PROCEEDINGS


         IN THE CASE OF:
        

         BOARD DATE: 13 November 2003
         DOCKET NUMBER: AR2003088691


         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
Mr. Luis Almodova		Analyst

The following members, a quorum, were present:

Mr. Arthur A. Omartian		Chairperson
Ms. Eloise C. Prendergast		Member
Mr. Ronald E. Blakely		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, in effect, that his WD AGO Form 53-55, Enlisted Record and Report of Separation – Honorable Discharge, be corrected to add the Ardennes-Alsace Campaign and the recently awarded Bronze Star Medal.

3. The applicant states, in effect, that while he was serving in the mountains of France, he was sent to a rest camp for 5 days in Chamonix. His leave in Chamonix was cut short because the Germans made a drive to try and recapture Paris. He and other soldiers were returned to their outfits and shortly made a one hundred mile move through the dark of night to support General Patton and the Third Army. The applicant also states that during the war he also spent 5 days in a rest camp in Caserta, Italy.

4. In support of his application, the applicant submitted a copy of his WD AGO Form 53-55; a copy of an awards citation naming him as the recipient of the Bronze Star Medal; a letter addressed to the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, which was written by the applicant's former battery commander about the applicant's wartime exploits; a World War II historical summary about the 995th Field Artillery Battalion; and two letters authored by the applicant dated 4 November 2002 and 30 March 2003.

5. The applicant’s military records were lost or destroyed in the National Personnel Records Center fire of 1973. Information herein was obtained from reconstructed personnel records and from alternate sources.

6. The applicant’s military records show that he was inducted on 6 April 1943 and entered active duty in the Army of the United States on 18 April 1943. The applicant’s WD AGO Form 53-55 shows that he served 2 years, 6 months, and 12 days active military service of which 2 years 2 months and 5 days were spent in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations (MTO) and the European Theater of Operations (ETO). The applicant arrived in the MTO on 13 November 1943 and departed on 25 September 1944. He arrived in the ETO on 29 September 1944 and departed on 18 October 1945. The applicant arrived in the United States on 25 October 1945. He was honorably discharged in the grade of Corporal, under the provisions of Army Regulation 615-365, for the convenience of the government at demobilization, on 29 October 1945.

7. Block 32 (Battles and Campaigns) of the applicant's WD AGO Form 53-55, shows that the applicant participated in the Rome-Arno Campaign, which extended from 22 January through 9 September 1944; the Normandy Campaign, which extended from 6 June through 24 July 1944; the Southern France Campaign, which extended from 15 August through 14 September 1944; the Rhineland Campaign which extended from 15 September 1944 through

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21 March 1945; and the Central Europe Campaign, which extended from 22 March through 11 May 1945. The Ardennes-Alsace Campaign is not shown in Block 32 of the WD AGO Form 53-55.

8. Block 33 (Decorations and Citations) of the applicant's WD AGO Form 53-55, shows that he was awarded the European-African-Middle Eastern Service Medal [now known as the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal], and the Good Conduct Medal.

9. Block 55 (Remarks) of the applicant's WD AGO Form 53-55, shows he was issued the Lapel Button [properly known as the Honorable Service Lapel Button].

10. On 12 June 1985, the Reserve Components Personnel Administration Center, authorized issuance of the Good Conduct Medal, the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with a silver service star, the World War II Victory Medal, the Army of Occupation Medal with Germany Clasp, and the Honorable Service Lapel Button (WWII) to the applicant.

11. On 11 March 2002, The Adjutant General of the Army awarded the applicant the Bronze Star Medal for meritorious achievement while serving in the Mediterranean and European Theaters of Operation during World War II.

12. Army Regulation 600-8-22 provides for award of a bronze service star, based on qualifying service, for each campaign listed in its Appendix B, and states that authorized bronze service stars will be worn on the appropriate service medal, in this case, the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal. This same regulation also specifies that a silver service star will be awarded in lieu of five bronze service stars.

