| Mr. Carl W. S. Chun | Director | |
| Mr. Richard P. Nelson | Analyst |
| Ms. Jennifer L. Prater | Chairperson | |
| Mr. Arthur A. Omartian | Member | |
| Mr. Patrick H. McGann | Member |
APPLICANT REQUESTS: In effect, correction of his military records to show award of the Purple Heart.
APPLICANT STATES: That he was wounded when an enemy shell exploded while he was hooking up a combat wrecker to a disabled vehicle at the front line. In support of his request, the applicant has submitted a statement from a former member of his unit. The statement, in effect, recounts an incident during the Battle of The Bulge, wherein the applicant returned from the front line wearing a bandage over his eye.
EVIDENCE OF RECORD: The applicant’s military records were lost or destroyed in the National Personnel Records Center fire of 1973. Records available to the Board were obtained from alternate sources and consist primarily of his WD AGO Form 53-55 (Enlisted Record and Report of Separation-Honorable Discharge), WD AGO Form 100 (Separation Qualification Record), and his Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) Medical File which contained parts of the applicant's service medical records.
The available records show that the applicant was inducted on 8 June 1942 and completed training as a Heavy Truck Driver. He arrived in the European-African-Middle Eastern Theater of Operations on 25 September 1943. The applicant participated in five campaigns, returning to the United States on 27 October 1945, and was separated from the service on 13 November 1945. His WD AGO Forms 53-55 and 100 show that he is entitled to the following awards: the Combat Infantryman Badge; the Army Good Conduct Medal; the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with five service stars (Rhineland, Northern France, Ardennes, Normandy, and Central Europe Campaigns); the American Campaign Medal; and, the World War II Victory Medal.
Item 33 (Decorations and Citations) of the applicant’s WD AGO Form 53-55, which is authenticated in his own hand, does not show entitlement to award of the Purple Heart. Item 34 (Wounds Received in Action) of the WD AGO Form 53-55 contains the entry, "None."
There are no orders in the available records which show that the applicant was awarded the Purple Heart and the applicant has not provided a copy of orders awarding him the Purple Heart.
There are no medical documents in the available records, to include Office of The Surgeon General Files, commonly referred to as the "SGO Files,” which show that the applicant was wounded, or treated for wounds, as a result of hostile action.
Army Regulation 600-8-22 (Military Awards) 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, and the medical treatment must have been made a matter of official record.
DISCUSSION: Considering all the evidence, allegations, and information presented by the applicant, together with the evidence of record, applicable law and regulations, it is concluded:
1. The applicant authenticated his WD AGO Form 53-55, which did not show award of the Purple Heart or wounds sustained in action.
2. There are no medical records that show the applicant was wounded, or treated for wounds, as a result of hostile action.
3. There are no orders which awarded the applicant the Purple Heart.
4. The Board considered the witness statement submitted by the applicant’s former unit member and determined that the statement does not contain sufficient evidence to justify award of the Purple Heart.
5. Based on the foregoing, the Board determined that there is insufficient evidence upon which to base award of the Purple Heart.
6. In order to justify correction of a military record the applicant must show to the satisfaction of the Board, or it must otherwise satisfactorily appear, that the record is in error or unjust. The applicant has failed to submit evidence that would satisfy this requirement.
7. In view of the foregoing, there is no basis for granting the applicant's request.
DETERMINATION: The applicant has failed to submit sufficient relevant evidence to demonstrate the existence of probable error or injustice.
BOARD VOTE:
________ ________ ________ GRANT
________ ________ ________ GRANT FORMAL HEARING
___jlp____ ____aao_ ___phm_ DENY APPLICATION
| CASE ID | AR2003086811 |
| SUFFIX | |
| RECON | YYYYMMDD |
| DATE BOARDED | 20030923 |
| TYPE OF DISCHARGE | (HD, GD, UOTHC, UD, BCD, DD, UNCHAR) |
| DATE OF DISCHARGE | YYYYMMDD |
| DISCHARGE AUTHORITY | AR . . . . . |
| DISCHARGE REASON | |
| BOARD DECISION | DENY |
| REVIEW AUTHORITY | |
| ISSUES 1. | |
| 2. | |
| 3. | |
| 4. | |
| 5. | |
| 6. |
ARMY | BCMR | CY2002 | 2002069698C070402
The Board noted the citation in the 78th Infantry Division General Orders Number 186 which stated the applicant was wounded in action. Therefore, he is entitled to correction of his records to show the award of the Purple Heart. DISCHARGE REASONBOARD DECISION(NC, GRANT , DENY, GRANT PLUS)REVIEW AUTHORITYISSUES 1.107.00152.3.4.5.6.
