PROCEEDINGS


         IN THE CASE OF:
        

         BOARD DATE: 24 June 2003
         DOCKET NUMBER: AR2002080175


         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.

Mr. Carl W. S. Chun		Director
Ms. Beverly A. Young		Analyst

The following members, a quorum, were present:

Ms. Margaret K. Patterson		Chairperson
Mr. Ronald E. Blakely		Member
Mr. Frank C. Jones		Member

         The applicant and counsel if any, did not appear before the Board.

         The Board considered the following evidence:

         Exhibit A - Application for correction of military
records
         Exhibit B - Military Personnel Records (including
         advisory opinion, if any)

FINDINGS :

1. The applicant has exhausted or the Board has waived the requirement for exhaustion of all administrative remedies afforded by existing law or regulations.

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2. The applicant requests correction of his WD AGO Form 53-55 (Enlisted Record and Report of Separation) to show the Anzio and the Ardennes-Alsace campaigns and award of one bronze arrowhead for his participation in the
"D-Day" invasion in Southern France. He also requests correction of his records to show award of the Combat Infantryman Badge.

3. The applicant states that he was discharged on 10 October 1945 and his unit was inactivated five weeks later on 15 November 1945. He claims that his records were updated to show eight battle stars, an arrowhead for
"D-Day" invasion and the Combat Infantryman Badge. He states that he joined the 216th Antiaircraft Artillery Gun Battalion at Fort Bliss, Texas, in December 1942 and served with this unit throughout World War II. He contends that his discharge document does not show the two battles in Anzio or Ardennes-Alsace or the arrowhead for Southern France. He also contends that he should have received the Combat Infantryman Badge for which he was entitled to at the time. In support of his application, he submitted a copy of his WD AGO Form 53-55, a personal statement, and a letter from the U.S. Army Military History Institute with a copy of lineage and honors for the 216th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion.

4. The applicant's military records have been lost or destroyed. This case is being considered using reconstructed records. The applicant's reconstructed records consist primarily of the WD AGO Form 53-55 and his Final Payment-Worksheet. The applicant's reconstructed records show he entered active duty on 1 December 1942. He completed training as a cannoneer and served in the European-African-Middle Eastern Theater of Operations from 11 May 1943 to 26 September 1945 and was honorably discharged from active duty on 10 October 1945.

5. Item 32 (Battles and Campaigns) on the applicant's WD AGO Form 53-55 shows he received campaign credit for participation in Sicily, Naples-Foggia, Southern France, Rome-Arno, Rhineland, and Central Europe.

6. The applicant's WD AGO Form 53-55 shows entitlement to the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with six bronze service stars as an authorized award.

7. The applicant's WD AGO Form 53-55 shows he was assigned to the 216th Antiaircraft Artillery Gun Battalion.

8. Department of the Army Pamphlet 672-1 (Unit Citation and Campaign Participation Credit Register) dated 6 July 1961, shows, among other information, campaign credit during World War II. This document shows that, at the time of the applicant's assignment to the 216th Antiaircraft Artillery Gun Battalion, the unit received campaign credit for Ardennes-Alsace.
9. The Department of the Army Pamphlet 672-1 does not show that the 216th Antiaircraft Artillery Gun Battalion received campaign credit for the Anzio Campaign.

10. Department of the Army Pamphlet 672-1 shows that, at the time of the applicant's assignment to the 216th Antiaircraft Artillery Gun Battalion, the unit received credit for an assault landing in Southern France during 15 to 16 August 1944 by War Department of the Army General Orders Number 70, dated 1945. There is no evidence available to the Board which indicates that the applicant participated in the assault landing in Southern France.

11. The applicant's WD AGO Form 53-55 does not show award of the Combat Infantryman Badge in item 31 (Military Qualification and Date). His discharge document shows he was awarded military occupational specialty (MOS) 531 (Cannoneer) and was assigned to an antiaircraft artillery unit during World War II.

12. The applicant's Final Payment – Work Sheet does not show he received combat infantry pay at the time of his discharge.

13. The Board noted that the applicant is entitled to award of the American Campaign Medal and the World War II Victory Medal which are not shown on his discharge document.

14. Army Regulation 600-8-22 (Military Awards) authorizes a bronze service star, based on qualifying service, for each campaign listed in Appendix B of this regulation and states that authorized bronze service stars will be worn on the appropriate campaign or service medal, including the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal. Army Regulation 600-8-22 provides, in pertinent part, that a silver service star is authorized in lieu of five bronze service stars.

