| Mr. Carl W. S. Chun | Director | |
| Mr. Joseph A. Adriance | Analyst |
| Mr. Fred N. Eichorn | Chairperson | ||
| Mr. Melvin H. Meyer | Member | ||
| Mr. Patrick H. McGann | Member |
THE APPLICANT'S REQUEST, STATEMENT, AND EVIDENCE:
1. The applicant requests, in effect, that he receive credit for participation in the Battle of the Bulge.
2. The applicant states, in effect, that he was not credited with a battle star for his participation in the Battle of the Bulge on his separation document.
3. The applicant provides no documents or evidence in support of his application.
CONSIDERATION OF EVIDENCE:
1. The applicant is requesting correction of an error on the separation document he was issued on 6 March 1946. The application submitted in this case is dated 6 April 2003.
2. Title 10, U.S. Code, Section 1552(b), provides that applications for correction of military records must be filed within 3 years after discovery of the alleged error or injustice. This provision of law allows the Army Board for Correction of Military Records (ABCMR) to excuse failure to file within the 3-year statute of limitation if the ABCMR determines that it would be in the interest of justice to do so. In this case, the ABCMR will conduct a review of the merits of the case to determine if it would be in the interest of justice to excuse the applicant’s failure to timely file.
3. The applicant’s military records are not available to the Board for review. A fire destroyed approximately 18 million service members’ records at the National Personnel Records Center in 1973. It is believed that the applicant’s records were lost or destroyed in that fire. This case is being considered using reconstructed records, which primarily consists of the applicant’s separation document (WD AGO Form 53-55).
4. The applicant’s WD AGO Form 53-55 shows that he was inducted into the Army of the United States and entered active duty on 30 March 1943. He continuously served on active duty until being honorably separated on
6 March 1946. This document also confirms that on the date of his discharge, he held the rank of corporal (CPL). It also confirms that he held the military occupational specialty (MOS) 527 (Antiaircraft Range Section Noncommissioned Officer).
5. The applicant’s WD AGO Form 53-55 further confirms that he served with the 556th Anti-Aircraft Artillery (AAA) Automatic Weapons (AW) Battalion, in the European Theater of Operations (ETO), from 14 September 1944 through February 1946. Item 32 (Battles and Campaigns) of this document indicates that the applicant participated in the Rhineland and Central Europe campaigns of World War II.
6. Item 33 of the WD AGO 53-55 contains the following list of awards earned by the applicant during his tenure on active duty: European-African-Middle Eastern Service Medal with two bronze service stars; Good Conduct Medal; American Theater Ribbon; and World War II Victory Medal.
7. Army Regulation 600-8-22 contains the Army’s awards policy. Paragraph
5-10 contains the criteria for award of the Army of Occupation Medal. It states, in pertinent part, that it is awarded for service for 30 consecutive days at a normal post of duty (while assigned to Germany between 9 May 1945 and 5 May 1955.
8. Paragraph 5-12 of the awards regulation contains guidance on the
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, and it states, in pertinent part, that a bronze service star is authorized with this award for each campaign a member participated in while serving in the ETO. Table B-1 contains a complete list of authorized campaigns, service requirements, and inscriptions prescribed for streamers. The authorized list of World War II campaigns does not include the Battle of the Bulge. Credit for participation in various World War II battles was incorporated into one of the Army authorized campaigns, and bronze service stars were used to denote campaign participation credit.
9. Department of the Army Pamphlet 672-1 (Unit Campaign Participation Credit Register-World War II) establishes the eligibility of individual members for campaign participation credit, assault landing credit, and unit citation badges awarded during World War II. This source confirms that during his tenure of assignment, the applicant’s unit (556th AAA AW Battalion) received credit for participation in the Rhineland and Central Europe campaigns of World War II and occupation of Germany credit for the period 2 May through 15 August 1945.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS:
1. The applicant’s contention that he should receive a battle star and credit for his participation in the Battle of the Bulge was carefully considered. However, the Army has no formal means of acknowledgment for participation in the Battle of the Bulge. All World War II battle credit is contained within Army established campaigns.
2. In the applicant’s case, the evidence shows that he appropriately received campaign credit for the Central Europe and Rhineland campaigns of World War II. Accordingly, he received two bronze service stars with his European-African-Middle Eastern Service Medal. Therefore, his separation document accurately reflects the campaign credit to which he was entitled based on his World War II service in the ETO.
3. During the review of this case, it was determined that based on his service in the ETO, the applicant is also entitled to receive the Army of Occupation Medal with Germany Clasp. Therefore, it would be appropriate to add this award to his record at this time.
BOARD VOTE:
_ _PM___ ___MM__ __FE___ GRANT RELIEF
________ ________ ________ GRANT FORMAL HEARING
________ ________ ________ DENY APPLICATION
| CASE ID | AR2003088723 |
| SUFFIX | |
| RECON | |
| DATE BOARDED | 2003/12/DD |
| TYPE OF DISCHARGE | HD |
| DATE OF DISCHARGE | 1946/03/06 |
| DISCHARGE AUTHORITY | AR 615-365 |
| DISCHARGE REASON | Demobilization |
| BOARD DECISION | GRANT PARTIAL |
| REVIEW AUTHORITY | |
| ISSUES 1. 46 | 107.0000 |
| 2. | |
| 3. | |
| 4. | |
| 5. | |
| 6. |
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