IN THE CASE OF:
BOARD DATE: 3 December 2009
DOCKET NUMBER: AR20090011902
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 award of the Purple Heart.
2. The applicant states that in February 1968 while stationed in Vietnam during the TET Offensive, he was constantly involved in jungle patrols. He adds that the mission of the patrols were to search for wounded Soldiers, animals, or enemy activities. The applicant states that during one of the patrols, he fell and was injured while low crawling to take cover.
3. The applicant does not provide any additional documents in support of his application.
CONSIDERATION OF EVIDENCE:
1. 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 also allows the Army Board for Correction of Military Records (ABCMR) to excuse an applicants failure to timely file within the 3-year statute of limitations if the ABCMR determines it would be in the interest of justice to do so. While it appears the applicant did not file within the time frame provided in the statute of limitations, the ABCMR has elected to conduct a substantive review of this case and, only to the extent relief, if any, is granted, has determined it is in the interest of justice to excuse the applicants failure to timely file. In all other respects, there are insufficient bases to waive the statute of limitations for timely filing.
2. Records show the applicant enlisted in the Regular Army on 4 August 1966. He served in Vietnam from 9 September 1967 to 12 June 1968. He was honorably retired on 31 July 1990.
3. Item 13 (Decorations, Medals, Badges, Citations, and Campaign Ribbons Awarded or Authorized) of the applicant's DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) does not show award of the Purple Heart. The applicant's military service records do not contain any general orders awarding him the Purple Heart. The applicant's name is not listed on the Vietnam casualty roster.
4. Item 9 (Awards, Decorations, and Campaigns) of the applicant's DA Form 2-1 (Personnel Qualification Record) does not show the award of the Purple Heart.
5. There is no documentation in the available records which shows the applicant sustained wounds or was treated for wounds incurred as a result of hostile action.
6. 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 by a medical officer, and the medical treatment must have been made a matter of official record.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS:
There are no general orders available which awarded the applicant the Purple Heart. There are no medical records available which show the applicant was wounded or treated for wounds as a result of hostile action during his service in Vietnam. In the absence of such evidence, there is an insufficient basis for award of the Purple Heart in this case.
BOARD VOTE:
________ ________ ________ GRANT FULL RELIEF
________ ________ ________ GRANT PARTIAL RELIEF
________ ________ ________ GRANT FORMAL HEARING
____x____ ____x____ ____x____ DENY APPLICATION
BOARD DETERMINATION/RECOMMENDATION:
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.
_______ _ _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) AR20090011902
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ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20090011902
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