RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
IN THE CASE OF:
BOARD DATE: 2 November 2006
DOCKET NUMBER: AR20060005932
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 Gunlicks | |Chairperson |
| |Mr. Scott Faught | |Member |
| |Mr. Edward Montgomery | |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 daughter of a deceased former service member
(FSM), requests that her late father’s WD AGO Form 53-55 (Enlisted Record
and Report of Separation) be corrected to show award of the Purple Heart.
2. The applicant states that the FSM was awarded the Purple Heart for a
shrapnel injury to his knee during World War II.
3. The applicant provides a copy of the FSM’s WD AGO Form 53-55; a death
certificate; and an Office of The Surgeon General Hospital List.
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 enlisted on 22 September 1942. He served in the European
Theater of Operations from 23 May 1944 through 25 November 1945 and was
honorably discharged on 18 December 1945.
3. Item 32 (Battles and Campaigns) on the FSM’s WD AGO Form 53-55 shows he
participated in five battles and campaigns. His WD AGO Form 53-55 shows
the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, the Good Conduct Medal,
the World War II Victory Medal, and the American Campaign Medal as
authorized awards. Item 34 (Wounds Received in Action) on his WD AGO Form
53-55 shows the entry, “NONE.”
4. There are no orders for the Purple Heart in the available records.
However, the Office of The Surgeon General Hospital List shows the FSM was
hospitalized on 6 December 1944 in the European Theater of Operation for a
battle injury to his knee.
5. 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.
6. Army Regulation 600-8-22 authorizes a bronze service star, based on
qualifying service, for each campaign listed in Appendix B of this
regulation or listed in item 32 of the WD AGO Form 53-55. This regulation
provides that a silver service star is authorized in lieu of five bronze
service stars.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS:
1. The medical evidence of record which shows the FSM sustained a battle
injury on 6 December 1944 in the European Theater of Operations is accepted
as sufficient evidence on which to amend his WD AGO Form 53-55 to show
award of the Purple Heart in this case. Therefore, items 33 (Decorations
and Citations) and 34 on his WD AGO Form 53-55 will be corrected.
2. The FSM participated in five campaigns in the European Theater of
Operations which entitles him to the European-African-Middle Eastern
Campaign Medal with one silver service star.
BOARD VOTE:
JG______ _SF_____ _EM_____ GRANT FULL RELIEF
________ ________ ________ GRANT PARTIAL RELIEF
________ ________ ________ GRANT FORMAL HEARING
________ ________ ________ DENY APPLICATION
BOARD DETERMINATION/RECOMMENDATION:
The Board determined that the evidence presented was sufficient to warrant
a recommendation for 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:
a. amending item 33 on his WD AGO Form 53-55 to add the Purple Heart
and the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with one silver
service star;
b. deleting the entry in item 34 on his WD AGO Form 53-55; and
c. adding the entry, “6 December 1944, European Theater of
Operations” in item 34 on his WD AGO Form 53-55.
___James Gunlicks_____
CHAIRPERSON
INDEX
|CASE ID |AR20060005932 |
|SUFFIX | |
|RECON | |
|DATE BOARDED |20061102 |
|TYPE OF DISCHARGE | |
|DATE OF DISCHARGE | |
|DISCHARGE AUTHORITY | |
|DISCHARGE REASON | |
|BOARD DECISION |GRANT |
|REVIEW AUTHORITY | |
|ISSUES 1. |107.0015 |
|2. | |
|3. | |
|4. | |
|5. | |
|6. | |
-----------------------
[pic]
ARMY | BCMR | CY2009 | 20090008469
The applicant requests that the records of his deceased father, a former service member (FSM), be corrected to show award of the Silver Star and all other authorized awards and decorations. As a result, the Board recommends that all Department of the Army records of the individual concerned be corrected by: a. deleting from item 33 of the FSM's amended WD AGO Form 53-55 the entries "2 Bronze Service Stars" and "European African Middle Eastern Theater Ribbon WDC 62 44"; and b. adding to item...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2002 | 2002082785C070215
The applicant requests, as the widow of the former service member (FSM), that her late husband's WD AGO Form 53-55 (Enlisted Record and Report of Separation) be corrected to show that he was wounded in action, that he was a prisoner of war and that he served in the Glider Division. There are no orders for the Combat Infantryman Badge in the available records; however, the FSM'S WD AGO Form 53-55 shows that he served in military occupational specialty (MOS) 745 (rifleman) during World War...
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 | CY2013 | 20130006291
Army Regulation 600-8-22 (Military Awards) provides that the Purple Heart is awarded for a wound sustained as a result of hostile action. Awarding him the Purple Heart, for wounds incurred in the European Theater of Operations on 24 March 1945; b. Amending item 33 of his WD AGO Form 53-55 to delete the "ATO MED" and "EAMETO MED"; and c. Amending item 33 of his WD AGO Form 53-55 to add the Purple Heart, the American Campaign Medal, and the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2009 | 20090011656
The applicant, the widow of a former service member (FSM), requests correction of the FSM's WD AGO Form 53-55 (Enlisted Record and Report of Separation Honorable Discharge) to show award of the Bronze Star Medal and the Purple Heart. Item 33 (Decorations and Citations) of the FSM's WD AGO Form 53-55 shows he was awarded the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, World War II Victory Medal, and Army of Occupation Medal. Army Regulation 600-8-22 (Military...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2011 | 20110018725
His WD AGO Form 53-55 further shows in: * item 6 (Organization) the entry "Co G, 22nd Infantry, 4th Division" * item 31 (Military Qualification and Date) the entry "Combat Infantryman Badge 1 November 1944" * item 32 (Battles and Campaigns) the: * Campaign of Normandy * Campaign of Belgium * Campaign of Germany * item 33 (Decorations and Citations) the: * Three Bronze Battle Stars * Army Good Conduct Medal * Purple Heart with One Oak Leaf Cluster * European Theater of Operations...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2010 | 20100006867
The only record available to this Board is the FSM'S WD AGO Form 53-55 provided by the applicant. As a result, the Board recommends that all Department of the Army records of the FSM be corrected by awarding him the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star Medal. In addition, the Board recommends that item 33 of the FSM's WD AGO Form 53-55 be amended to show he was awarded or is authorized the: * Bronze Star Medal * Purple Heart * Army of Occupation Medal with Germany Clasp *...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2009 | 20090005753
The available evidence shows that the FSM suffered from tinnitus and hearing loss due to exposure to loud gunfire while engaging the enemy. Therefore, his records should be corrected to show these awards. However, notwithstanding the staff DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS above, the Board further determined that the evidence presented was insufficient to warrant a portion of the requested relief.
ARMY | BCMR | CY2013 | 20130011858
The applicant requests the records of her late father, a former service member (FSM) be corrected to show his award of the Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster. Department of the Army Pamphlet 672-1 (Unit Citation and Campaign Participation Credit Register) shows that while the FSM was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 115th Infantry Regiment, 29th Infantry Division, it was credited with participation in three campaigns: Normandy, Northern France and the Rhineland; was awarded a Distinguished...
ARMY | BCMR | CY2013 | 20130021791
The applicant requests the WD AGO Form 53-55 (Enlisted Record and Report of Separation - Honorable Service) of his deceased uncle, a former service member (FSM), be corrected to show: * A bronze arrowhead and three additional bronze service stars to be affixed to his European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal * Presidential Unit Citation 2. Based on award of this badge, he is entitled to award of the Bronze Star Medal and correction of his records to show it. As a result, the Board...