| Mr. Carl W. S. Chun | Director | |
| Mr. W. E. Schnupp | Analyst |
| Mr. Melvin H. Meyer | Chairperson | |
| Mr. Eric N. Andersen | Member | |
| Mr. John T. Meixell | Member |
2. The applicant requests that his late father, the former service member (FSM), be awarded the Purple Heart for combat wounds received during World War I. He also requests any other awards the FSM may be entitled to.
3. The applicant states that the FSM was wounded on 8 October 1918, at St. Quentin, France. He did not receive the Purple Heart.
4. In support of his request, the applicant submits the FSM’s Honorable Discharge, Enlistment Record, and a Report of Physical Examination Prior to Separation, a Public Health Service Report of Examination, a Death Certificate and a copy of his own Birth Certificate.
5. The FSM’s military records show that he was born on 16 November 1893 and enlisted in the infantry on 26 February 1918. He departed for service with the American Expeditionary Forces in France on 11 May 1918 and participated in the St. Quentin and Flanders Fronts. He suffered shrapnel wounds to the right and left hands on 8 October 1918, and was evacuated from France to the States arriving here on 16 December 1918. He was honorably discharged due to injuries sustained in the war on 15 February 1919 in the grade of private. He died on 9 December 1969.
6. The record shows that the FSM was authorized the Victory Medal (it is assumed that this is the World War I Victory Medal) with one clasp indicating participation in the Defensive Sector campaign and a Silver Victory Button. There is no evidence showing whether either of these awards was actually issued.
7. A Report of Physical Examination Prior to Separation prepared on 8 February 1919 shows that while advancing under fire, the FSM sustained wounds to both hands that eventually resulted in the loss of the third and fourth fingers of the left hand and an inability to straighten the third finger of the right hand. He was separated from the service with a 25 percent disability.
8. Army Regulation 600-8-22, Military Awards, provides that the Purple Heart is awarded in the name of the President of the United States to any member of the Armed Forces or any civilian national of the United States who, while serving under competent authority in any capacity with one of the U. S. Armed Services after 5 April 1917, has been wounded or killed, or who has died or may hereafter die after being wounded. The wound must have been 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.
9. The same regulation provides that the World War I Victory Medal is awarded for service between 6 April 1917 and 11 November 1918. The battle clasp is a bronze bar with the name of the campaign or the words “Defensive Sector” on it.
10. The awards regulation also provided for award of the World War I Victory Button in silver for persons wounded in action.
CONCLUSIONS:
1. The evidence of record shows that the FSM suffered multiple wounds on 8 October 1918 as a result of enemy action in France during World War I. He is therefore entitled to award of the Purple Heart for those wounds.
2. The record also shows that he is authorized the World War I Victory Medal with Defensive Sector Clasp and the World War I Victory Button in silver signifying that he had been wounded in action.
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 showing that the individual concerned was awarded the Purple Heart for wounds sustained in action in France on 8 October 1918, the World War I Victory Medal with Defensive Sector Clasp and the silver World War I Victory Button.
BOARD VOTE:
____jtm__ ___mhm_ ___ena__ GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION
________ ________ ________ GRANT FORMAL HEARING
________ ________ ________ DENY APPLICATION
___________Melvin H. Meyer_______
CHAIRPERSON
| CASE ID | AR2002076528 |
| SUFFIX | |
| RECON | YYYYMMDD |
| DATE BOARDED | 20021105 |
| TYPE OF DISCHARGE | (HD, GD, UOTHC, UD, BCD, DD, UNCHAR) |
| DATE OF DISCHARGE | YYYYMMDD |
| DISCHARGE AUTHORITY | AR . . . . . |
| DISCHARGE REASON | |
| BOARD DECISION | (GRANT PLUS) |
| REVIEW AUTHORITY | |
| ISSUES 1. 107.00 | |
| 2. | |
| 3. | |
| 4. | |
| 5. | |
| 6. |
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