BVA9507831 
DOCKET NO.  93-13 616     )       DATE
          )
          )

On appeal from the decision of the
Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office in Waco, Texas

THE ISSUES

1.  Entitlement to service connection for a scar over the right
eye.

2.  Entitlement to service connection for an ankle disability
claimed as arthritis.

REPRESENTATION

Appellant represented by: Texas Veterans Commission

INTRODUCTION

The veteran had active service from September 1942 to February
1946 and from February 1949 to October 1942.  This matter comes
before the Board of Veterans' Appeals (Board) on appeal from a
December 1992 rating decision of the Department of Veterans
Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO) in Waco, Texas, denying service
connection for a cut over the right eye and disability of the
ankles, characterized as pseudogout.

REMAND

The veteran's service medical records are not available and
apparently were destroyed by fire at the National Personnel
Records Center (NPRC) in July 1973.  Accordingly, the VA has a
heightened duty to assist him in obtaining evidence to establish
his claim.  In that regard it is noted that NPRC advised the RO
in October 1992 that searches were made for morning and sick
reports for October 1944 for the 127th Liaison Squadron but no
entries were found pertaining to the veteran.  The veteran has
noted, however, that he served with the 127th Army Airways
Communication Squadron, 62nd Group, and has questioned why the
liaison squadron was referred to.  Also, he now claims that he
was treated on more occasions than just October 1944.  Since it
is not clear that NPRC searched for information for the correct
unit and period of time, the case is being REMANDED for the
following:

1.  The veteran should be permitted to
submit any additional evidence tending to
show that he has arthritis or other ankle
disability and residuals of a scar over the
left eye related to service.  It is
suggested that he be asked to complete
another NA Form 13055 to include complete
information as to dates of treatment, the
disorder for which he was treated, the name
of the unit to which he was assigned, etc.

2.  The RO should ask the NPRC to try to
obtain unit morning or sick reports or
Surgeon General's Office data based on the
veteran's service with the 127th Army
Airways Communication Squadron, 62nd Group.
If the veteran has provided additional
information as to dates of treatment, that
information should be conveyed to NPRC.

Thereafter, the claim should be reviewed to determine, initially,
whether it is well grounded and, if so, to adjudicate the issues
of service connection.  If the claims are found to be not well
grounded, the veteran should be advised of the type of evidence
needed to make them well grounded.  A supplemental statement of
the case should be issued if either issue is decided unfavorably
and, after the veteran and his representative have had an
opportunity to respond, the case should be returned to the Board.
The veteran need take no action until notified.

          JANE E. SHARP
          Member, Board of Veterans' Appeals

The Board of Veterans' Appeals Administrative Procedures
Improvement Act, Pub. L. No. 103-271, § 6, 108 Stat. 740, ___
(1994), permits a proceeding instituted before the Board to be
assigned to an individual member of the Board for a
determination.  This proceeding has been assigned to an
individual member of the Board.

Under 38 U.S.C.A. § 7252 (West 1991), only a decision of the
Board of Veterans' Appeals is appealable to the United States
Court of Veterans Appeals.  This remand is in the nature of a
preliminary order and does not constitute a decision of the Board
on the merits of your appeal.  38 C.F.R. § 20.1100(b) (1994).