RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS


      IN THE CASE OF:


      BOARD DATE:           20 September 2005
      DOCKET NUMBER:  AR2005002236


      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. Wanda L. Waller               |     |Analyst              |

      The following members, a quorum, were present:

|     |Mr. James Hise                    |     |Chairperson          |
|     |Mr. Thomas O'Shaughnessy          |     |Member               |
|     |Mr. Patrick McGann                |     |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, as the widow of a deceased former service member (FSM),
requests correction of the FSM’s WD AGO Form 53-55 (Enlisted Record and
Report of Separation) to show award of the Combat Infantryman Badge and the
Bronze Star Medal (based on award of the Combat Infantryman Badge).

2.  The applicant states, in effect, the FSM earned it, deserves it, and he
met the criteria for the Combat Infantryman Badge and subsequently the
Bronze Star Medal (based on award of the Combat Infantryman Badge).  She
points out that the FSM served with the infantry in the Southwest Pacific
Theater of Operations as an anti-tank gun crewman and that he trained as a
combat infantryman of a rifle company.

3.  The applicant provides a letter, dated 1 February 2005, from a Veterans
Service Officer in Ashland, Wisconsin and several enclosures which are
outlined in this letter.

CONSIDERATION OF EVIDENCE:

1.  The FSM’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 FSM’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.

2.  The FSM was inducted on 7 August 1941.  His WD AGO Form 53-55 shows
that his military occupational specialty was 610 (antitank gun crewman).
He served in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater of Operations from 14 May 1942
through
17 June 1944 and was honorably discharged on 26 September 1945.

3.  The FSM’s WD AGO Form 53-55 shows the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
with two bronze service stars, an unspecified unit citation, the American
Campaign Medal, the “Infantry Badge,” and the Good Conduct Medal as
authorized awards.

4.  The available records contain an undated letter from the Assistant
Adjutant of the Sixth Service Command at Fort Sheridan, Illinois which
shows the FSM was authorized to wear the American Defense Service Ribbon
(correctly known as the American Campaign Medal), the Good Conduct Ribbon
(correctly known as the Good Conduct Medal), the Asiatic-Pacific Theater
Ribbon with two bronze battle stars (correctly known as the Asiatic-Pacific
Campaign Medal with two bronze service stars), the Expert Infantryman
Badge, and the Papuan Campaign Citation.

5.  There are no orders for the Combat Infantryman Badge in the available
records.

6.  The FSM’s War Department Form 372A (Final Payment – Work Sheet) shows
he did not receive combat infantry pay.  These pay records do show that he
received expert infantry pay.

7.  In support of her claim, the applicant provided the FSM’s WD AGO Form
100 (Army Separation Qualification Record) which shows he served with the
infantry in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater of Operations, worked as an
antitank gunner, and made maintenance checks and repairs on guns.  She also
provided a certificate of training which shows the FSM completed 13 weeks
of infantry training.

8.  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, U.S. Army Human Resources 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)

9.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 (Military Awards) provides, in pertinent part,
that the Bronze Star Medal is awarded for heroism and for meritorious
achievement or service in military operations against an armed enemy.  The
Bronze Star Medal is authorized for each individual who was cited in orders
or awarded a certificate for exemplary conduct in ground combat between
7 December 1941 and 2 September 1945 or whose achievement or service,
during that period, was confirmed by documents executed prior to 1 July
1947.  An award of the Combat Infantryman Badge or the Combat Medical Badge
is considered to be a citation in orders.  This means, in effect, that the
Bronze Star Medal is to be awarded to individuals who were authorized
either badge for service during World War II.

10.  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.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS:

1.  There are no orders for the Combat Infantryman Badge and the FSM’s pay
records show that he did not receive combat infantry pay.  Regrettably,
there is insufficient evidence on which to base award of the Combat
Infantryman Badge or the Bronze Star Medal (based on award of the Combat
Infantryman Badge) in this case.

2.  The FSM served a period of qualifying service for award of the World
War II Victory Medal.

3.  Since the FSM’s pay records show that he received expert infantry pay,
and the letter from the Assistant Adjutant shows he was authorized to wear
the Expert Infantryman Badge, it is reasonable to presume that the entry,
“Infantry Badge” on the FSM’s WD AGO Form 53-55 should be the Expert
Infantryman Badge.  Therefore, his WD AGO Form 53-55 should be corrected to
show this badge.

4.  Evidence shows that the FSM’s records contain administrative errors
which do not require action by the Board.  Therefore, administrative
correction of the FSM's records will be accomplished by the Case Management
Support Division (CMSD), St. Louis, Missouri, as outlined by the Board in
paragraph 2 of the BOARD DETERMINATION/RECOMMENDATION section below.

BOARD VOTE:

________  ________  ________  GRANT FULL RELIEF

________  ________  ________  GRANT PARTIAL RELIEF

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

JH_____  TO______  PM_____  DENY APPLICATION

BOARD DETERMINATION/RECOMMENDATION:

1.  The Board determined that the evidence presented does not demonstrate
the existence of a probable error or injustice.  Therefore, the Board
determined that the overall merits of this case are insufficient as a basis
for correction of the records of the individual concerned.

2.  The Board determined that an administrative error in the records of the
individual concerned should be corrected.  Therefore, the Board requests
that the CMSD-St. Louis administratively correct the records of the
individual concerned to show that he was awarded the World War II Victory
Medal and the Expert Infantryman Badge.



            ____James Hise________
                    CHAIRPERSON




                                    INDEX

|CASE ID                 |AR20050002236                           |
|SUFFIX                  |                                        |
|RECON                   |                                        |
|DATE BOARDED            |20050920                                |
|TYPE OF DISCHARGE       |                                        |
|DATE OF DISCHARGE       |                                        |
|DISCHARGE AUTHORITY     |                                        |
|DISCHARGE REASON        |                                        |
|BOARD DECISION          |DENY                                    |
|REVIEW AUTHORITY        |                                        |
|ISSUES         1.       |107.0111                                |
|2.                      |107.0014                                |
|3.                      |107.0000                                |
|4.                      |                                        |
|5.                      |                                        |
|6.                      |                                        |


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