15. Army Regulation 600-8-22 (Military Awards) provides, in pertinent part, for the “arrowhead” to be worn on the appropriate service medal to denote participation in a combat parachute jump, helicopter assault landing, combat glider landing, or amphibious assault landing while assigned or attached as a member of an organized force carrying out an assigned tactical mission. The regulation specifies that individual assault credit is tied directly to the combat assault credit decision for the unit to which the soldier is assigned. The regulation requires that the unit must be credited with a combat assault in order for the soldiers to receive credit for a combat assault and the soldier must physically exit the aircraft or the watercraft as appropriate. The regulation also specifies that the arrowhead is authorized for wear on the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, the Korean Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal, and the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal.
16. War Department Circular 269-1943 established the Combat Infantryman Badge and the Expert Infantryman Badge to recognize and provide an incentive to infantrymen. The Expert Infantryman Badge was to be awarded for attainment of certain proficiency standards or by satisfactory performance of duty in action against the enemy. The Combat Infantryman Badge was awarded for exemplary conduct in action against the enemy. War Department Circular 186-1944 further provided that the Combat Infantryman Badge was to be awarded only to infantrymen serving with infantry units of brigade, regimental or smaller size. Additionally, World War II holders of the Combat Infantryman Badge received a monthly pay supplement known as combat infantry pay and holders of the Expert Infantryman Badge were entitled to expert infantry pay. Therefore, soldiers had economic as well as intangible reasons to ensure that their records were correct. Thus, pay records are frequently the best available source to verify entitlement to this award. The Awards Branch, Total Army Personnel Command, has advised in similar cases that, during World War II, the Combat Infantryman Badge was normally awarded only to enlisted individuals who served in the following positions:

a. Light machine gunner (604)
b. Heavy machine gunner (605)
c. Platoon sergeant (651)
d. Squad leader (653)
e. Rifleman (745)
f. Automatic rifleman (746)
g. Heavy weapons NCO (812)
h. Gun crewman (864)

17. Army Regulation 600-8-22 provides, in pertinent part, for award of the American Campaign Medal. This campaign medal is awarded for qualifying service in the American Theater between 7 December 1941 and 2 March 1946. Qualifying service includes permanent assignment outside the continental United States, duty as a crewmember aboard a vessel sailing ocean waters for 30 consecutive or 60 nonconsecutive days, or duty outside the continental United States as a passenger or in a temporary duty status for 30 consecutive or 60 nonconsecutive days, or active combat against the enemy and was awarded a combat decoration or furnished a certificate by a corps commander or higher, or service within the continental United States for an aggregate period of one year.

18. Army Regulation 600-8-22 provides, in pertinent part, for award of the World War II Victory Medal. It is awarded for service between 7 December 1941 and 31 December 1946, both dates inclusive.



CONCLUSIONS:

1. The Board considered the applicant's contention that his discharge document does not show the two battles in Anzio or Ardennes-Alsace.

2. The Department of the Army Pamphlet 672-1 does not show the applicant's unit, the 216th Antiaircraft Artillery Gun Battalion, received campaign credit for participation in the Anzio Campaign.

3. The Department of the Army Pamphlet 672-1 shows that the 216th Antiaircraft Artillery Gun Battalion received campaign credit for participation in Ardennes-Alsace Campaign. Therefore, the applicant is entitled to correction of his discharge document to show the Ardennes-Alsace Campaign.

4. Based on the correction in paragraph 3, above, the applicant is also entitled to an additional bronze service star to be affixed to his European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal. Therefore, his records will be corrected to show the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with one silver service star and two bronze service stars (in lieu of seven bronze service stars).

5. The Department of the Army Pamphlet 672-1 shows that the applicant's unit, the 216th Antiaircraft Artillery Gun Battalion, received credit for assault landings in Southern France. However, there is no evidence of record available to the Board which shows the applicant physically participated in the assault landings in Southern France. Therefore, there is no basis for granting the applicant award of a bronze arrowhead for wear on his European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal.

6. The Board considered the applicant's contention that he is entitled to award of the Combat Infantryman Badge.

7. There is no evidence of record which shows the applicant was awarded an infantry MOS or that he served with an infantry unit during World War II. In addition, the applicant did not receive combat infantry bpay prior to his discharge. Therefore, there is no basis for awarding the applicant the Combat Infantryman Badge.

8. The applicant served a period of qualifying service for award of the American Campaign Medal and the World War II Victory Medal. Therefore, his records will be corrected to show these awards.

9. In view of the foregoing findings and conclusions, it would be appropriate to correct the applicant’s records, but only as recommended below.


RECOMMENDATION:

1. That all of the Department of the Army records related to this case be corrected:

         a. by adding the entry "Ardennes-Alsace" to item 32 (Battles and Campaigns) on the discharge document of the individual concerned; and

         b. by showing he was awarded the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with one silver service star and two bronze service stars, the American Campaign Medal and the World War II Victory Medal.

2. That so much of the application as it relates to the Anzio Campaign, one bronze arrowhead, and the Combat Infantryman Badge be denied.

BOARD VOTE:

MKP____ REB____ FCJ_____ GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________ ________ ________ GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________ ________ ________ DENY APPLICATION




                  Margaret K. Patterson_
                  CHAIRPERSON

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INDEX

CASE ID	AR2002080175
SUFFIX
RECON	YYYYMMDD
DATE BOARDED	20030624
TYPE OF DISCHARGE	(HD, GD, UOTHC, UD, BCD, DD, UNCHAR)
DATE OF DISCHARGE	YYYYMMDD
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY	AR . . . . .
DISCHARGE REASON
BOARD DECISION
REVIEW AUTHORITY	Mr. Schneider
ISSUES 1.	100.0000
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.