Merrill A. Vaughan

HOME FROM THE WAR
HOW SOCIETY AFFECTS THE REINTEGRATION OF THE VETERAN

World War I, also known as, The Great War (1917 – 1918)
1. Welcome Home Parade through the Canyon of Heroes
  1. September 6, 1919 Led by General John J. Pershing
2. Unequal mustering out pay and procedures
  1. Male service members received $60.00 plus train ticket home
  2. Female members received no pay but did receive train ticket
3. Promises made Promises broken
  1. World War Adjustment Act of 1924
    1. More commonly known as “Bonus Act”
  2. Passed in 1924 but delayed until 1944
    1. The Bonus Army
World War II (1941 – 1945)
1. Traditional Parade through the Canyon of Heroes
  1. January 10, 1946, the 82nd Airborne Division
    1. Represented all U.S. Army units in WW II
  2. Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944
    1. More commonly known as the G. I. Bill of Rights
      1. Education Assistance
      2. Guaranteed Home Loans
Korean War (1950 – 1953)
1. Traditional Parade through the Canyon of Heroes
  1. April 22, 1954, the 4th Infantry Division upon return from Korea
2. The G. I. Bill of Rights is amended
  1. To include those of the Korean War
Vietnam War (1961 – 1975)
1. Anti War Sentiment
  1. Created backlash against both military personnel and installations world-wide
  2. Lack of support for personnel in all locations created unnecessary morale problems
2. No Welcome Home Parade
  1. Unlike past military operations, there was no parade through the Canyon of Heroes
  2. On May 7, 1985, there was a parade of Vietnam War Veterans
Operation Desert Shield/Storm (1990/1991)
1. Popular national support equaled to World War II
  1. The Nation fully supported the use of force against Iraq
  2. Popular support for the personnel with high technology
  3. June 10, 1991, tons of confetti on the troops as they marched in the Canyon of Heroes
Conclusion
1. Support of the Nation
  1. Knowing that their Nation supports their actions in the war zone improves the morale, thus decreases problems
  2. Helps ease the transition of leaving family and the network that the families have makes the deployment easier to handle
  3. The more support that the nation provides the easier to become reintegrated into society
2. G. I. Bill of Rights
  1. Started with the World War Adjustment Act of 1924
  2. Has now been updated to address the needs of Post 9/11
  3. Updated the Guaranteed home loans

Hypothesis

History, through the ages, has shown the support from the government and the Nation’s populace will help the veteran to reintegrate successfully back into their society. However, those that receive very little support from both the government and the population will often find their reintegration back into society hard; sometimes vilified by his Nation’s populace, sometimes for life.

Methodologies Used

My methods of gaining information were not done in the general sense of the different ways we have learned here due to time constrains. However, I used the Internet to obtain some of my information, and where there was some confusion as to a particular quotation or data, I checked by email to the source. I also used some of my personal reference books. I utilized the email system to get first hand information, especially from the Vietnam War veterans and others. Finally, I used my own personal experiences of how I was treated here at home and abroad.

Theory Employed

My theory was simple, since World War I up to the present War on Terror; I knew that those veterans that returned home from a war and was supported by their government would be easily reintegrated back into society as after World War II and the G.I. Bill of Rights. However; to counter that I also knew of how our Vietnam War Veterans were treated by our own government, such as the Veterans Administration (VA), and our own populace that treated us with disdain and at times fierce hatred. In some cases, some veterans, no matter where they were stationed, did not have any problems with the local population.

World War I

World War I started in 1914 with the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria and heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary by Gavrilo Princip who was a Serbian. Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, and then treaties between European nations plunged all of Europe into the deadliest war in the history of the world. Russia mobilized against Austria; Germany declared war against Russia and France mobilized to help Russia. Eventually, this war would include many of the world’s nations (New York Public Library Desk Reference page 160). However, it would not be until October 6, 1917 before the United States is drawn into the war. In July 1917, American troops arrived to serve under General John J. Perishing, which remain an “Associate Power” as The American Expeditionary Force and not as a member of the Allies.

