IN THE CASE OF:
BOARD DATE: 4 February 2014
DOCKET NUMBER: AR20130008639
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 son of a deceased former service member (FSM), requests, in effect, correction of the FSM's WD AGO Form 53-55 (Enlisted Record and Report of Separation) to show award of the Bronze Star Medal (based on award of the Combat Infantryman Badge), Army of Occupation Medal with Germany Clasp, and any awards and decorations to which he may be entitled.
2. The applicant states:
* award of the Bronze Star Medal (based on award of the Combat Infantryman Badge) and Army of Occupation Medal with Germany Clasp occurred subsequent to the FSM's discharge
* his WD AGO Form 53-55 was never corrected and the medals were never received
3. The applicant provides:
* WD AGO Form 100 (Separation Qualification Record)
* Service medical record
* Orders for the Purple Heart
* Award of disability compensation or pension letter, dated 15 February 1946
* Veterans Administration letter, dated 17 February 1947
* FSM's death certificate
* Birth certificate
* FSM's personal account of day wounded
* Excerpt from a document titled "Mount Up! - The History of Company C - 17th Armored Infantry Battalion, 12th Armored Division"
* WD AGO Form 53-55
CONSIDERATION OF EVIDENCE:
1. The FSM's complete 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. His WD AGO Form 53-55 shows he was inducted into the Army of the United States on 8 June 1944. He served in the Mediterranean theater of operations from 26 November 1944 to 15 January 1945 and he served in the European theater of operations from 16 January 1945 to 5 August 1945. He was honorably discharged on 24 December 1945.
3. His WD AGO Form 53-55 also shows:
* his organization was Company C, 17th Armored Infantry Battalion,
12th Armored Division
* he received the Combat Infantryman Badge on 29 February 1945
* he participated in the Rhineland and Central Europe campaigns
* he was wounded in action on 8 May 1945 in the European theater of operations
* he was awarded the European-African-Middle Eastern (EAME) Campaign Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, Purple Heart, and World War II Victory Medal
4. Department of the Army Pamphlet 672-1 (Unit Citation and Campaign Participation Credit Register) shows awards and citations authorized for units that served during World War II. This pamphlet shows the 12th Armored Division received occupation credit for Germany for the period 2 May - 31 October 1945.
5. Army Regulation 600-45 (Decorations), effective 13 October 1949, provided that the Bronze Star Medal was 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 Combat Infantryman Badge or the Combat Medical Badge is considered to be a citation in orders. Therefore, the Bronze Star Medal is to be awarded to individuals who were authorized either badge for service during World War II.
6. Army Regulation 600-8-22 (Military Awards) provides that the Army of Occupation Medal is awarded for service of 30 consecutive days at a normal post of duty in a qualifying location. For award of the Army of Occupation Medal with Germany Clasp, qualifying service must have occurred between 9 May 1945 and 5 May 1955 and the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal must have been awarded prior to 9 May 1945.
7. Army Regulation 600-8-22 authorizes a bronze service star based on qualifying service for each campaign listed in appendix B or listed in item 32 of the WD AGO Form 53-55.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS:
1. Based on award of the Combat Infantryman Badge, the FSM is eligible for award of the Bronze Star Medal. Therefore, he should be awarded the Bronze Star Medal and his WD AGO Form 53-55 should be corrected to show this award.
2. His unit received occupation credit for Germany during his period of service in the European theater of operations. Therefore, he is entitled to the Army of Occupation Medal with Germany Clasp and correction of his WD AGO Form
53-55 to show this award.
3. The FSM participated in two campaigns during World War II which authorizes two bronze service stars to be worn with his already-awarded EAME Campaign Medal.
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 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 from item 33 (Decorations and Citations) of his WD AGO Form 53-55 the "EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN RIBBON";
b. awarding him the Bronze Star Medal effective 29 February 1945 based on award of the Combat Infantryman Badge;
c. adding to item 33 of his WD AGO Form 53-55 the:
* Bronze Star Medal
* European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with two bronze service stars
* Army of Occupation Medal with Germany Clasp
d. issuing the medals to the applicant.
_______ _ _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) AR20130008639
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ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20130008639
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