2d Session No. 1321 SGT. MAJ. RICHARD SHAKER, UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS MARCH 31, 1944.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House and ordered to be printed Mr. McGEHEE, from the Committee on Claims, submitted the following REPORT [To accompany S. 1676] The Committee on Claims, to whom was referred the bill (S. 1676) for the relief of Sgt. Maj. Richard Shaker, United States Marine Corps, having considered the same, report favorably thereon without amendment and recommend that the bill do pass. The facts will be found fully set forth in Senate Report No. 679, Seventy-eighth Congress, second session, which is appended hereto and made a part of this report. Your committee concur in the recommendation of the Senate. [S. Rept. No. 679, 78th Cong., 2d sess.] The purpose of the bill is to provide for an appropriation of $85 to pay the claim of this enlisted man for the value of a radio lost as a result of a theft by an enlisted man while the radio was in the custody of the Marine Corps authorities at Quantico, Va. The facts and circumstances of this case are substantially as follows: Sgt. Maj. Richard Shaker was transferred to St. Thomas, V. I., on March 24, 1939, at which time he delivered his household effects, including a Victor radio purchased in December 1938, to the depot quartermaster, Marine Barracks, Quantico, Va., for shipment to the new station of this enlisted man. As evidence of the delivery of the radio to the Marine Corps authorities, this enlisted man was given a receipt, No. 24188. A copy of the inventory, however, disclosed that the radio was not among the personal property in storage. Investigation by the Marine Corps authorities failed to reveal the whereabouts of the radio. However, one Edmund P. Ward, Jr., private, United States Marine Corps, who surrendered himself, after being declared a deserter, admitted the theft of the radio belonging to claimant. Claim was submitted by this enlisted man for $85, which amount appears to be reasonable and just. The Navy Department is strongly of the opinion that provision should be made for the payment of this claim. The additional cost to the Government should this bill be enacted will be $85. The bill was introduced at the request of the Navy Department and has been cleared by the Bureau of the Budget. LT. (JR. GR.) NEWT A. SMITH MARCH 31, 1944.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House and ordered to be printed Mr. McGEHEE, from the Committee on Claims, submitted the following REPORT [To accompany S. 1677] The Committee on Claims, to whom was referred the bill (S. 1677) for the relief of Lt. (Jr. Gr.) Newt A. Smith, United States Naval Reserve, for the value of personal property lost or damaged as the result of a fire occurring on August 11, 1943, in quarters occupied by him in the armory of Aviation Free Gunnery Unit, Dam Neck, Va., having considered the same, report favorably thereon without amendment and recommend that the bill do pass. The facts will be found fully set forth in Senate Report No. 680, Seventy-eighth Congress, second session, which is appended hereto and made a part of this report. Your committee concur in the recommendation of the Senate [S. Rept. No. 680, 78th Cong., 2d sess.] The purpose of the bill is to authorize and direct the Secretary of the Treasury to pay out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated the sum of $272.50 to reimburse Lt. (Jr. Gr.) Newt A. Smith, United States Naval Reserve, for the value of personal property lost or damaged as the result of a fire occurring on August 11, 1943, in quarters occupied by him in the armory of Aviation Free Gunnery Unit, Dam Neck, Va. The records of the Navy Department indicate that the fire that partially destroyed the armory of the Aviation Free Gunnery Unit, Dam Neck, Va., was probably caused by the overloading of an electric wire and defective BX cable. The articles damaged or destroyed were stored in a clothes-closet locker in the quarters occupied by claimant. There is no other authority of law by virtue of which the claim may be adjusted. The Navy Department is of the opinion that provision should be made for the payment of this claim, as the quarters had been officially assigned for occupancy of claimant and the loss and damage occurred without fault or negligence on his part. The claim has been examined by the Bureau of Naval Personnel, which Bureau has found the value of the damaged articles to be $272.50. The additional cost to the Government should this legislation be enacted would not exceed $272.50. The bill was introduced at the request of the Navy Department and has been cleared by the Bureau of the Budget. 