personnel records were apparently lost or destroyed during the 1973 fire at the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis. His separation physical examination notes the treatment of the burns sustained in December 1943 but makes no mention of any other wounds or injuries and does not record any scars which could have been attributed to multiple shrapnel wounds. That all of the Department of the Army records...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2002 | 2002080849C070215
The applicant requests correction of military records as stated in the application to the Board and as restated herein. The back of the ship was not burning, so he walked to an area that had a life raft and waited for the call to abandon ship. He found out that other unit members burned in the sinking of LST 460 received Purple Hearts.
ARMY | BCMR | CY2004 | 20040004042C070208
The former service member stated that he had treated the applicant for burns on his hands on or about 25 July 1944. There are no orders or military records which show that the applicant was awarded the Purple Heart, nor is there evidence to show that he was wounded or treated for wounds as a result of hostile action. As a result, the Board recommends that all Department of the Army records of the individual concerned be corrected by: a. awarding him the Meritorious Unit Citation and the...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2007 | 20070016522
THE APPLICANT'S REQUEST, STATEMENT, AND EVIDENCE: 1. The case was considered by the Board as AR2003093948. As a result, the Board recommends that all Department of the Army records of the individual concerned be corrected by awarding him the Purple Heart for wounds sustained as the result of hostile action on 19 October 1967 and by showing that is authorized to wear four bronze service stars on his already-awarded Vietnam Service Medal.
ARMY | BCMR | CY2003 | 2003086884C070212
There is no evidence in the applicant's service personnel records that he was awarded the Purple Heart or was wounded as a result of hostile action. The applicant's military records show that he participated in four campaigns during his assignment in Vietnam. However, evidence of record shows the applicant participated in four campaigns during his assignment in Vietnam which are not correctly shown by award of four bronze service stars for wear on his Vietnam Service Medal.
ARMY | BCMR | CY2002 | 2002076103C070215
The statement submitted by the applicant is new evidence that requires Board consideration. Army Regulation 600-8-22 provides, in pertinent part, that the Purple Heart is awarded for wounds sustained as a result of hostile action. While the original rules established that the Purple Heart would be awarded to individual's killed or wounded as a result of hostile action the amendment enabled the Secretaries of each department to award the Purple Heart to members of the armed forces who were...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2001 | 2001064311C070421
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. The Board noted that the applicant was awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge, but that his discharge document does not show award of the Bronze Star Medal based on award of the Combat Infantryman Badge. In view of the applicant's own signature authenticating that he received no wounds in action and in view of...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2003 | 2003085089C070212
EVIDENCE OF RECORD : The applicant's military records show: The Board reviewed the medical records submitted by the applicant showing that he sustained an injury to his left arm and was treated for that injury. The Board considered the applicant's contention that he should be awarded the Purple Heart for emphysema he sustained as the result of oil well fires in Kuwait.
ARMY | BCMR | CY2002 | 2002073615C070403
The applicant’s DD Form 214 (Armed Forces of the United States Report of Transfer or Discharge) does not show the Purple Heart as an authorized award. The Board also noted that the applicant’s discharge document does not show any unit awards. Based on the foregoing, there is insufficient evidence upon which to base award of the Purple Heart, especially in view of the evidence of record which shows that the applicant was not wounded or injured as a result of hostile action.