Illinois mobilizes for its veterans, vol.6, no.2

              AUGUST, 1947 
          
          
          
         State Bonus Payments Are Underway 
          
           13,800 Are Paid 
                                    As SRB Moves 
              For Faster Pay 
           Payment of the nation’s 
         most liberal veterans’ bonus, 
         Illinois’ $385,000,000 grant, 
         began June 21 with the pres- 
         entation of the first checks by 
         Governor Dwight H. Green at 
         brief ceremonies at the Cook 
         County office of the Service 
         Recognition Board at 218 W. 
          
          
                                   Bonus Caution 
          
           Veterans receiving state bonus 
          checks have been cautioned not 
          to remove the receipt attached 
          to the check. 
           Banks and business places 
          have been advised by the Serv- 
          ice Recognition Board not to ac- 
          cept a check without the receipt 
          because payment will not be 
          made by the state. 
           Admiral John Downes, Direc- 
          tor of the Service Recognition 
          Board, who issued the warning 
          stated that it is of the “utmost 
          importance that the receipt re- 
          mains attached to the check.” 
          
          
         Monroe Street, Chicago, Illi- 
         nois. 
           As of July 28, 1947, 13,780 
         warrants or checks were 
         mailed out to veterans, repre- 
         senting a total evaluation of 
         $5,964,503.33. The average 
         check amounted to S432. 
           The Springfield and Cook 
         County offices of the board 
         are presently certifying a combined 
         total of 1,000 to 1,200 claims daily 
         to the state auditor for payment. 
         This production is expected to be 
         stepped up shortly to a minimum 
         average of 1,500 daily. 
          
                                   No Phone Calls 
          
          Because all of the personnel and 
 
          
 
 
 
 
 
         facilities of both offices are being 
         utilized in processing claims, Ad- 
         miral John Downes, director of the 
         board, urges veterans not to call 
         or write the board concerning the 
         status of their claim. Such calls 
         will only serve to detract from 
         work on the claims and will result 
         in unnecessary delay in payment 
         of the claim, the admiral pointed 
         out. 
          Admiral Downes also requested 
         veterans not to ask for special 
         consideration in advancing pay- 
         ment of their claim. 
          “In justice to all veterans, there 
         cannot be—nor will there he—any 
         priority consideration to anyone’s 
         claim,” Admiral Downes said. “All 
         claims will continue to he handled 
         on the first to file, first to be paid 
         basis only.” 
          Admiral Downes added that, 
         “Many veterans are failing to re- 
         ply to letters sent them asking for 
         additional information — data nec- 
         essary to the completion of the 
         processing of their claim. In all 
         such instances the claim is with- 
         drawn from the chain and not re- 
         inserted until the asked for infor- 
         mation is furnished.” 
          
                                   715,000 Apply 
          
          A total of 715,000 applications 
         for the bonus were filed up to the 
         FIRST BONUS CHECKS issued by the State of Illinois to veterans of 
         World War II were received by Morris I. George of Springfield, Ill., whose 
         check is shown in top photo, and Leonard A. Ensminger, Chicago, shown 
         in lower photo with Governor Dwight H. Green and Mrs. Cecilia A. 
         Goeske who receive the first beneficiary check. Ensminger received 
         $509.33 for three months, 28 days of domestic service and 45 months 
         and one day foreign service. Mrs. Goeske received the maximum pay- 
         ment of $900. Her son was killed on a B-17 mission over France. 
         last week in July. Applications con- 
         tinue to be received on an average 
         of 3,000 a day. 
          The first check was handed by 
         Governor Green to Leonard A. Ens- 
         minger, 27, of 1354 Madison Park, 
         Chicago, the first to file a claim at 
         the opening of the bonus offices 
         three months ago. A former army 
         officer and enlisted man, Ensminger 
         lost an arm on a night patrol in 
         Germany. He received $509.33 for 
         three months and 28 days of domes- 
         tic service and 45 months and one 
         day foreign service. 
          Mrs. Cecilia A. Goeske of 4731 
        N.  Paulina Street, Chicago, re- 
            (Contin~*ed on page 13) 
                     DO NOT DETACH THIS PORTION FROM ABOVE CHECK No.V-B 
            VETERAN 01 EENEFICIAIT MUST SIGN STATEMENT SE LOW . OTNEEWiSE CHECK WILt NOT iI PASO ST STATE TEEASUEEU. 
          TiltS STATEMENT MOST NOT SE OLTACHED FROM THE CHECK ABOVE ANO CHECK MUST BE ENDORSED O#’~ BACK AS INOICMIO. 
 
          
 
 
 
 
 
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               WORLD WAR LU 
            SER1qC)~ RItCOG~[TI4fl~ BOY! S               —      — 
                                      5a~l Nmob.,        —    — — 
                               Of tI~*4OtS AUOI~O* of p*jsuc ACCOUNTS     P.S 
                                     Too Busy! 
          
          While thousands of World 
         War II veterans have been pa- 
         tiently awaiting their state 
         bonus checks, one veteran has 
         announced that he is too busy 
         to file. 
          Harry Knippenberg, IYC serv- 
         ice officer at Beardstown, report. 
         ed that an ex-sailor appeared 
         several months ago for an ap- 
         plication. At that time the nec- 
         essary affidavit forms required 
         for members of the Navy were 
         not available. Knippenberg 
         mailed the veteran a copy when 
         they came in. 
          The veteran’s reply to the IVC 
         office read in part: 
          “I was at the office and filed 
         for the bonus. I told you what 
         you wanted to know. If that 
         was not enough, I am a busy 
         man and haven’t time to run 
         around for 90 or 100 dollars.” 
                               Guardians 
                                                            OVERSIZE 
         VOL 6 NO 2   *    *         * OCTOBER 1947