BOARD DATE:	  27 June 2013

		DOCKET NUMBER:  AR20120017591 


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 correction of the records of his deceased grandfather, a former service member (FSM) by:

* amending individual and unit records to show he served in Company B, 5th Ranger Infantry Battalion and ensuring he receives official recognition in publications for being a member of that unit
* crediting him with participation in the Normandy Campaign with assault landing credit (arrowhead device)
* adding the entry “94th Gen Hosp GO#15, Purple Heart, dated 
	30 September 1944 to his WD AGO Form 53-55 (Enlisted Record and 	Report of Separation Honorable Discharge)
* adding the Bronze Star Medal (BSM) (1st Oak Leaf Cluster) to his WD AGO Form 53-55
* adding all his weapons qualifications 
* awarding him the Distinguished Unit Citation, French Croix de Guerre, World War II (WWII) Victory Medal, and the American Campaign Medal
* issuing him medal sets for all awards received or should receive
* adding the U.S. Army Amphibious Unit Patch and France War Aid Patch to his records
 
2.  The applicant states, in effect, he believes that due to his grandfather’s wartime injuries and manner of evacuation from the European Theater of Operations during WWII, certain facts were lost and decorations that should have been accorded were left out of his official records.  The FSM died tragically in 1954 and his grandmother died in 2011, having been denied the dignity of acknowledgement of the FSM’s service.  Accordingly, his name should be added to publications listing members of Company B, 5th Ranger Infantry Battalion.

3.  The applicant provides a nine-page letter detailing his request along with the following:

* copies of pictures of an Army uniform belonging to the FSM
* three pages from a book of the 5th Ranger Battalion
* two pages from a book about Rangers in WWII
* a WD AGO Form 53-55
* one page from the FSM’s Separation Qualification Record
* Certificate of Disability for Discharge
* miscellaneous clinical treatment records
* payroll sheets
* morning reports
* general orders (GO)
* copies of Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) documents
* declassified operation orders
* a third-party email
* FSM’s death certificate
* birth certificates of the applicant and his mother
* an email regarding weapons used by Ranger battalions 

CONSIDERATION OF EVIDENCE:

1.  The FSM's military records are not available for review.  A fire destroyed approximately 18 million service members' records at the National Personnel Records Center in 1973.  It is believed the FSM's records were lost or destroyed in that fire.  However, the documents provided by the applicant with his application are sufficient to conduct a fair and impartial review of this case.

2.  The FSM was inducted on 7 January 1943 and entered active duty on          14 January 1943.  He was transferred to Camp San Luis Obispo, California for infantry training.  He was subsequently transferred to the 134th Infantry Regiment at Camp Rucker, Alabama and on 7 September 1943, he was transferred to the 5th Ranger Regiment at Camp Forrest, Tennessee.

3.  He departed for England on 7 January 1944 as a member of Company B, 5th Ranger Infantry Battalion and arrived on 19 January 1944.  He departed England and arrived in France on Omaha Beach on 6 June 1944 during the Normandy Invasion.  He also participated in the Northern France Campaign.

4.  On 2 September 1944, the FSM was wounded in Brest, France by fragments from an enemy landmine that was tripped by one of his comrades.  He was initially treated at the 108th Evacuation Hospital and was then transferred to the 94th General Hospital.  He departed the European Theater of Operations on 
19 December 1944 on the Queen Mary and was subsequently transferred through channels to O’Reilly General Hospital on 2 January 1945.  He was awarded the Purple Heart on 20 September 1944 at the 94th General Hospital.  He was then transferred to Percy Jones Hospital Center at Fort Custer, Michigan where he remained until he was honorably discharged with a Certificate of Disability for Discharge on 19 April 1945.

5.  His WD AGO Form 53-55 shows he participated in the “Battle of France” Campaign and was awarded the Good Conduct Ribbon, Bronze Service Star for campaign participation, European-African-Middle Eastern Theater Ribbon, Unit Citation, Purple Heart, and Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB).

