1936 WWI Veteran Compensation: Receipt for Adjusted Service Bonds Payment
📌 Explore a rare 1936 receipt documenting the surrender of Adjusted Service Bonds by a WWI veteran. Learn how U.S. veterans finally received their promised compensation after years of waiting, the impact of the Bonus Army protests, and the bureaucratic process behind veteran benefits. A vital resource for historians, educators, and genealogists.
📜 Interim Receipt for Adjusted Service Bonds Surrendered for Payment – 1936
🔍 A Veteran’s Long-Awaited Compensation
This historical document serves as an official receipt from the U.S. Post Office Department for WWI veteran Ludvig Gjenvick’s surrender of 14 Adjusted Service Bonds, each valued at $50, for a total of $700 in 1936. This document represents the final step in a decade-long struggle by World War I veterans to receive their promised compensation under the Adjusted Compensation Payment Act of 1936.
Issued more than 12 years after WWI veterans were originally granted Adjusted Service Certificates (1924), these bonds were a compromise between the government’s financial concerns and veterans’ demands for immediate payment. Unlike cash payments, these bonds were interest-bearing instruments, accumulating 3% annual interest until their maturity in 1945.
This receipt marks the moment when a veteran could finally convert their bonds into cash, highlighting the bureaucratic process, economic challenges, and perseverance of WWI veterans in securing their rightful benefits.
For teachers, students, genealogists, and historians, this document is a valuable artifact that brings to life the struggles of returning soldiers, post-war economic policies, and the U.S. government’s response to veteran compensation demands.
It is particularly relevant for those studying military history, the Great Depression, and social justice movements like the Bonus Army protests.
Interim Receipt for Adjusted Service Bonds Surrendered For Payment, Post office Department. Recieved of Ludvig Gjenvick 14 Bonds Identified by Serial Numbers, 18 June 1936. John R. Coan, Postmaster. Gjenvick-Gjønvik Family Archive. GGA Image ID # 2220ff033b
Post Office Department
Third Assistant Postmaster General
Interim Receipt for Adjusted Service Bonds Surrendered for Payment
(to be filled out in duplicate)
This receipt must be carefully prepared. Pancil may be used. The original receipt shall be delivered to the registered owner of the bonds and the duplicate shall be retained by the postmaster
Post Office Minneapolis Minn Date Jun 18 1936
Received of (Name of registered owner) Ludvig Gjenvick
(Address) 1025 W Broadway Minneapolis Minn
for payment (Number, by count) 14 Adjusted Service Bonds, described below having a total face value of $ 700
John R. COAN, Postmaster
By Charles M Cutter (Title) Designated Clerk
Post office Dating Stamp US Post Office Mpls MINN No. 9 Jun 18 1936
Serial Numbers of Bonds
- 1134562
- 1134563
- 1134564
- 1134565
- 1134566
- 1134567
- 1134568
- 1134569
- 1134570
- 1134571
- 1134572
- 1134573
- 1134574
- 1134575
Information for Registered Owner
The postmaster at (Central accounting office) Minneapolis. Minnesota will mail direct to you at the address indicated in your request for payment on the reverse of the bonds a check drawn on the Treasurer of the United States in full payment. This receipt may then be destroyed. If you do not receive the check within a few days, notify the postmaster who receipted for your bonds.
Learn More About This Remarkable Man
🇳🇴 From Norway to America: The Inspiring Journey of Immigrant Ludvig Kristian Gjønvik
📌 Explore the remarkable immigration story of Ludvig Kristian Gjønvik, a Norwegian immigrant who overcame orphanhood, financial struggles, and war to build a new life in America. Perfect for historians, genealogists, educators, and students exploring early 20th-century immigration.
🌟 Why This Page is Important:
✔ Illustrates the final step in the long-delayed compensation process for WWI veterans.
✔ Demonstrates the economic struggles veterans faced during the Great Depression.
✔ Sheds light on how government programs evolved to compensate soldiers for their wartime service.
✔ Provides valuable insight for genealogists tracking military service records and veteran benefits.
✔ Shows how financial policies shaped veterans' lives after the war.
