Retroactive CIB?

Hey all,

I am trying to find out if anyone has successfully argued/petitioned for a retroactive CIB for a relative. I just sent this e-mail the the US Army's Awards and Decorations Branch:

"Sir/Ma'am,

I am a recently honorably discharged active duty USAF member, still serving in the IRR. Upon returning home, I started trying to piece together my great grandfather's experiences in WWII, which he never talked of while he was alive. I am trying to find out if he should have received a Combat Infantryman's Badge for his actions in and around Ste Lo, France, July-August 1944. A little background:

Charles Thomas Sewards, Service Number 35270789- Drafted and entered service 10 December 1941, assigned to 134th IR, 35th ID. Trained as a 610- Anti-tank gun crewman and completed training and exercises stateside before being shipped to England May 1944. Listed on roster in June 1944 as Sgt, 2nd Platoon, 2nd Squad, Co E, 2nd Battalion, 134th IR. Left England and sailed to France July 3rd, 1944. On July 13th, he, along with his company, began assembling to assault Ste Lo, attacking Hill 122 on July 15th. Listed as Squad Leader (MOS 653) of Company E, he was slightly wounded in action on July 17th according to Morning Reports from Company E and the 110th Medical Battalion and was sent to the rear. He returned to duty on 20 July 1944. On the 22nd, he was promoted to S/Sgt. On August 1st, now pushing towards the Vire River, he was Injured in Action (Battle Casualty) and again sent to the rear to recover. He returned to duty October 6, 1944. He was awarded a Purple Heart w/ one OLC for these injuries. On November 26th, 1944 as his battalion was held in reserve during the push towards Saarbrucken, he was pulled from the line, listed as "Sl-Sk", or slightly sick, and sent to the *12th Evac Hospital in Nancy* (*- I believe, this research is still on-going). There is trail goes cold until he is shipped back stateside in September, 1945. I am actively engaged in finding out about his final months in theater, but this should be sufficient for now.

His decorations include:
- Purple Heart w/ 1 OLC
- Good Conduct Medal
- European-African- Middle Eastern Campaign Medal w/ 3 Campaign Stars (Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland)
- American Campaign Medal
- Occupation Medal w/ Germany Clasp
- WWII Victory Medal

Per his DD214, his badges include:
Sharpshooter Qualification Badge w/ 03 Rifle Bar
Expert Qualification Badge w/ M1 Rifle Bar

However, he seems to fit all the criteria for a CIB, but it is not listed...

Infantry MOS- 653- Squad Leader per Company Rosters and the Morning Reports (though his DD214 only lists 610- Anti-tank gun crewman)
Assigned to Infantry unit in combat
Exchanged hostile fire with the enemy as evidenced by his two wounds

As I said, he never spoke of the award and even refused to go to awards and recognition ceremonies after the war. His unit was awarded the French Croix de Guerre with Palm for actions at Ste Lo and an army buddy of his organized an unofficial awards ceremony for him at the local VFW in the 70's to give it to him... he didn't show up. The Croix de Guerre and accompanying paperwork has also disappeared since then, but I am more concerned about the CIB right now.

If this is the correct avenue and if you think it is worth pursuing I can send all documents spoken of in this e-mail (Unit Rosters, Morning Reports, Unit Journals, 110th MB A&D reports, etc) to you at the earliest possible convenience.

Thank you so much for you time and assistance in this matter.

Respectfully,

Thomas XXXXXXXXX, TSgt, USAFR
Great Grandson of S/Sgt Charles Thomas Sewards, USA (Deceased)"

Any previous experience with something like this? Were you successful? Thoughts?

 

Thomas, Please don't let me discourage you in your efforts to have him awarded the CIB. Like Lou said, he does seems to qualify for the award but the CIB is not an automatic award like a campaign medal or even a Purple Heart --it is more like the Good Conduct Medal, or any other decoration, and has to be recommended by either the CO or Battalion Commander. He may well have been recommended and awarded the CIB but they failed to enter it on his separation parers. In this case they should be able to locate it in his records (if they weren't burned in the fire in 1973). If they were, you may have to find the morning report where the award was made.

Regardless, it's worth a shot to have his records changed and have him awarded the Badge. Here's a link to the correct people to send the request to http://arba.army.pentagon.mil/ NARA only stores records. If they can't locate the award in his records you will have to write to the Review Board and request to have his records changed to include the award.