6.  The Battle of France, also known as the Fall of France, was the successful German invasion of France and the Low Countries that began on 10 May 1940 and lasted through 22 June 1940.

7.  A review of the available records failed to show any evidence of the FSM being awarded the BSM.  It also failed to reveal any weapons qualifications. 

8.  Department of the Army General Orders (DAGO) Number 43 awarded the 5th Ranger Infantry Battalion the French Croix De Guerre with Silver Gilt Star for distinguished actions on 6 June 1944 during the Normandy landing.

9.  The available evidence shows that the FSM’s unit was awarded a Unit Citation (Battle Honors) in DAGO Number 26, issued by Headquarters 1st Army on 17 June 1944; a Unit Citation (Battle Honors) in DAGO Number 36, issued by Headquarters, 1st Army on 13 July 1944; Assault Landing Credit (Arrowhead Device) in DAGO Number 70, issued by the War Department on 20 August 1945; Unit Citation (Battle Honors) in DAGO Number 295, issued by Headquarters, 29th Infantry Division on 4 September 1945; Unit Citation (Battle Honors) in DAGO Number 73, issued by the War Department on 6 September 1944; Unit Citation (Battle Honors) in DAGO Number 102, issued by the War Department on 
9 November 1945; and Unit Citation (Battle Honors) in DAGO Number 103, issued by the War Department on 13 November 1945. 

10.  Department of the Army Pamphlet 672-1 (Unit Citation and Campaign Participation Credit Register) lists the awards received by units serving in WWII and the Korean War.  This pamphlet shows the 5th Ranger Infantry Battalion was: 
* cited for award of the Distinguished Unit Citation (now known as the Presidential Unit Citation) for actions on 6 June 1944 by DAGO Number 73-44
* credited with an assault landing at Normandy from 6 – 7 June 1944 by DAGO Number 70-45
* awarded the French Croix De Guerre for actions on 6 June 1944 by DAGO Number 43-50

11.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 (Military Awards) prescribes Army policy, criteria, and administrative instructions concerning individual and unit military awards.  

	a.  The BSM is awarded for heroism and for meritorious achievement or service in military operations against an armed enemy.  The BSM 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 CIB is considered to be a citation in orders.  Therefore, the BSM is to be awarded to individuals who were authorized the CIB for service during WWII.

	b.  The Presidential Unit Citation (known as the Distinguished Unit Citation until 3 November 1966) is awarded for extraordinary heroism in action.  A unit must display such gallantry, determination, and esprit de corps in accomplishing its mission as would warrant award of the Distinguished Service Cross to an individual. 

	c.  The American Campaign Medal is awarded for qualifying service in the American Theater between 7 December 1941 and 2 March 1946.  Qualifying service for this campaign medal includes permanent assignment outside the continental United States (OCONUS) but within the American Theater of Operations, or duty as a crewmember aboard a vessel sailing ocean waters for 30 consecutive or 60 nonconsecutive days, or duty OCONUS as a passenger or in a temporary duty status for 30 consecutive or 60 nonconsecutive days, or active combat against the enemy and was awarded a combat decoration or furnished a certificate by a corps commander or higher, or service within CONUS for an aggregate period of 1 year.

	d.  The European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal is awarded for service within the European African-Middle Eastern Theater between 7 December 1941 and 8 November 1945.  This medal is awarded to any service member who was permanently assigned in the theater, who was in a passenger status or on temporary duty for 30 consecutive days or 60 nonconsecutive days, 


or who was in active combat against the enemy and was awarded a combat decoration, or who was furnished a certificate by the commanding general of a corps or higher unit or independent force showing that he actually participated in combat.

	e.  The WWII Victory Medal is awarded for service between 7 December 1941 and 31 December 1946, both dates inclusive.

