| Mr. Carl W. S. Chun | Director | |
| Mr. Jessie B. Strickland | Analyst |
| Mr. Raymond V. O’Connor, Jr. | Chairperson | |
| Ms. Gail J. Wire | Member | |
| Mr. Robert J. Osborn | Member |
2. The applicant requests that he be awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB) and that his records be corrected to reflect his award of the Bronze Star Medal (BSM).
3. The applicant states, in effect, that he should have been awarded the CIB and that his records should reflect his award of the BSM. In support of his application he submits a copy of his orders and citation for the BSM.
4. The applicant’s military records show that he was inducted on 9 December 1966 and served until he was honorably discharged on 5 November 1967, to accept a commission as a second lieutenant (2LT).
5. He was commissioned as a United States Army Reserve (USAR) infantry 2LT
on 6 November 1967, upon graduation from officer candidate school (OCS) with a concurrent call to active duty. He successfully completed his training and was transferred to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, where he remained until he was transferred to Vietnam with his unit on 14 February 1968. His records indicate that he was in Vietnam in a temporary duty status for 6 months as a counter-insurgency and special projects officer. He was assigned to the 505th Infantry, 82nd Airborne Division. He departed Vietnam on 30 August 1968 for Fort Bragg.
6. Subsequent to his return, he volunteered for and was accepted for rotary wing flight training. He successfully completed his training and was transferred back to Vietnam on 26 April 1970, for duty as an aviator. He initially served in the 179th Aviation Company and was subsequently transferred to the 180th Aviation Company. He completed his tour in Vietnam on 21 April 1971 and was transferred to Fort Hood, Texas, where he remained until he was honorably released from active duty (REFRAD) in the rank of captain, at his own request. He had served 5 years, 7 months and 22 days of total active service and was awarded the Parachutist Badge, the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, the Army Aviator Badge, the Vietnam Service Medal with one silver service star, the Army Commendation Medal, the Air Medal and the Distinguished Flying Cross.
7. The orders and award citation provided by the applicant show that he was awarded the BSM on 13 August 1970, for the period of 26 April to 29 July 1970, for meritorious achievement in ground operations against hostile forces. He was a captain at the time.
8. A review of the applicant Official Military Personnel File (OMPF) fails to show that he was ever awarded the CIB or that he met the regulatory requirements necessary to be awarded the CIB.
9. Army Regulation 672-5-1, in effect at the time, established the criteria for award of the CIB. It states, in pertinent part, that to be eligible for the CIB, an individual must be an infantryman with an infantry military occupational specialty (MOS) and must perform duty as an infantryman, as a member of an infantry unit of brigade or smaller size, during any period in which that unit was engaged in ground combat. Battle participation credit alone is not sufficient.
10. Army Pamphlet 672-3 (Unit Citation and Campaign Participation Credit Register-Vietnam Era) was published to assist commanders and personnel officers in determining or establishing the eligibility of individual members for campaign participation credit, assault landing credit, and unit citation badges awarded during the Vietnam Conflict. Table 1 (Army Units in Numerical Order) of the pamphlet indicates that the applicant’s unit was subsequently authorized awards of the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm Unit Citation (RVNGC w/Palm) and the Republic of Vietnam Civil Actions Honor Medal – First Class Unit Citation (RVNCAHM-FC) during the period he was assigned to the unit.
CONCLUSIONS:
1. Although the evidence of record does show that the applicant was an infantry second lieutenant while assigned to an infantry unit in Vietnam, there is no evidence to show that he met the criteria for award of the CIB. His records simply indicate that he was a counter-insurgency and special projects officer during his 6 months in Vietnam. Therefore, absent evidence to the contrary, there appears to be no basis to award him the CIB.
2. However, the applicant has provided the evidence necessary to support his contention that his records should show his award of the BSM during his second tour in Vietnam.
3. Additionally, the applicant's units were subsequently awarded the RVNGC w/Palm Unit Citation and the RVNCAHM-FC Unit Citation. Therefore, would be in the interest of justice to award him those awards at this time and correct his records accordingly.
4. In view of the foregoing, the applicant’s records should be corrected as recommended below.
RECOMMENDATION:
1. That all of the Department of the Army records related to this case be corrected by awarding the individual concerned the RVNGC w/Palm Unit Citation, the RVNCAHM-FC Unit Citation, and by showing that he was awarded the BSM as well.