I tried in vain to have the CIB awarded to my brother who also met all the requirements, but It was not listed on his separation papers, his records were burned in the fire, so I didn't have squat to go with. I was able to get separation papers of two other guys that received to CIB and were in the same platoon with the same MOS and went through the same action (he was in the 334th Infantry, 84th ID) From what I could gather, the recommendations are only written up on certain days and they may have missed him, or he was gone to the hospital or maybe the CO was POed at him that day--who knows. With nothing concrete to send the Review Board I finally gave it up. However, I was successful in getting three awards due another brother for his involvement in the Berlin Airlift (but I was able to get a ton of proof, and it still took several years) They even included an invasion arrowhead that I didn't know he had coming.

Good luck and don't give up.

 

Have you been able to find the General Orders for the 134th Infantry? My great uncle's CIB was awarded via 1944 GO #6 of the 129th Infantry Regiment. The GO included the name and ASN for each recipient. If you could find a GO with his name and ASN, that would pretty much make it an open and shut case.

 

Nope. Only 5 people in the entire unit were awarded the CIB from what I have found: the CO (go figure), a Technical Sgt who worked in HQ company and all of 3 other people... and all of the above were awarded in or around June 1945. The unit was in almost constant combat since landing in Normandy in July 44! Frustrating but I am trying to make the case...

 

Thanks for correcting me Tommy, the GO's for the 134th IR is exactly where to look. Sounds so strange that only 5 guys in an entire Infantry regiment was awarded this badge. I don't blame you for wondering what the heck is going on.

I checked out this website http://www.coulthart.com/134/go-index.htm#go docs
Found his name being awarded the PH on page 6 GO 53 1944
The awards page shows he was infantry but no OLC to the PH--wounded once.
There are no CIBs listed on the awards section in the GO's for anybody--wonder where they would be listed?

 

No, he was def awarded 2 PHs, but the second came later. The GO you saw was actually his first purple heart, but it was for his second wound, the first being on 17 July 44. I have no idea what unit he was later assigned to but that has to be when his OLC was awarded for his first wound. I have a piece of official paperwork from St. Louis dated 10 October 1978 (sorry I dont know what form it is as the bottom left part of the page is ripped off) but it is titled Authorization for Issuance of Awards. On it is listed his PH w/ 1 OLC... and this is in addition to his DD214 which rightfully says it.

Buten, that site is my primary source of info. If you go to the GO page and Ctrl+F and type "Combat Infantryman Badge", four names come up (I was mistaken earlier when I said 5, one was a repeat and the technical sgt was not one of them). All four names are colonels.

 

The CIB is only awarded to men who hold the primary MOS of "Rifleman", during WW2 that was 745/746. http://www.ww2f.com/topic/46422-us-army-mos-codes-wwii-era/

So if your GGpa was a 610 Anti Tank Gun Loader, that is going to be your hurdle.

The exception, I believe, was for those troops who were encircled in the Ardennes, "Battle of the Bulge".

There were several attempts to make "Branch Specific" awards during the war and those were all shot down except for, I believe, the "Combat Medical Badge" awarded to combat medics.


I just read GO 1 of 1944 that reclassified all members of the Division Band as "Infantry"...all those guys got CIB's I bet.

The rub is that your GGpa had one of those of MOS's that just fell through the cracks in the criteria, you have to remember that the criteria was established by Infantry guys for Infantry guys.

Another way to look at it might be if a 745 Rifleman jumped on a half track and loaded an anti tank gun and shot a tank: would he be eligible for a "Tank Destroyer Badge"?

Conversely should a 610 Anti tank Gun crewman be eligible for a CIB if his gun was knocked out and he had to continue in battle as a rifleman?

This is the reason the Army adopted the Combat Action Badge that is non branch specific.

 

I think I see what you are saying Jughead, so even though he was acting, and is on the Unit Rosters as, a 653- Infantry Squad Leader, and was assigned, not as a anti-tank gun crew member, but to an infantry squad, as an infantryman for the year he was in theater, his PRIMARY MOS was still a 610... but he never once fought as a 610 in combat, only as a 653. How frustrating! I found this from a past ABCMR decision-

"The Awards Branch, Total Army Personnel Command, has advised in similar cases that, during World War II, the CIB was normally awarded only to enlisted individuals who served in the following positions /MOS:

a. Light machine gunner /604
b. Heavy machine gunner /605
c. Platoon sergeant /651
d. Squad leader /653
e. Rifleman /745
f. Automatic rifleman /746
g. Heavy weapons NCO /812
h. Gun crewman /864"

I have had my hopes dimmed but not shattered, especially since I have proof that even if his DD214 only lists 610, he was, at least according to the available rosters and morning reports, a 653 in an infantry company when he was wounded.

