1936 WWI Veteran Compensation: Adjusted Service Certificate Receipt & Settlement Process

📌 Explore a rare 1936 Adjusted Service Certificate Receipt, documenting a WWI veteran’s claim for compensation under the Adjusted Compensation Payment Act. Learn how the U.S. government handled veterans' financial benefits, the Bonus Army protests, and the long-delayed payments of WWI service bonuses. A crucial resource for historians, educators, and genealogists.

📜 Receipt for Application for Settlement – Adjusted Service Certificate (1936)

🔍 A Long-Delayed Promise to WWI Veterans

This historical document collection features a receipt for an application for settlement of an Adjusted Service Certificate, issued in 1936 to WWI veteran Ludvig K. Gjenvick. This receipt, along with details of the Adjusted Compensation Payment Act of 1936, illustrates the U.S. government’s delayed response to compensating World War I veterans.

Originally promised Adjusted Service Certificates in 1924, WWI veterans were forced to wait over a decade to redeem their payments, leading to economic hardship, political unrest, and the famous Bonus Army protests of 1932. This document confirms that Gjenvick's application was received by the Veterans Administration but warns that processing could take a significant amount of time—a reflection of the bureaucratic struggles veterans faced in claiming their promised benefits.

This page serves as an essential historical reference for educators, researchers, genealogists, and military historians, providing a real-world example of how governments handled veteran compensation and the economic struggles of soldiers after the war.

Receipt for Application for Settlement - Adjusted Service Certificate for Ludvig K. Gjenvick. Transmittal from the Veterans Administration, Washington, DC, 3 March 1936. Gjenvick-Gjønvik Family Archive. GGA Image ID # 2220ca4e8c

VETERANS ADMINISTRATION

WASHTINGTON, D.C.

Receipt is acknowledged of your application for settlement on your Adjusted Service Certificate.

A large number of applications have been received and are being acted upon as rapidly as possible. A considerable period of time must elapse before settlement can be effected.

Any correspondence or the submission of another application will only serve to retard settlement in your case.

Your application will be given attention in its turn.

In all matters having reference to your Adjusted Service Certificate, always give your full name and "A" number.

FRANK T. HINES, Administrator

Adjusted Compensation Form 1703

Application for Payment of Adjusted Service
Certificate under the Adjusted Compensation
Payment Act, 1936 (Pub. L. 425, 74th Cong.)

§11.109  Settlement of unmatured adjusted service certificates.

            Where an application for final settlement of an adjusted service certificate is received in the Department of Veterans Affairs prior to the maturity date of the certificate, payment will be made under the terms of the Adjusted Compensation Payment Act, 1936. This act provides for payment of the amount due on the certificate, after deducting any unpaid loans with interest through September 30, 1931, in adjusted service bonds. These bonds will be issued by the Treasury Department in denominations of $50, in the name of the veteran only, and will bear interest at the rate of 3 percent per annum from June 15, 1936, to June 15, 1945. Any excess amount not sufficient to purchase a $50 bond will be paid by check.

            [19 FR 5087, Aug. 12, 1954]

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 Bureaucratic Delays: Veterans were forced to wait years to receive their compensation, despite their sacrifices in the war.

✔ Reveals Government Response to Veterans’ Demands: Following mass protests (Bonus Army) and political pressure, the government finally approved early payments in 1936.

✔ Genealogical & Historical Value: Provides a real example of a veteran’s compensation process, helping descendants and historians track military service records and post-war economic policies.

✔ Educational Resource: An excellent primary source document for teaching about veterans’ rights, economic challenges, and the Great Depression’s impact on former soldiers.

This page offers a fascinating look into how WWI veterans were compensated—or rather, how long they had to wait to be compensated. It is a must-read for those studying the history of military benefits, government policy failures, and the economic struggles of veterans.

📜 The Adjusted Compensation Payment Act of 1936

📌 Passed under Public Law 425 of the 74th Congress, this act allowed WWI veterans to finally receive full payment on their Adjusted Service Certificates—almost 12 years after they were originally issued.

