IN THE CASE OF:	  

	BOARD DATE:	  28 October 2008

	DOCKET NUMBER:  AR20080009967


THE BOARD CONSIDERED THE FOLLOWING EVIDENCE:

1.  Application for correction of military records (with supporting documents provided, if any).

2.  Military Personnel Records and advisory opinions (if any).


THE APPLICANT'S REQUEST, STATEMENT, AND EVIDENCE:

1.  The applicant requests reconsideration of his earlier request for correction of his Enlisted Record and Report of Separation Honorable Discharge (WD AGO Form 53-55) to show a bronze arrowhead and a fifth bronze service star on his European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal.

2.  The applicant states that he was assigned to the 72nd Signal Company in the European Theater of Operations (ETO) and participated in five campaigns and one assault landing.

3.  The applicant provides a 13 May 2008 letter and 8 September 1945 WD AGO Form 53-55 from a former member of the 72nd Signal Company, in support of his application.

CONSIDERATION OF EVIDENCE:

1.  Incorporated herein by reference are military records which were summarized in the previous consideration of the applicant's case by the Army Board for Correction of Military Records (ABCMR) in Docket Number AR20070016005 on 22 April 2008.

2.  The letter provided by the applicant from his former comrade, provided as new evidence, states that they were together in the 72nd Signal Company in 1943.  They met in Algeria and traveled to Tunisia prior to their participation in the amphibious assault at Gela, Sicily.  They then returned to North Africa prior to going to Naples, Italy.  From there the 72nd Signal Company was sent to various places and they became separated.  The applicant’s comrade returned to the United States in July 1945.  However, the applicant had departed from the ETO on 17 August 1944, arriving in the United States on 1 September 1944.  He served in the United States until 8 July 1945, when he was honorably discharged.

3.  The former comrade’s WD AGO Form 53-55 shows that he was assigned to the 72nd Signal Company and was in the ETO from 15 August 1943 to 19 July 1945. 

4.  Item 6 (Organization) of the applicant’s WD AGO Form 53-55 shows the 847th Signal Training Battalion.  

5.  Item 32 (Battles and Campaigns) of the applicant’s WD AGO Form 53-55 shows Algeria-French Morocco, Sicily, Naples-Foggia, and Rome-Arno.  It does not show Anzio. 

6.  Item 33 (Decorations and Citations) of the applicant’s WD AGO Form 53-55, as corrected by a DD Form 215, shows his awards as the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with four bronze service stars, American Defense Service Medal, American Campaign Medal, and the World War II Victory Medal.  It does not show award of the Bronze Arrowhead for an assault landing at Gela, Sicily, during the Sicily Campaign.

7.  Department of the Army Pamphlet 672-1 (Unit Citation and Campaign Participation Credit Register) lists the campaign participation credit for units serving in World War II.  This publication shows that the 72nd Signal Company, during the time of the applicant's assignment participated in the following five campaign periods: Algeria-French Morocco, 8-11 November 1942; Sicily, 9 July to 17 August 1943; Naples-Foggia, 9 September 1943 to 21 January 1944; Anzio, 22 January to 24 May 1944; and Rome-Arno, 22 January to 9 September 1944.  The applicant was also present and participated with the unit at the time it received assault credit for Gela, Sicily, during the period 9-11 July 1943.

8.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 (Military Awards) provides, in pertinent part, for the wear of a bronze service star on the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal for each campaign.  A silver service star denotes participation in five campaigns.


9.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 further provides, in pertinent part, for the bronze arrowhead to be worn on the appropriate service medal to denote participation in a combat parachute jump, helicopter assault landing, combat glider landing, or amphibious assault landing while assigned or attached as a member of an organized force carrying out an assigned tactical mission.  The regulation requires that the unit must be credited with a combat assault in order for the Soldiers to receive credit for a combat assault and the Soldier must physically exit the aircraft or the watercraft as appropriate.  The regulation also specifies that the bronze arrowhead is authorized for wear on the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, the Korean Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal, and the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS:

The available evidence shows that the applicant was assigned to the 72nd Signal Company during the period from 3 November 1942 to 17 August 1944.  It further shows that during this period, his unit participated in five campaign periods and an assault landing.  Therefore, his WD AGO Form 53-55 should be corrected to show this participation.

BOARD VOTE:

____X___  ___X____  ___X___  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 amendment of the ABCMR’s decision in Docket Number AR20070016005, dated 22 April 2008.  As a result, the Board recommends that all Department of the Army records of the individual concerned be corrected by:

	a.  adding in Item 32 (Battles and Campaigns) Anzio; 

	b.  deleting the four bronze service stars from his European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal; and

	c.  showing, in addition to the awards already shown on his 8 July 1945 WD AGO Form 53-55 and 15 August 2008 DD Form 215, that his awards include a bronze arrowhead and a silver service star to be affixed to his already awarded European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal.



      __________X_____________
      CHAIRPERSON
      
I certify that herein is recorded the true and complete record of the proceedings of the Army Board for Correction of Military Records in this case.
ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont)                                         AR20070016793



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ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont)                                         AR20080009967



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