 

Then you need to include the rosters with him listed as 653 Squad Leader and the decision by the "Awards Branch" that you are citing.
I think if you do that you'll be in like Flynn.
Good Luck and keep us posted.

 

The case he is citing is probably this one.
http://boards.law.af.mil/ARMY/BCMR/CY2005/20050001153C070206.TXT

Sounds like he has a good case to make, just has to keep fighting the good fight...So, keep at it and good luck!

 

Hey Takao, you did it!

That wasn't the one I was referring to, but that was the key! From the report you linked: "World War II holders of the Combat Infantryman Badge received a monthly pay supplement known as combat infantry pay..."

Attached is my grandfather's final pay voucher, look at the "Combat Infantry Pay" block! HA!

THANK YOU!!!

 

Well, Hell, score one for the good guys.

Here are some more to add to your collection then
From 2001, an MOS 653 Squad Leader. Don't know what of your grandfather's paperwork you have, but you have the morning reports corroborating he was a 653.
http://boards.law.af.mil/ARMY/BCMR/CY2001/2001062852C070421.rtf

I was somewhat hesitant concerning his final pay date - after VE-Day, but this case confirms a CIB using pay records dated post-war(1946).
http://boards.law.af.mil/ARMY/BCMR/CY2001/2001061821C070421.rtf



Here's hoping it's enough. Best of luck to you.

 

Morning report from 1 Aug 1944, sixth line down...

Thanks again!!

 

I did some digging and found this on the net; "The requirement to be eligible for the CIB including the MOS of an infantryman was initially listed by AR 672-5-1, dated May 1961. It was not retroactive to an earlier date, and did not amend WD Circulars." The Circular they are referring to is Circular 269, dated 23 October 1943, and amended by the War Department Circular 105, dated 13 March 1944. "There is no requirement during the period between these dates and 1961 for any Army combatants to be assigned to an infantry unit or possess MOS for infantryman. There are no guidelines which amends the two identified WD Circulars."

It goes on to say "..Records reveal recipients of the CIB possessed a variety of MOS's. They include 56 officers assigned to an engineer regiment, personnel possessing MOS's of a mortar crewman, member of a tank unit, a truck driver, and an athletic instructor."

My brother was an Heavy Mortar Crewman and I have the separation papers of two guys with this MOS (1607) from my brothers unit that was awarded the CIB.

I think you have a slam-dunk You seem to have plenty records to prove your point--

 

You might be getting to involved in MOS requirements. The infantry MOSs, and there were many - 1607 was a generally accepted one - was done so that the infantry had something of their own. IIRC, Armor MOSs were not eligible, and the Army has, so far, routinely denied the claims retroactive claims for a CIB from members of the 2nd Provisional Air Corps Regiment.

 

You're exactly correct, Takao--there are many MOS's under the "infantry" heading that were accepted. The reason I was stressing this issue is something formerjughead posted (which is true since May of 1961) that "The CIB is only awarded to men who hold the primary MOS of "Rifleman", during WW2".
I had this misconception myself until I began really getting into the subject because of my efforts to get the CIB for my brother. The original article that I read on the subject was in a VFW magazine and had only stated the regulations as they exist now (since 1961). I'm not trying to be petty or trying to put Jughead down, my concern is that someone might read this and give up a good attempt because of this one factor.

Thanks for posting the link to Mr. Carl Chun's Record of Proceedings from the Board of Corrections--I think I may still have a chance after reading this--I have almost as much as Mr.Chun's brother had.

 

Not taking it that way at all. The point I was making is that without supporting evidence he would not be eligible for the award based on his MOS, campaign awards or any additional awards.

 

It also appears that the GOs on the coulthart.com website are Division GOs, and not 134th Regiment GOs. That might explain why there were so few CIB awards listed for the 134th Infantry. It would be nice to get a copy of the GO showing his name listed, but it seems it might be unnecessary given the recent discussion.

Please keep us posted, Tom.

FWIW, in reading the last few posts, I had a major deja vu moment. I'm sure we've had that discussion before, but I'm not motivated enough to track it down.

 

There are so many questions and misconceptions about the CIB and the requirements to be eligible to be awarded one, I was thinking a thread with a sticky--stating the War Department Circulars, and the Army Regulations covering these changes, for the requirements might be nice. That way it anybody could just post the link and all the facts would be there--then they can figure whether they want to pursue it.