📌 Instead of cash, veterans were issued Adjusted Service Bonds in $50 increments, which accrued 3% annual interest until they matured in 1945.

📌 Many veterans were in desperate need of financial relief due to the Great Depression, making this a critical moment in the history of veterans' benefits.

📝 Why It’s Important:

✔ Demonstrates how long veterans had to wait for compensation—some did not live long enough to collect their payments.

✔ Connects to the Great Depression, when many veterans were struggling to find work and support their families.

✔ Shows how the government attempted to balance financial relief with long-term economic policies (interest-bearing bonds instead of immediate cash).

📜 The Bureaucratic Hurdles in Receiving Compensation

📌 The receipt acknowledges the submission of Ludvig K. Gjenvick’s application for settlement, but warns that processing could take time.

📌 Veterans were explicitly told that submitting another application or additional correspondence would slow down the process—a sign of government inefficiency in handling thousands of claims.

📌 The letter stresses the importance of the veteran’s full name and “A” number, a unique identifier used in veteran compensation records.

📝 Why It’s Important:

✔ Illustrates how the compensation process was slow and impersonal, despite the urgent financial needs of veterans.

✔ Shows how bureaucratic inefficiencies impacted veterans, forcing them to wait longer for benefits they were owed.

✔ Offers insight into historical government administration of veteran affairs, useful for researchers studying military benefits and policy changes over time.

📜 The Bonus Army Connection: Protests & Government Response

📌 Before the 1936 Adjusted Compensation Payment Act, thousands of WWI veterans had marched on Washington, D.C., in 1932, demanding early payment of their bonuses due to the financial hardships of the Great Depression.

📌 The Bonus Army protests were violently dispersed by the U.S. military, led by General Douglas MacArthur, Major Dwight D. Eisenhower, and Major George S. Patton, in one of the most shocking moments in U.S. military history.

📌 The political backlash from the harsh treatment of protesting veterans helped pressure Congress to finally approve early bonus payments in 1936.

📝 Why It’s Important:

✔ Links the document to a major political and military crisis in U.S. history.

✔ Explains how the government’s failure to pay veterans on time led to public protests and government action.

✔ Provides historical context for understanding veteran struggles during the interwar period.

📸 Noteworthy Images & Their Significance

📷 Receipt for Application for Settlement – Adjusted Service Certificate (1936)

🔹 Official Veterans Administration document proving that the veteran’s request was received.

🔹 Highlights the bureaucratic nature of veteran benefits and delayed payments.

📷 Excerpt from the Adjusted Compensation Payment Act, 1936

🔹 Explains how veterans were paid through bonds instead of immediate cash.

🔹 Details the interest rate and redemption process, showing the financial structure of government compensation.

📚 Relevance for Different Audiences

📌 🧑‍🏫 For Teachers & Students:

✔ A primary source for lessons on the Great Depression, WWI veterans, and government policies.

✔ Encourages discussions about fairness in veteran compensation and public responses to delayed benefits.

✔ Connects to the Bonus Army protests, providing a deeper understanding of economic hardships in the 1930s.

📌 📖 For Historians & Researchers:

✔ A case study in government responses to veteran issues.

✔ Demonstrates the long-term effects of war on economic policies.

✔ Provides direct documentation of the financial struggles faced by WWI veterans.

📌 🧬 For Genealogists & Family Historians:

✔ Offers real evidence of a veteran’s compensation claim—useful for tracing military service records.

✔ Provides details such as name, address, and government-issued veteran identification numbers.

✔ Connects personal family history to broader historical events.

🌟 Final Thoughts: A Glimpse into the Economic Struggles of WWI Veterans

📌 The 1936 Adjusted Service Certificate Receipt is a powerful reminder of how long WWI veterans had to wait for compensation.

📌 The bureaucratic delays and protests by the Bonus Army highlight the struggles veterans faced after the war.

📌 This document serves as a crucial primary source for understanding post-WWI policies, the Great Depression, and how governments handle veteran affairs.

This detailed collection of original government documents brings history to life, shedding light on the economic challenges of WWI veterans and their fight for fair compensation. 🇺🇸 🏅