	f.  The marksmanship qualification badge is awarded to indicate the degree – Expert, Sharpshooter, and Marksman -- in which an individual has qualified in a prescribed record course.  An appropriate bar is furnished to denote each weapon with which the individual has qualified.  Award of marksmanship badges is not permanent.  An award for previous marksmanship weapons qualification is revoked automatically whenever an individual, upon completion of firing a record course for which the previous award was made, has not attained the same qualification.  In the event a badge is authorized for firing a limited or sub-caliber course, it is automatically revoked if a record service course is subsequently fired.

	g.  The Ranger Tab is awarded for successful completion of a Ranger Course conducted by the U.S. Army Infantry School or the Ranger Training Command.  It is also awarded to any person who was awarded the CIB while serving in WWII as a member of a Ranger Battalion (1st to 6th inclusive) or in the 5307th Composite Unit (Merrill’s Marauders).

	h.  The French Fourragere may be awarded by the French Government when a unit has been cited twice for award of the French Croix de Guerre.  When a unit is cited twice for the Croix de Guerre, the colors of the fourragere are red and green.  When a unit is cited four times, the colors of the fourragere are yellow and green.  Award of the fourragere is not automatic and requires a decree by the French Government, and persons who were only in one action are not authorized to wear the fourragere.  When a unit was cited only one time for award of the French Croix de Guerre, there was no individual device, medal, or ribbon authorized for wear by members of the unit.

	i.  A bronze service star, based on qualifying service for each campaign listed in Appendix B of this regulation, will be worn on the appropriate service medal.  

	j.  The “arrowhead” will 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.  Individual assault credit is tied directly to the combat assault credit decision for the unit to which the Soldier is assigned.  The unit must be credited with a combat assault in order for the Soldier to receive credit for a combat assault and the Soldier must physically exit the aircraft or the watercraft as appropriate.  This regulation states, in part, the arrowhead is authorized for wear on the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal.

12.  Army Regulation 670-1 (Wear and Appearance of Army Uniforms and Insignia) states unit awards are authorized for permanent wear by an individual who was assigned and present for duty with the unit at any time during the period cited or who was attached to and present for duty with the unit for at least 
30 consecutive days of the period cited.

	a.  This regulation governs the requirements for wear of the shoulder sleeve insignia for former wartime service, commonly referred to as a “combat patch” and authorizes optional wear of the U.S. Army shoulder sleeve insignia of any former wartime unit in which a Soldier served during a period of eligibility.  
	
	b.  Periods of eligibility are announced by Headquarters, Department of the Army (HQDA) and only shoulder sleeve insignia approved for wear by HQDA are authorized to be worn on the right sleeve of the Army Green and field uniforms to signify wartime service.  There are no provisions for entering the shoulder sleeve insignia for former wartime service on the DD Form 214 as it is an item of uniform wear and not an award or decoration.   

13.  Medal sets for awards are not issued by the Army Board for Correction of Military Records (ABCMR).  However, the applicant may obtain these medals by submitting a request in writing to:  National Personnel Records Center, ATTN: Army Reference Branch, 1 Archives Drive, St. Louis, Missouri  63138.  This issue will not be further addressed in this Record of Proceedings.

14.  The Board is not the custodian of unit records (which the applicant has not identified) and does not have the authority to add or change information in publications made by private citizens; however, it does not preclude the applicant from applying to those sources to make changes to historical publications/records.  Accordingly, the issue of changing those publications/records will not be further addressed in this Record of Proceedings.

15.  War Department Technical Manual 12-236 served as the authority for the preparation of the WD AGO Form 53-55.  It provides, in part, that decorations and citation will be entered with the authority for each.  Service medals do not require an authority.



DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS:

1.  While the entry on the FSM’s WD AGO Form 53-55 indicating his unit as the 5th Ranger Battalion is not in error, the FSM was assigned to Company B, 5th Ranger Infantry Battalion.  As a matter of clarity, his WD AGO Form 53-55 should be corrected to reflect the entire unit nomenclature.  