In March, 1918, Russia made peace with Germany which had the Germans then free to shift to the Western Front against Britain, French and eventually American forces. After vigorous fighting in the trenches, and in the air, Germany formerly surrendered at eleven A.M. on November 11, 1918. The deadliest war on earth at that time was quite exorbitant with a high cost of at least 10 million lives of which 116,708 were American lives whose remains lay buried in Belgium, England and France (page 180).

Shortly after the Armistice, the American forces started to return home, to New York Harbor by troopship. One can only imagine the thoughts those men had when they saw the Statue of Liberty. On September 6, 1919, The American Expeditionary Force under General John J. Pershing marched down the section of lower Broadway through the Financial District that serves as the parade route which is called the Canyon of Heroes in New York City (List of Ticker-tape Parades in New York).

Shortly after returning home, those that were “mustered out” were given $60.00 and a train ticket home. However, on the reverse side of the coin, women who had served as Army or Navy nurses received no mustering out cash but they did receive a train ticket home; one has to remember that at this time, women could not vote yet. Nothing was given to the returning veterans, no loans to help them get back into civilian life. Politicians began to promise those that fought in The Great War of a bonus that would be paid to them.

In 1924, Congress voted on a bill called “World War Adjustment Act of 1924” or as others called it “Bonus Act” to give a bonus to the war veterans “$1.25 each day served overseas and $1.00 each day served in the States” (The Bonus Army). Like most cases with promises from Congress, there was a catch to it; it would not be paid unit 1945 to help the current budget. Five years later, the United States started to slide into The Great Depression. The depression would also hit many of our World War I veterans and hit them hard. These same men who went to war would not allow their elected representatives to shun them easily.

In 1932, the Nation had slipped into the long days of The Great Depression and these same veterans who had fought so bravely in the dirty, water filled trenches in France were among those that were affected the worst. Many were unemployed and homeless. In some cases, they were also married and had children living in the open.

In May, 1932, by various ways of communicating, “… some 15,000 veterans began to descend upon Washington, D. C. demand immediate payment of their bonus” (The Bonus Army). They called themselves the “Bonus Expeditionary Force” while the public called them the “Bonus Army”. Approximately 5,000 veterans erected their own shanty shacks within view of the U.S. Capitol. About 10,000 veterans, women and children made their largest camp at Anacostia Flats across the river from the Capitol. Their living situation was not the best, in both camps, their shacks made out of scrap and junk from a nearby junk pile. They took pride in what they were doing and why they were there (The Bonus Army).

In the main camp, streets were laid out, latrines dug; formations every day and there were no problems considering the living conditions. Discipline was not a major problem. They had to pull their own with responsibilities. They had too much to gain by causing problems especially with the local’s population, jumpy about Red Scare attacks.

On June 17, 1932, the U. S. Senate was going to vote on the bill that the House of Representatives had already approved. The veterans all surged towards the Capitol only to hear that the Senate defeated the bill with a vote of 62 to 18 (The Bonus Army). From that day until July 17, 1932, when Congress adjourned, they would do a silent “Death March”. They put the word out that if Congress were to pay them their bonuses; they could help pull the Nation out of the depression. Unfortunately, there were those that felt that the veterans were rejected by Congress and criticized in the media and that “Many suggested these soldiers should have no claim on the government and that they were panhandling” (Crossen, Cynthia). Even though Congress had departed for summer recess, the BEF stayed where they were, not committing any crimes either in Washington, D.C. or the camps that they lived in, they took pride in what they did have for a home. However, the peace and tranquility would not last forever.

July 28, 1932, should be known as the day that the government routed the veterans from their shanty shack homes. For on that date, the Washington D.C. police moved in against the BEF element in the part across Pennsylvania Ave, within sight of the Capitol building and after some resistance, they pulled their weapons and fired into the crowd and killed two veterans. When the President heard of this, he contacted the Army Chief of Staff, General Douglas McArthur and told him to move the inhabitants off of Government property. Not realizing that two factors would be played out; one) The BEF members still in their camps, thought they were there for support towards them, they cheered; and two) Civil Service quickly moved out of their offices to watch what was going to unfold. McArthur chose Major George Patton to take a Calvary unit and a squad of tanks to help him with his orders. At the sudden movement of Patton and the cavalry unit against the camps, the cry of, “Shame! Shame!” the spectators cried as the BEF tried to protect their own families, soldiers with fixed bayonets followed hurling tear gas into the crowd (The Bonus Army). Patton forced the occupants out of their makeshift homes; he forced the veterans out of town and across the Anacostia River where Hoover ordered McArthur to stop; which he did not comply with. He led his infantry to the main camp and by early the next morning, the “10,000 inhabitants were routed and the camp in flames. Two babies died and nearby hospitals were overwhelmed with casualties”. (The Bonus Army). It was through the gallant efforts of these men, that future generations will receive the benefits they so rightly deserve.

