RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS


      IN THE CASE OF:


      BOARD DATE:          6 January 2005
      DOCKET NUMBER:  AR2004107063


      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             |
|     |Mrs. Nancy L. Amos                |     |Analyst              |


      The following members, a quorum, were present:

|     |Mr. Fred N. Eichorn               |     |Chairperson          |
|     |Mr. Richard T. Dunbar             |     |Member               |
|     |Ms. Yolanda Maldonado             |     |Member               |

      The Board considered the following evidence:

      Exhibit A - Application for correction of military records.

      Exhibit B - Military Personnel Records (including advisory opinion,
if any).

THE APPLICANT'S REQUEST, STATEMENT, AND EVIDENCE:

1.  The applicant requests that his records be corrected to show he is
eligible to wear three bronze service stars on his Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
Medal.

2.  The applicant states that he participated in three assaults – one in
Hollandia, the next in Toemi, and the third on Wakde.  In a letter dated 1
November 2001 to the National Personnel Records Center, he stated that he
transferred to the 2d Portable Surgical Hospital in Australia.  They
traveled eventually to Port Moresby and Finshafen, New Guinea, where they
prepared for the invasion of Hollandia [in New Guinea].  After securing
Hollandia, they immediately invaded Toeme in Dutch New Guinea.  After
securing Toeme, they immediately invaded Wakde Island, about a mile
offshore from Toeme.

3.  The applicant provides no supporting evidence.

CONSIDERATION OF EVIDENCE:

1.  The applicant is requesting correction of an alleged error which
occurred on    1 March 1945.  The application submitted in this case is
dated 25 March 2004.

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.  However, there
were sufficient documents remaining in a reconstructed record for the Board
to conduct a fair and impartial review of this case.

4.  The applicant enlisted in the Army on 12 March 1942.  He arrived in the
South Pacific Theater of Operations on 4 June 1942.  He was wounded on 11
July 1944, departed the theater on 14 November 1944, and separated on 1
March 1945 with a certificate of disability.

5.  The applicant's WD AGO Form 53-55 (Enlisted Record and Report of
Separation) shows his organization as the 2d Portable Surgery Hospital.
Item  32 (Battles and Campaigns) shows he participated in one campaign –
New Guinea.  Item 33 (Decorations and Citations) shows he was awarded the
Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal, the Army Good Conduct Medal, and the Purple
Heart.

6.  Department of the Army Pamphlet 672-1 (Unit Citation and Campaign
Participation Credit Register) lists the unit awards and campaign credit
given to units serving during World War II.  This document shows that the
2d Portable Surgery Hospital was credited with participation in three
campaigns – New Guinea, Papua, and Southern Philippines.  The only assault
credit awarded was for an assault on Igi, Asian Island Group, on 19
November 1944.

7.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 (Military Awards) states that one bronze
service star is authorized for wear on the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
for each campaign under certain prescribed conditions:  (1) being assigned
or attached to, and present for duty with, a unit during the period in
which it participated in combat or (2) under orders in the combat zone and
in addition meets any of the following requirements (a) awarded a combat
decoration; (b) furnished a certificate by a commanding general of a corps
or higher unit or independent force that he actually participated in
combat; (c) served at a normal post of duty; (d) or aboard a vessel other
than in a passenger status and furnished a certificate by the home port
commander of the vessel that he served in the combat zone.

8.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 provides for award of the World War II Victory
Medal for service between 7 December 1941 and 31 December 1946.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS:

1.  Although the applicant's unit, the 2d Portable Surgery Hospital,
received campaign participation credit for three campaigns, there is no
evidence of record and the applicant does not provide any to show that he
participated in either the Papua or the Southern Philippines campaigns.
The three invasions he participated in were all part of the overall New
Guinea campaign.  Therefore, it appears that his WD AGO Form 53-55
correctly shows he participated only in the New Guinea campaign.

2.  The applicant is eligible to wear one bronze service star on his
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal and his WD AGO Form 53-55 should be amended
to reflect that fact.

3.  The applicant is also eligible to wear the World War II Victory Medal.
This award should also be added to his WD AGO Form 53-55.

BOARD VOTE:

________  ________  ________  GRANT RELIEF

__fne___  __rtd___     ___ym___  GRANT PARTIAL RELIEF

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

BOARD DETERMINATION/RECOMMENDATION:

1.  The Board determined that the evidence presented was sufficient to
warrant a recommendation for partial relief and to excuse failure to timely
file.  As a result, the Board recommends that all Department of the Army
records of the individual concerned be corrected by amending his WD AGO
Form 53-55 to add the World War II Victory Medal and to show he is eligible
to wear one bronze service star on the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal and
by issuing to him those awards/devices.

2.  The Board further determined that the evidence presented is
insufficient to warrant a portion of the requested relief.  As a result,
the Board recommends denial of so much of the application that pertains to
showing he is eligible to wear three bronze service stars on the Asiatic-
Pacific Campaign Medal.




            ___Fred N. Eichorn____
                    CHAIRPERSON




                                    INDEX

|CASE ID                 |AR2004107063                            |
|SUFFIX                  |                                        |
|RECON                   |                                        |
|DATE BOARDED            |20050106                                |
|TYPE OF DISCHARGE       |                                        |
|DATE OF DISCHARGE       |                                        |
|DISCHARGE AUTHORITY     |                                        |
|DISCHARGE REASON        |                                        |
|BOARD DECISION          |GRANT                                   |
|REVIEW AUTHORITY        |Mr. Schneider                           |
|ISSUES         1.       |107.00                                  |
|2.                      |                                        |
|3.                      |                                        |
|4.                      |                                        |
|5.                      |                                        |
|6.                      |                                        |


-----------------------
[pic]