| Mr. Carl W. S. Chun | Director | |
| Ms. Nancy L. Amos | Analyst |
| Ms. Jennifer L. Prater | Chairperson | ||
| Mr. Melvin H. Meyer | Member | ||
| Mr. James E. Anderholm | Member |
2. The applicant requests that his deceased brother, a former service member (FSM), be awarded the Purple Heart.
3. The applicant states that the FSM told him he was on Okinawa, on a mission to flush out any remaining enemy soldiers, when a grenade landed several yards away from him. He felt a sharp pain in his side. The medic put him in for a Purple Heart but upon being discharged he was told they lost the record of the event.
4. The FSM’s military records were lost or destroyed in the National Personnel Records Center fire in 1973. Information contained herein was obtained from alternate sources.
5. The FSM was inducted into the Army and entered active duty on 22 August 1944. He arrived in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater of Operations on 25 February 1945.
6. Office of the Surgeon General Hospital Admission Cards show that the FSM was hospitalized on 23 June 1945 as a battle casualty as a result of being wounded in the face, forehead, and frontal region by artillery shell fragments.
7. The FSM separated on 28 October 1946. His Enlisted Record and Report of Separation, WD AGO Form 53-55, shows he was awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Army Good Conduct Medal, and several campaign ribbons but not the Purple Heart.
8. The FSM died on 14 May 2002.
9. 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 by a medical officer, and the medical treatment must have been made a matter of official record. It also provides for award of the Bronze Star Medal to members of the armed forces who, after 6 December 1941 and prior to 3 September 1945, have been cited in orders or in a formal certificate for meritorious or exemplary conduct in ground combat against the armed enemy. A citation in orders for the Combat Infantryman Badge or Medical Badge awarded in the field during the period of actual combat against the armed enemy is considered as a citation for exemplary conduct in ground combat.
CONCLUSIONS:
1. While there is no evidence to show the FSM was wounded by a grenade, there is evidence to show he was wounded and medically treated for injuries resulting from artillery shell fragments. He met the eligibility criteria for award of the Purple Heart.
2. The FSM also met the eligibility criteria for award of the Bronze Star Medal based upon award of the Combat Infantryman Badge.
3. In view of the foregoing, the FSM’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 awarding the FSM the Purple Heart for wounds received on 23 June 1945 and the Bronze Star Medal.
BOARD VOTE:
__JLP__ __MHM__ __JEA __ GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION
________ ________ ________ GRANT FORMAL HEARING
________ ________ ________ DENY APPLICATION
___Irene N. Wheelwright___
CHAIRPERSON
| CASE ID | AR2002076209 |
| SUFFIX | |
| RECON | |
| DATE BOARDED | 2002/10/08 |
| TYPE OF DISCHARGE | |
| DATE OF DISCHARGE | |
| DISCHARGE AUTHORITY | |
| DISCHARGE REASON | |
| BOARD DECISION | FULL RELIEF |
| REVIEW AUTHORITY | |
| ISSUES 1. | 107.0015 |
| 2. | |
| 3. | |
| 4. | |
| 5. | |
| 6. |
ARMY | BCMR | CY2011 | 20110000754
The applicant provides: * Army Board for Correction of Military Records (ABCMR) Record of Proceedings (ROP) awarding the Purple Heart to Private First Class (PFC) E____ R. H____ * a newspaper article showing award of the Purple Heart to PFC E____ R. H____ * a statement from PFC E____ R. H____ * two previously-submitted witness statements CONSIDERATION OF EVIDENCE: 1. Therefore, he is entitled to award of the Purple Heart and correction of his records to show his wound and this medal. As a...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2014 | 20140004618
The applicant requests the records of his late father, a former service member (FSM), be corrected to show he was awarded two Purple Hearts. The FSM's military records are not available to the Board for review. As a result, the Board recommends that all Department of the Army records of the individual concerned be corrected by: a. awarding him the Bronze Star Medal based on award of the Combat Infantryman Badge; b. deleting the Purple Heart listed on his WD AGO Form 53-98; and c. adding...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2001 | 2001061581C070421
The Board notes that the applicant’s WD AGO Form 53-55 shows that he was wounded in action twice; however, the available medical evidence shows that the injury incurred in August 1944 was a non-battle injury (i.e., non-hostile action). In view of the foregoing, the applicant’s records should be corrected as recommended below. That all of the Department of the Army records related to this case be corrected by awarding the Purple Heart to the applicant for wounds received on 3 January 1945...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2008 | 20080008971
There is no evidence in the applicant's military service records that show he was awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge or the Bronze Star Medal. Therefore, the evidence of record shows that the FSM qualified for award of the Combat Infantryman Badge on 30 November 1943 based on his exemplary conduct in ground combat against the enemy during 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...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2004 | 2004103886C070208
The applicant requests that the Army issue to him the Purple Heart awarded to his deceased father, hereafter referred to as the former service member (FSM). The applicant also states that the Purple Heart is listed as an authorized award on the FSM's WD AGO Form 53-55 (Enlisted Record and Report of Separation-Honorable Discharge). The evidence available (WD AGO Form 53-55 and SGO Hospital Admission Cards) strongly supports that the FSM is authorized award of the Purple Heart for a wound he...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2011 | 20110004243
The FSM's military service records are not available to the Board for review. Therefore, it would be appropriate to correct the FSM's records to show award of the Bronze Star Medal. As a result, the Board recommends that all Department of the Army records of the individual concerned be corrected by: a. issuing orders and a DA Form 4980-10 (Purple Heart Certificate) awarding the FSM the Purple Heart for wounds received in action in the European Theater of Operations on 27 February 1945; b....
ARMY | BCMR | CY2013 | 20130004986
The applicant, the son of a deceased former service member (FSM), requests, in effect, correction of the FSM's WD AGO Form 53-55 (Enlisted Record and Report of Separation Honorable Discharge) to show award of the Purple Heart. Based on award of the Combat Infantryman Badge, the FSM met the eligibility criteria for award of the Bronze Star Medal. As a result, the Board recommends that all Department of the Army records of the individual concerned be corrected by: a. awarding the FSM the...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2001 | 2001061817C070421
The Board considered the following evidence: The evidence of record shows the applicant was wounded in action on 11 January 1945; therefore, he met the eligibility criteria for award of the Purple Heart. That all of the Department of the Army records related to this case be corrected by showing the applicant was awarded the Purple Heart for wounds received on 11 January 1945 and the Bronze Star Medal.
ARMY | BCMR | CY2007 | 20070009574
The applicants military records are not available to the Board for review. The applicant contends that he received shrapnel wounds from enemy artillery shell explosions that seared his back during combat operations on or about 5 January 1945. Evidence shows that the applicants records contain administrative error, which does not require action by the Board.
ARMY | BCMR | CY2007 | 20070011545
There is no evidence in the applicant's available military records that shows he was wounded on or about this date, that he received medical treatment, and that the medical treatment was recorded in official military records. Therefore, the applicant is entitled to have his records corrected to show award of the Army of Occupation Medal with Germany Clasp. As a result, the Board recommends that all Department of the Army records, specifically the WD AGO Form 53-55 with a separation date of...