BOARD DATE:	  3 December 2013

		DOCKET NUMBER:  AR20130006543 


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, the widow of a former service member (FSM), requests correction of his DD Form 214 (Armed Forces of the United States Report of Transfer or Discharge) to show all of his awards and decorations.

2.  The applicant states the FSM served in the Republic of Vietnam (RVN) for more than six months and he should have been awarded the National Defense Service Medal and RVN Campaign Medal.

3.  The applicant provides a copy of the FSM's DD Form 214 and Certificate of Death.

CONSIDERATION OF EVIDENCE:

1.  The FSM was inducted into the U.S. Army on 14 May 1964.  

2.  Headquarters, 4th Training Regiment, U.S. Army Training Center, Infantry, Fort Dix, NJ, Special Orders Number 138, dated 30 June 1964, awarded the FSM the Expert Marksmanship Qualification Badge with Rifle (M-14) Bar.

3.  Headquarters, 6th Battalion, 56th Artillery, General Orders Number 7, dated 11 April 1966, awarded the FSM the Army Good Conduct Medal (1st Award) for the period 14 May 1964 to 13 May 1966.

4.  The FSM's DA Form 20 (Enlisted Qualification Record) shows in:

   a.  item 31 (Foreign Service):  RVN from 11 September 1965 through
3 May 1966;

   b.  item 38 (Record of Assignments):  Headquarters and Headquarters Battery (HHB), 6th Battalion, 56th Artillery, effective 11 September 1965;

5.  A DD Form 214 shows the FSM was honorably released from active duty on 13 May 1966.

a. He completed 2 years of net active service this period that included
7 months and 24 days of foreign service.

   b.  Item 26 (Decorations, Medals, Badges, Commendations, Citations and Campaign Ribbons Awarded or Authorized) shows the "VNSM" and GRMDL" (presumably the Vietnam Service Medal and Army Good Conduct Medal).

6.  A review of the Awards and Decorations Computer-Assisted Retrieval System, an index of general orders issued during the Vietnam-era between
1965 and 1973 maintained by the Military Awards Branch of the U.S. Army Human Resources Command, failed to reveal any individual award orders pertaining to the FSM.

7.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 (Military Awards) provides policy, criteria, and administrative instructions concerning military awards and decorations.

	a.	The National Defense Service Medal is awarded for honorable active service for any period between 27 July 1950 and 27 July 1954, 1 January 1961 and 14 August 1974, 2 August 1990 and 30 November 1995, and 11 September 2001 and a date to be determined.

	b.  The Vietnam Service Medal is awarded to all members of the Armed Forces of the United States for qualifying service in Vietnam after 3 July 1965 through 28 March 1973.  A bronze service star will be awarded for wear on the Vietnam Service Medal for participation in each credited campaign.

	c.  Table B-1 contains a list of Vietnam Conflict campaigns and shows that participation credit was awarded for the following campaigns:

* Vietnam Defense Campaign (8 March - 24 December 1965)
* Vietnam Counteroffensive (25 December 1965 - 30 June 1966)

   d.  The RVN Campaign Medal with Device (1960) was awarded by the Government of Vietnam to all members of the Armed Forces of the United States for qualifying service in Vietnam during the period 1 March 1961 through 28 March 1973.  Qualifying service included assignment in Vietnam for 6 months or more.  

8.  Department of the Army (DA) Pamphlet 672-3 (Unit Citation and Campaign Participation Credit Register) lists the awards received by units serving in Vietnam.

	a.  It shows at the time of the FSM's assignment to HHB, 6th Battalion, 
56th Artillery, the battalion was awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation for the period November 1965 to June 1966 by Department of the Army General Orders (DAGO) Number 17 (1968).

   b.  Paragraph 6d of the DA pamphlet states that DAGO Number 8 (1974) announced award of the RVN Gallantry Cross with Palm Unit Citation to Headquarters, U.S. Army Vietnam, and its subordinate units during the period 
20 July 1965 to 28 March 1973.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The evidence of record shows:

a. general orders awarded the FSM the Army Good Conduct Medal;

   b.  he qualified for award of the National Defense Service Medal;

   c.  the FSM qualified for award of the Vietnam Service Medal and he participated in two campaigns during his service in Vietnam.  Thus, he is entitled to two bronze service stars for wear on his already-awarded Vietnam Service Medal;
   
   d.  he qualified for award of the RVN Campaign Medal with Device (1960);

	e.  general orders awarded the FSM's unit the:

* Meritorious Unit Commendation
* RVN Gallantry Cross with Palm Unit Citation

   f.  special orders awarded the FSM the Expert Marksmanship Qualification Badge with Rifle (M-14) Bar.

2.  In view of the foregoing, it would be appropriate to correct the FSM's DD Form 214 to show his awards and decorations, as recommended below.
BOARD VOTE:

__x___  ___x_____  ___x_____  GRANT FULL RELIEF 

________  ________  ________  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 relief.  As a result, the Board recommends that all Department of the Army records of the individual concerned be corrected by:

   a.  deleting all entries from item 26 of the FSM's 13 May 1966 DD Form 214; and

   b.  adding to item 26 of the FSM's 13 May 1966 DD Form 214 the:

* Army Good Conduct Medal (1st Award)
* National Defense Service Medal
* Vietnam Service Medal with 2 bronze service stars
* Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal with Device (1960)
* Meritorious Unit Commendation
* Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm Unit Citation
* Expert Marksmanship Qualification Badge with Rifle (M-14) Bar

2.  The Board wants the applicant and all others to know the sacrifices the former service member made in service to the United States during the Vietnam War are deeply appreciated.  The applicant and all Americans should be justifiably proud of the former service member's 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)                                         AR20130006543



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ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont)                                         AR20130006543



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