13. Department of the Army Pamphlet 672-1, Unit Citation and Campaign Participation Credit Register, shows that the applicant's unit, the 995th Field Artillery Battalion, received campaign participation credit for the Ardennes-Alsace, Central Europe, Normandy, Rhineland, Rome-Arno, and the Southern France campaigns. The Ardennes-Alsace Campaign extended from 16 December 1944 through 25 January 1945. Additionally, the applicant's unit was awarded the French Croix de Guerre, in Department of the Army General Orders 43, dated 1950, and received credit for the occupation of Germany for the period 2 May through 30 October 1945.

14. AR 600-8-22 provides for award of the French Fourragere as an approved foreign unit award. The French Fourragere may be awarded by the French Government when a unit has been cited twice for award of the French Croix de Guerre. When a unit is cited twice for the Croix de Guerre, then the colors of

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the Fourragere are red and green. When a unit is cited four times, the colors of the Fourragere are yellow and green. Award of the Fourragere is not automatic and requires a decree by the French Government, and persons who were only in one action are not authorized to wear the Fourragere.

15. In a 28 March 1983 letter, the U.S. Army Military Personnel Center published the policy regarding awards of the French Croix de Guerre to U.S. Army veterans who had served in World War I and World War II. Essentially, this guidance states that there is no individual emblem presented to or worn by Army soldiers who were in a unit cited by the French Government for the Croix de Guerre. Thus, former members of any American units which appear in Department of the Army Pamphlet 672-1 (Unit Citation and Campaign Credit Register) are not authorized an individual device.

CONCLUSIONS:

1. The 995th Field Artillery Battalion was awarded campaign credit for participation in the Ardennes-Alsace Campaign during the time the applicant was a member of the unit. He is therefore entitled to award of a bronze service star in addition to the already awarded silver service star to be affixed to his European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal to denote his participation in six campaigns during World War II, and to have these service stars shown on his WD AGO Form 53-55.

2. The applicant was assigned and present for duty with the 995th Field Artillery Battalion at the time it was awarded credit for the occupation of Germany. He is therefore entitled to award of the Army of Occupation Medal with Germany Clasp and to have this award shown on his WD AGO Form 53-55.

3. The applicant’s unit was cited for award of the French Croix de Guerre at the time the applicant was assigned to the unit. He is therefore, entitled to have this foreign award added to his WD AGO Form 53-55.

4. The applicant was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for meritorious achievement while serving in the Mediterranean and European Theaters of Operation during World War II. This award is not shown on his WD AGO Form 53-55 because it was awarded to him over 56 years after he was separated from the Army. It should be added to his separation document at this time.

5. In view of the foregoing, the applicant’s records should be corrected as recommended below.

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RECOMMENDATION:

That all Department of the Army records related to this case be corrected by

a. awarding the applicant: a bronze service star, for his participation in the Ardennes Alsace Campaign, to be affixed along with the already-authorized silver service star to his European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal; and the French Croix de Guerre and adding the entry, “French Croix de Guerre – Unit Citation – No Emblem Authorized” in item 55 (Remarks) on his WD AGO Form 53-55; and

b. adding the previously authorized Army of Occupation Medal with Germany Clasp, the World War II Victory Medal, and the recently awarded Bronze Star Medal to Block 33 and adding the Ardennes Alsace Campaign to Block 32 of the applicant's WD AGO Form 53-55.

BOARD VOTE:

__ecp___ ___reb __ __ao____ GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________ ________ ________ GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________ ________ ________ DENY APPLICATION




                  ___Arthur A. Omartian____
                  CHAIRPERSON

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INDEX

CASE ID	AR2003088691
SUFFIX
RECON
DATE BOARDED	2003/11/13
TYPE OF DISCHARGE
DATE OF DISCHARGE
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY
DISCHARGE REASON
BOARD DECISION	GRANT
REVIEW AUTHORITY
ISSUES 1. 46	107.0000
2. 112	107.0066
3.
4.
5.
6.