78TH CONGRESS HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 2d Session { REPORT No. 1323 PROVIDING FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF CERTAIN MARINE CORPS PERSONNEL ATTACHED TO MARINE UTILITY SQUADRON 152 FOR PERSONAL PROPERTY LOST OR DAMAGED AS THE RESULT OF A FIRE IN OFFICERS' QUARTERS ON FEBRUARY 9, 1943 MARCH 31, 1944.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House and ordered to be printed Mr. McGEHEE, from the Committee on Claims, submitted the following REPORT [To accompany S. 1681] The Committee on Claims, to whom was referred the bill (S. 1681) to provide for reimbursement of certain Marine Corps personnel attached to Marine Utility Squadron 152 for personal property lost or damaged as the result of a fire in officers' quarters on February 9, 1943, having considered the same, report favorably thereon without amendment and recommend that the bill do pass. The facts will be found fully set forth in Senate Report No. 681, Seventy-eighth Congress, second session, which is appended hereto and made a part of this report. Your committee concur in the recommendation of the Senate. [S. Rept. No. 681, 78th Cong., 2d Sess.] The purpose of the bill is to authorize and direct the Secretary of the Treasury to pay out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, the sum of $1,483.36, or such portion thereof as may be necessary, to pay claims of four officers of the Marine Corps attached to Marine Utility Squadron 152 for personal property lost or damaged as the result of a fire in officers' quarters on February 9, 1943. The investigation conducted reveals that the quarters assigned to the officers in question were tents and the loss of the property was caused by the spreading of a brush fire to said quarters. There is no other authority of law by virtue of which the claims may be adjusted. The Navy Department is of the opinion that provision should be made for the payment of these claims, in that the personnel involved were assigned to duty at said station by orders of the Navy Department and the loss of and damage to their property occurred without fault or negligence on their part. These claims were examined by the Commandant of the Marine Corps who has found the value of the property lost and damaged to be $1,483.36. The additional cost to the Government should this bill be enacted would not exceed $1,483.36. The bill was introduced at the request of the Navy Department and has been cleared by the Bureau of the Budget. 78TH CONGRESS HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 2d Session } REPORT {No. 1324 MRS. R. D. ROBINSON MARCH 31, 1944.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House and ordered to be printed Mr. JENNINGS, from the Committee on Claims, submitted the following REPORT [To accompany H. R. 1045] The Committee on Claims, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 1045) for the relief of Mrs. R. D. Robinson, having considered the sume, report favorably thereon with amendments and recommend that the bill, as amended, do pass. The amendments are as follows: Line 6, strike out the figures "$5,000", insert in lieu thereof the figures "$1,000." At the end of bill strike out the period, insert in lieu thereof: : Provided, That no part of the amount appropriated in this Act in excess of 10 per centum thereof shall be paid or delivered to or received by any agent or attorney on account of services rendered in connection with this claim, and the same shall be unlawful, any contract to the contrary notwithstanding. Any person violating the provisions of this Act shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof shall be fined in any sum not exceeding $1,000. The purpose of the proposed legislation is to appropriate the sum of $1,000 to Mrs. R. D. Robinson (formerly Miss Kay Bayne), of Chattanooga, Tenn., in full settlement of all claims against the United States for personal injuries sustained on April 28, 1940, when the automobile in which she was riding was struck by a United States Army truck near Fort Benning, Ga. STATEMENT OF FACTS It appears that on April 28, 1940, at about 5:30 p. m., an Army truck, operated by an enlisted man on official business, was proceeding east on the Columbus-Cussette Highway about 8 miles from Columbus, Ga., at a speed of about 25 miles per hour, following at an interval of about 15 yards the last of a line of three privately owned vehicles. The civilian vehicle immediately preceding the Army truck H. Repts., 78-2, vol. 270 |