2.  The FSM’s WD AGO Form 53-55 reflects that he participated in the “Battle of France” campaign which is apparently an error because that campaign began on 10 May 1940 and lasted until 22 June 1940, well before the FSM was inducted and it was not an authorized campaign for U.S. forces.  However, the FSM did participate in the "Normandy" and "Northern France" campaigns.  He also participated in an assault landing which authorized an “Arrowhead Device.”  As such, he is entitled to correction of his WD AGO Form 53-55 to add these campaigns.  In addition, he should have two bronze service stars and an arrowhead device added to his previously-awarded European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Ribbon to denote his campaign participation.  

3.  The FSM was awarded the Purple Heart in GO Number 15, issued by the 94th General Hospital on 20 September 1944 and this information should be annotated on his WD AGO Form 53-55.

4.  The FSM was awarded the CIB and thus is entitled to be awarded the BSM and to have it added to his WD AGO Form 53-55.  However, there is no evidence to show that he was awarded an additional award of the BSM and therefore no basis to add the BSM with 1OLC to his WD AGO Form 53-55.

5.  The FSM also served during qualifying periods for awards of the Ranger Tab, American Campaign Medal, and the WWII Victory Medal and is entitled to have these decorations added to his WD AGO Form 53-55.

6.  The applicant’s unit was cited for awards of the French Croix de Guerre, Distinguished Unit Citation, and six Unit Citations (Battle Honors) for six occasions.  Therefore, he is entitled to addition of these awards to his WD AGO Form 53-55.

7.  The applicant’s contention that the FSM’s unit patches should be added to his WD AGO Form 53-55 has been noted and found to lack merit.  Unit patches are items of uniform wear and are not authorized for entry on the WD AGO Form   53-55. 

8.  The applicant’s contention that the FSM’s weapons qualifications should be entered on his WD AGO Form 53-55 has been noted; however, the FSM's record is absent of evidence and the applicant has not provided any evidence to show any record of qualification with any weapon.  Additionally, it is not reasonable to presume that without supporting evidence, that the FSM qualified with every weapon used by a Ranger unit as an expert.  Accordingly, no qualifications should be entered on that form without supporting documentation.

BOARD VOTE:

________  ________  ________  GRANT FULL RELIEF 

___X_____  ___X_____  __X__  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.  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 by:

* Awarding him the BSM effective 2 September 1944 based on his award of the CIB.
* deleting the entry “5th Ranger Battalion” from block 6 (Organization) and adding the entry “Company B, 5th Ranger Infantry Battalion” 
* deleting the entry “Battle of France” from block 32 (Battles and Campaigns) and adding the entries “Normandy" and "Northern France" 
* deleting the entries “Bronze Star for campaign,” European-African-Middle Eastern Theater Ribbon” and “Purple Heart” from block 33 (Decorations and Citations) and adding the following awards: 
 
* European-African-Middle Eastern Theater Ribbon with two campaign stars and arrowhead device
* Purple Heart GO Number 15, 94th General Hospital, 20 September 1944
* BSM, Ranger Tab, American Campaign Medal, and the WWII Victory Medal
* Distinguished Unit Citation, DAGO Number 73-44
* French Croix de Guerre, DAGO 43-50
* Unit Citation, DAGO 36, Headquarters, 1st Army, 13 July 1944
* Unit Citation, DAGO 73, 6 September 1944
* Unit Citation, DAGO 295, Headquarters, 29th Infantry Division, 
	4 September 1945 
* Unit Citation, DAGO 102, 9 November 1945
* Unit Citation, DAGO 103, 13 November 1945

2.  The Board further determined that the evidence presented was 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 adding an award of the BSM 1OLC, marksmanship awards and unit patches to the FSM’s WD AGO Form   53-55.

3.  The Board wants the applicant and all others to know that the sacrifices made by her late father in service to the United States during WWII are deeply appreciated.  The applicant and all Americans should be justifiably proud of his service in arms.



      _______ _ 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)                                         AR20120017591





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ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont)                                         AR20120017591



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