This page is a must-read for anyone researching the history of military benefits, government compensation policies, and the long-term effects of WWI on veterans and society.
📌 Key Highlights & Most Engaging Content
📜 The Adjusted Compensation Payment Act of 1936
📌 Passed in response to intense political pressure and the Bonus Army protests of 1932, this act allowed WWI veterans to redeem their Adjusted Service Certificates early—nine years before their original 1945 maturity date.
📌 Rather than paying in cash, the government issued bonds that accumulated interest, allowing veterans to receive their full benefits over time.
📌 The act was signed into law by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, despite concerns about the financial burden on the federal government.
📝 Why It’s Important:
✔ Connects to one of the most significant veteran movements in U.S. history.
✔ Illustrates how public protests and advocacy led to policy change.
✔ Shows how the government balanced financial responsibility with veteran demands.
📜 The Bureaucratic Process of Redeeming Bonds
📌 The receipt confirms that 14 Adjusted Service Bonds were surrendered at the Minneapolis Post Office on June 18, 1936.
📌 The postmaster (John R. Coan) and clerk (Charles M. Cutter) officially documented the transaction, ensuring that the veteran would receive a U.S. Treasury check by mail.
📌 Veterans were instructed that if they did not receive their payment, they should notify the postmaster, highlighting the complex bureaucracy involved in receiving compensation.
📝 Why It’s Important:
✔ Illustrates how veterans had to go through multiple steps just to receive their compensation.
✔ Provides insight into the government’s record-keeping and verification process.
✔ Shows the role of the U.S. Post Office in handling military benefit payments.
📜 The Connection to the Bonus Army Protests
📌 Before the 1936 payment act, thousands of WWI veterans had marched on Washington, D.C., in 1932, demanding their bonuses early due to the financial struggles of the Great Depression.
📌 The Bonus Army was violently dispersed by U.S. troops, led by General Douglas MacArthur and future military leaders Dwight D. Eisenhower and George S. Patton.
📌 The public backlash from the government’s harsh treatment of veterans played a key role in forcing Congress to approve early payments in 1936.
📝 Why It’s Important:
✔ Links the document to a major political and military event in U.S. history.
✔ Shows how veterans' activism influenced government policy.
✔ Highlights the challenges faced by returning soldiers beyond the battlefield.
📸 Noteworthy Images & Their Significance
📷 Interim Receipt for Adjusted Service Bonds Surrendered for Payment (1936)
🔹 Official record proving that the veteran submitted bonds for payment.
🔹 Key historical evidence showing the delayed compensation process.
📷 Post Office Department Receipt with Serial Numbers of Bonds
🔹 Demonstrates meticulous government record-keeping.
🔹 Provides a tangible connection to the economic struggles of WWI veterans.
📚 Relevance for Different Audiences
📌 🧑🏫 For Teachers & Students:
✔ A primary source document for lessons on WWI, the Great Depression, and veterans’ rights.
✔ Encourages discussions about government responsibility in compensating soldiers.
✔ Connects history to modern-day veteran issues and policies.
📌 📖 For Historians & Researchers:
✔ Provides a real-life example of government veteran compensation policies.
✔ Demonstrates the political impact of the Bonus Army protests.
✔ Illustrates how financial instruments (bonds) were used in veteran benefits.
📌 🧬 For Genealogists & Family Historians:
✔ Documents the veteran’s financial history and compensation claim.
✔ Confirms military service through official government transactions.
✔ Links family history to broader historical events.
🌟 Final Thoughts: A Glimpse into the Economic Struggles of WWI Veterans
📌 This 1936 receipt for Adjusted Service Bonds serves as a reminder of the long road WWI veterans faced in receiving compensation.
📌 The Bonus Army protests and Great Depression set the stage for the government to finally act on its promises.
📌 This document is an invaluable historical artifact, offering insight into military compensation policies, economic struggles, and the resilience of WWI veterans.
By preserving and studying these records, we gain a greater appreciation for the sacrifices of veterans and the importance of ensuring fair and timely compensation for those who serve. 🇺🇸🏅
