IN THE CASE OF:
BOARD DATE: 11 August 2015
DOCKET NUMBER: AR20150000602
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 Combat Medical Badge (CMB) to his deceased brother, a former service member (FSM).
2. The applicant states, in effect, his brother was a medic serving in the rank of technician fourth class (TEC4) assigned to the 324th Infantry Regiment who was treating a Soldier during the Battle of Nancy, France, when he was killed in action on 20 November 1944 and should have been awarded the CMB.
3. The applicant provides a two-page letter explaining his application, a letter to his Congressional representative, a page from the Epinal American Cemetery, the FSM's Report of Death, Casualty Report, Inventory of Personal Effects, Disinterment Directive, a letter from his mother, and a news article regarding presentation of the FSM's awards.
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 are sufficient to conduct a fair and impartial review of this case.
2. The FSM enlisted on 15 February 1943. He was serving as a medical specialist with the 324th Infantry regiment in the rank of TEC4 when he was killed in action in France on 20 November 1944.
3. He was interred in a cemetery in Epinal, France, and was subsequently awarded the Purple Heart, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with one bronze service star, World War II Victory Medal, and World War II Honorable Service Lapel Button.
4. Army Regulation 600-8-22 (Military Awards) states the CMB is awarded to medical department personnel (colonel and below) who are assigned or attached to a medical unit of company or smaller size that is organic to an infantry unit of brigade, regimental, or smaller size which is engaged in active ground combat. Battle participation credit is not sufficient; the infantry unit must have been in contact with the enemy and the Soldier must have been personally present and under fire during such ground combat. During World War II, the CMB was authorized during the period 7 December 1941 to 3 September 1945.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS:
1. The applicant's contentions and supporting documents have been noted and appear to have merit.
2. The evidence submitted by the applicant shows that the FSM was a medic serving in the rank of TEC4 while assigned to an infantry unit when he was killed in action in France on 20 November 1944.
3. Accordingly, he met the qualifications for award of the CMB and it should be posthumously awarded at this time.
BOARD VOTE:
____X____ ___X_____ ____X____ GRANT FULL RELIEF
________ ________ ________ GRANT PARTIAL RELIEF
________ ________ ________ GRANT FORMAL HEARING
________ ________ ________ DENY APPLICATION
BOARD DETERMINATION/RECOMMENDATION:
1. The Board determined the evidence presented is 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 posthumously awarding the CMB to the FSM who was serving in the rank of TEC4 as a medical corpsman in the 324th Infantry Regiment when he was killed in action in France on 20 November 1944.
2. The Board wants the applicant and all others to know the sacrifices made by his late brother in service to the United States during World War II are deeply appreciated. The applicant and all Americans should be justifiably proud of his late brother'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) AR20150000602
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ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20150000602
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