2. That so much of the application as is in excess of the foregoing be denied.
BOARD VOTE:
__rjo ___ __gw____ __rvo ___ GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION
________ ________ ________ GRANT FORMAL HEARING
________ ________ ________ DENY APPLICATION
__Raymond V. O’Connor, Jr.__
CHAIRPERSON
| CASE ID | AR2002078375 |
| SUFFIX | |
| RECON | YYYYMMDD |
| DATE BOARDED | 2003/02/13 |
| TYPE OF DISCHARGE | |
| DATE OF DISCHARGE | |
| DISCHARGE AUTHORITY | |
| DISCHARGE REASON | |
| BOARD DECISION | GRANT |
| REVIEW AUTHORITY | |
| ISSUES 1. 157 | 107.0111/CIB |
| 2. 140 | 107.0094/RVNGC |
| 3. 141 | 107.0095/RVNCAHM |
| 4. 60 | 107.0014/BSM |
| 5. 189 | 110.0000/CORR 214 |
| 6. |
ARMY | BCMR | CY2002 | 2002068800C070402
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 applicant requests that his records be corrected to reflect his award of the Purple Heart and that he be awarded the Bronze Star Medal (BSM) and Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB). He further states that when he departed Vietnam he was told that he was being recommended for awards of the BSM and CIB.
ARMY | BCMR | CY2008 | 20080003188
The applicant provides a copy of his DD Form 214, a copy of his Enlisted Qualification Record (DA Form 20) and an article from the 9 February 1970 issue of the Tropic Lightning News, the newsletter of the 25th Infantry Division, which discusses combat operations of Company B, 3rd Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment. He had served 1 year, 10 months and 2 days of total active service and his DD Form 214 issued at the time of his discharge shows that he was awarded the National Defense Service...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2001 | 2001062100C070421
Army Regulation 600-8-22 provides Department of the Army policy for the administration of individual military decorations. The applicant clearly was awarded three awards of the BSM and his records should be corrected accordingly. 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 BSM with “V” Device and 2 OLCs and by awarding him the RVNGC w/palm Unit Citation and the RVNCAHM – FC.
ARMY | BCMR | CY2003 | 2003090343C070212
On 6 November 1963, he transferred to Vietnam with his unit. While in Vietnam, his commander submitted a recommendation to award the applicant the award of the Silver Star for gallantry in action in Vietnam on 2 and 3 March 1964. The evidence of record clearly shows that the applicant was awarded the BSM with "V" Device that was not included on his DD Form 214 at the time of separation.
ARMY | BCMR | CY2002 | 2002068947C070402
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. Although his records contain no evidence that he was awarded the Purple Heart for his wound, the certificate provided by the applicant shows that he was awarded the Purple Heart by the hospital commander on 23 January 1969, for wounds received in action on 13 December 1968. After carefully examining the...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2002 | 2002068767C070402
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. He remained with that unit as a rifleman until 1 October 1969, when he was transferred to Company E of the same battalion. His records also show that on 7 June 2001, the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) provided him an official copy of his correct DD Form 214.
ARMY | BCMR | CY2006 | 20060001115C070205
Gerald Purcell | |Member | The Board considered the following evidence: Exhibit A - Application for correction of military records. He completed his training and was transferred to Vietnam on 12 October 1967, for assignment to Company D, 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment as a light weapons infantryman. As a result, the Board recommends that all Department of the Army records of the individual concerned be corrected by showing that he was awarded the BSM w/”V” Device and by awarding him...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2008 | 20080016019
The applicant requests that his records be corrected to show his awards of the Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB), the Bronze Star Medal with two oak leaf clusters (BSM 2OLC), the Air Medal and the Presidential Unit Citation (PUC). This conclusion is based on the fact that the record is void of any derogatory information which would preclude the applicant from being awarded the GCMDL and the lack of any specific action by the applicants unit commander to disqualify him from receiving the...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2002 | 2002080587C070215
The applicant states that he believes that he should have been awarded the Purple Heart for a wound he received in Vietnam when a piece of shrapnel hit him in the inner left thigh. The Board finds that there is sufficient evidence in the available records to show that the applicant was in fact wounded in Vietnam and should have been awarded the Purple Heart for his wound. RECOMMENDATION : That all of the Department of the Army records related to this case be corrected by awarding the...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2010 | 20100018280
The applicant requests that his DD Form 214 (Armed Forces of the United States Report of Transfer or Discharge) be corrected to reflect two awards of the Bronze Star Medal (BSM 1OLC) and the Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB) and that he be issued all of his medal sets. He had served 1 year, 9 months, and 1 day of total active service and his DD Form 214 issued at the time of his REFRAD shows he was awarded the National Defense Service Medal, Parachutist Badge, Vietnam Service Medal (VSM), and...