| Mr. Carl W. S. Chun | Director | |
| Mr. Kenneth H. Aucock | Analyst |
| Ms. Joann Langston | Chairperson | |
| Mr. Lester Echols | Member | |
| Mr. Allen L. Raub | Member |
2. The applicant requests that his records be corrected to show that he served in the Philippine Islands during World War II.
3. The applicant states that after VE (Victory in Europe) day his unit did not go home, but was preparing to go overseas for the invasion of Japan. When Japan surrendered, they were sent to Manila in the Philippine Islands to repair transportation facilities.
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 reconstructed personnel records.
5. The applicant’s WD AGO Form 53-55 (Enlisted Record and Report of Separation) shows that he was inducted into the Army on 26 April 1944, departed for the ETO (European Theater of Operations) on 27 February 1945, arriving on 11 March 1945. That record shows that he departed the ETO on 23 April1946 and arrived in the United States on 7 May 1946. He was awarded the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, the World War II Victory Medal, and the Honorable Service Lapel Button (World War II Victory Medal). His organization shown on that form is the 523d Ordnance Heavy Maintenance Company. He was discharged in the rank of technical sergeant at Fort Dix, New Jersey on 16 May 1946. He had 10 months and 10 days of continental service, and 1 year, 2 months, and 11 days of foreign service. That form does not reflect any service in the Philippine Islands.
6. An undated letter from the Fifth Replacement Depot, Army Post Office (APO) 711, located in Manila in the Philippines informed the applicant’s commanding officer that the applicant was entitled to award of the Good Conduct Medal, the American Theater Medal, the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, and the World War II Victory Medal.
7. On 3 July 2000, in making application to the state of New York for an award, the applicant provided an outline of his military service, stating that he served in the ETO, and that after the fighting ended in that theater, left Marseilles, France on 29 July 1945 for the invasion of Japan, and was diverted to the Philippine Islands after the surrender of Japan. He arrived in the Philippines on 25 August 1945 and departed for the United States on 23 April 1946.
8. On 22 March 2001 the National Personnel Records Center provided an official list of awards that the applicant was authorized, indicating that the applicant was authorized awards as noted on his World War II record of service. In a letter to the National Personnel Record Center on 2 April 2001, the applicant took exception to that list, and provided much of the same information that he provided in his application to the state of New York, also stating that he was attached to the 523d Ordnance Heavy Maintenance Company, and that unit served in the Philippines. He noted the awards that he received, and the letter from the Fifth Replacement Depot authorizing the awards as indicated above.
9. DA Pamphlet 672-1, Unit Citation and Campaign Participation Credit Register, shows that the 523d Ordnance Maintenance Company participated in the New Guinea and Luzon campaigns during World War II, the latter campaign ending on 4 July 1945. That unit was awarded the Philippine Presidential Unit Citation for its actions in 1942, and again from 17 October 1944 to 4 July 1945.
CONCLUSIONS:
1. Although the evidence is sparse regarding the applicant’s service, it is evident that he did serve in the Philippines. The 523d was stationed in the Philippines during the war, and the applicant was assigned to that unit, albeit he did not participate in any of the two campaigns in which the 523d participated, he himself stating that he arrived in the Philippines in the end of August 1945. The letter from the replacement depot also supports his contention that he served in the Philippines prior to September 1946.
2. Consequently, and as indicated in the letter from the Fifth Replacement Depot the applicant is entitled to those awards indicated in that letter, the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal and the American Campaign Medal, that are not reflected on his record of service.
3. The applicant’s period of service in the Philippines cannot adequately be determined. Nonetheless, while that information is not contained on his record of service, and because he did serve in the Philippines, there is no good reason to doubt the applicant’s contention that he departed the ETO on 29 July 1945, arrived the Philippines on 25 August 1945, serving there until his departure for the United States on 23 April 1946. Therefore, item 39 (Service Outside Continental United States and Return) of his WD AGO Form 53-55 should be amended to show that he departed the ETO on 29 July 1945, arrived in the Philippines on 25 August 1945, departed the Philippines on 23 April 1946, arriving in the United States on 7 May 1946.
4. 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:
a. was awarded the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal and the American Campaign Medal; and
b. departed the ETO on 29 July 1945, arrived in the Philippines on 25 August 1945, departed the Philippines on 23 April 1946, arriving in the United States on 7 May 1946.
BOARD VOTE:
__JL____ ___LE___ __ALR __ GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION
________ ________ ________ GRANT FORMAL HEARING
________ ________ ________ DENY APPLICATION
____Joann Langston______
CHAIRPERSON
| CASE ID | AR2002077984 |
| SUFFIX | |
| RECON | YYYYMMDD |
| DATE BOARDED | 20030220 |
| 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. | 110.00 |
| 2. | |
| 3. | |
| 4. | |
| 5. | |
| 6. |
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