| Mr. Carl W. S. Chun | Director | |
| Mr. Kenneth H. Aucock | Analyst |
| Ms. Kathleen A. Newman | Chairperson | |
| Ms. Gail J. Wire | Member | |
| Mr. Patrick H. McGann, Jr. | Member |
2. The applicant requests that his record be corrected to reflect all his awards to include two awards of the Purple Heart.
3. The applicant states that he was discharged with a medical discharge. His DD Form 214 (Report of Separation) should show his awards. He submits two certificates showing that he was awarded the Purple Heart for wounds received in action on 13 August 1950 and on 1 September 1950, both certificates dated 23 May 1952.
4. The applicant's military records were lost or destroyed in the National Personnel Records Center fire of 1973. Information herein was obtained from the applicant and from hospital admission cards.
5. The applicant’s DD Form 214 shows that he enlisted in the Army on 19 August 1949, that he served overseas for 4 months and 6 days, and that his most significant duty assignment was with the 15th Field Artillery Battalion. He was discharged with a general characterization of service in the grade of private first class on 2 March 1951 at Brooke Army Hospital at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. His DD Form 214 does not show that he received any awards. His DD Form 214, however, was prepared from temporary service records.
6. Information from the hospital admission cards created by the Office of The Surgeon General show that the applicant was admitted to a hospital on 22 September 1950 because of a wound received in Korea as a direct result of action against the enemy.
7. Hospital admission cards were made available to the National Personnel Records Center in 1988. The data file was originally compiled for statistical purposes; therefore, name identification does not exist and sampling techniques were used with the result that not all hospital admissions are included. Veterans are identified by service number and other data related to hospital admission.
8. The Unit Citation and Campaign Participation Credit Register, DA Pamphlet 672-1, shows that the 15th Field Artillery Battalion participated in the United Nations Defensive Campaign from 27 June to 15 September 1950 and the United Nations Offensive Campaign from 16 September to 2 November 1950, and that it was awarded the Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation.
9. The Korean Service Medal is awarded for service between 27 June 1950 and 27 July 1954. One bronze service star is awarded for each campaign.
10. The United Nations Service Medal is awarded to members of the Armed Forces of the United States dispatched to Korea on behalf of the United Nations in the action in Korea. Personnel awarded the Korean Service Medal automatically establish eligibility for the United Nations Service Medal.
11. The National Defense Service Medal is awarded for honorable active service for any period between 27 June 1950 and 27 July 1954.
12. 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.
13. 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 September 1950 hospital admission card clearly shows that the applicant was wounded in action during the Korean War in September of 1950. The Purple Heart certificate shows that he was wounded on 1 September 1950. There is no reason not to believe that the applicant was also wounded in August 1950, as attested to by that Purple Heart certificate. The applicant’s DD Form 214 was prepared using temporary documents; consequently, the record of his service in Korea did not appear on that form. The Board believes that he was wounded on two occasions. Therefore, the applicant’s records should reflect two awards of the Purple Heart.
2. The applicant served in Korea for a little over 4 months. He must have participated in two campaigns during his short period of service in Korea. Consequently, he is entitled to award of the Korean Service Medal with two bronze service stars (one for each campaign). He is also entitled to award of the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, and 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 two awards of the Purple Heart, the Korean Service Medal with two bronze service stars, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, and the Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation.
BOARD VOTE:
________ __GJW__ __PHM__ GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION
________ ________ ________ GRANT FORMAL HEARING
__KAN__ ________ ________ GRANT ALL EXCEPT 2ND PURPLE HEART
________ ________ ________ DENY APPLICATION
__Kathleen A. Newman__
CHAIRPERSON
| CASE ID | AR2002075179 |
| SUFFIX | |
| RECON | YYYYMMDD |
| DATE BOARDED | 20030123 |
| 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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