ARMY | BCMR | CY2002 | 2002082244C070215
There is no evidence in the available records that shows the applicant was awarded the Purple Heart or was wounded as a result of hostile action. Also, the Board notes that the applicant's WD AGO Form 53-55 shows one bronze service star as an authorized award. Medical evidence of record shows the applicant was diagnosed with trench foot on 22 October 1944.
ARMY | BCMR | CY2002 | 2002077772C070215
The Board considered the following evidence: Therefore, the applicant is entitled to award of the Purple Heart for wounds sustained on 23 February 1945 in the European Theater of Operations and correction of his military records to show this award. Therefore, the applicant is entitled to award of the Bronze Star Medal (based on award of the Combat Infantryman Badge) and correction of his military records to show this medal.
ARMY | BCMR | CY2010 | 20100027383
There is no evidence in the available records that shows the applicant was awarded the Purple Heart or was wounded as a result of hostile action during World War II. The evidence shows the applicant's records contain administrative errors which do not require action by the Board. Therefore, the Board requests that ARBA CMD administratively correct the records of the individual concerned by: * awarding him the Bronze Star Medal based upon award of the Combat Infantryman Badge * deleting the...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2005 | 20050017462C070206
Therefore, the Bronze Star Medal is to be awarded to individuals who were authorized either badge for service during World War II. No record was found in a search of records on file at the National Personnel Records Center that the applicant was given treatment for the wounds or injuries he now alleges to have received in action 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. deleting the...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2002 | 2002082274C070215
In support of her claim for award of the Purple Heart, the applicant provided two newspaper articles which state that the FSM was wounded in action on 2 November in Germany. Therefore, the FSM's military records should be corrected to show award of the Purple Heart for wounds sustained on 2 November 1944 in the European Theater of Operations. Therefore, the FSM is entitled to correction of his WD AGO Form 53-55 to show award of the Army of Occupation Medal with Germany Clasp.
ARMY | BCMR | CY2002 | 2002076505C070215
There is no evidence in the available records that shows the applicant was awarded the Purple Heart or was wounded as a result of hostile action during World War II. The applicant signed his WD AGO Form 53-55 on 15 January 1946 attesting to the fact that he was not wounded in action and that he was not entitled to the Purple Heart. That all of the Department of the Army records related to this case be corrected by showing that the individual concerned was awarded the Bronze Star Medal...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2003 | 2003084311C070212
The applicant's WD AGO Form 53-55 shows the Bronze Star Medal and the Combat Medical Badge as authorized awards. Army Regulation 600-8-22, in pertinent part, authorizes award of 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 service medal. That all of the Department of the Army records related to this case be corrected by showing that the individual...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2002 | 2002076007C070215
The applicant’s WD AGO Form 53-55 (Enlisted Record and Report of Separation) shows entitlement to one award of the Purple Heart for wounds received in action on 17 January 1945 in the European Theater of Operations. Army Regulation 600-8-22 (Military Awards) provides, in pertinent part, that the Purple Heart is awarded for a wound sustained as a result of hostile action. The applicant’s discharge document shows entitlement to one award of the Purple Heart for wounds received in action on...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2001 | 2001057126C070420
There is no evidence available to the Board that shows the applicant was awarded the Purple Heart. The Board considered the applicant’s contention that he received injuries during combat in Normandy; however, there is no evidence available to the Board which shows he was awarded the Purple Heart or that he was wounded or treated for wounds as a result of hostile action. Evidence of record shows that the applicant received credit for participation in three campaigns while assigned in the...