World War II

On September 1, 1939, Germany attacked Poland, thus launching a war that would ultimately place all nations on a war footing. By June 22, 1940, Hitler had conquered all of the European Continent, leaving Great Britain alone to face Hitler’s Luftwaffe. Before the United States entered into World War II, many young men simply crossed the border to become a pilot with the Royal Canadian Air Force. They would soon become members of “Eagle Squadron” joining the regular British and Canadian pilots to fight against Hitler’s Luftwaffe and they were quite successful at it as well (The Eagles Squadron). Many of them that would survive the early air battles, would switch over and join (or in some cases) rejoin the U.S. Army Air Forces.

Once again, our nation entered into a war that would expand around the world, forcing us to fight a war not on two fronts as most claim but on three fronts (Middle East/Europe, the Pacific Islands, and China/Burma/India or more commonly known as CBI). For this war, we had to expand our troop levels to 16,353,659 in uniform (not all served overseas) of which 242,131 were killed in action or as a result of action. In less than four years, the United States was able to help bring down the “Supermen of the Nazi regime” and the Japanese forces to end the war. On May 7, 1945 Germany surrendered and on August 14, 1945, Japan surrendered, thus bringing World War II to an end.

American society and the government worked together to welcome them home and to make the transition back to civilian life but would the new plan work?

On June 22, 1944, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed into law, the G. I. Bill of Rights (also known as Servicemen’s Readjustment Act) that would place the Veterans Administration (VA) responsible for carrying out the law’s key provisions: education and training, loan guaranty for homes, farms or businesses, and unemployment pay (G. I. Bill History) It is important to note here that the American Legion National Past Commander (1943 – 44) Harry Colmery stated : “Never again do we want to see the honor and glory of our nation fade to the extent that her men of arms, with despondent heart and palsied limb, totter from door to door, bowing their souls to the frozen bosom of reluctant charity.” He made this statement after helping draft the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act in the winter of 1943-1944 (The American Legion My GI Bill).
On January 12, 1946, the 82nd Airborne Division, chosen as the All American Division, represented the US Army and the end of World War II down through the Canyon of Heroes (List of Ticker-tape Parades).

With the war over, millions of young and middle aged men and women had a chance to go to college instead of over flooding the job markets. For many, the cost of education was too much for them and their families to afford. For most of them, they would be the first of their family to go to college. According to the VA, during the peak year of 1947, “veterans accounted for 49 per cent of college admissions” (G.I. Bill History). By the time the original GI Bill ended on July 25, 1956, 7.8 million of 16 million World War II veterans had participated in an education or training program. Between 1944 and 1952, VA backed nearly 2.4 million home loans for World War II veterans. But the most controversial portion of the GI Bill was not utilized that much. It was the unemployed provision of $20 for 52 weeks, the so called 20/52 provision. Only 20 percent was actually used of the funds that were set aside. What was it that had Congress sign this epic piece of legislation? They did not want another repeat of veterans and families living in shanties in the Nation’s Capitol again. It would seem that the hard life styles that their predecessors lived through from their mustering out pay of $60 and a train ticket home and then living through The Great Depression was worth it after all.

The local veteran population from World War II all says the same thing; they utilized the G. I. Bill and became business owners, educators and industry builders. It also allowed them to marry and buy a home after they graduated from college or a trade school to learn more on what they learned while in the military. They all echo the same comment, if it were not for the G. I. Bill, they would not have been successful in their after military life. They also told me of the packages they received in the mail while overseas and the receptions they received with parades, and parties. There were those that did not go overseas but they were just as much part of the parades and parties as those that did go. They were the ones that supported the military forces overseas. Now, the problem was that there was a deadline on the GI Bill (1956), but what if there was another war, another conflict where millions more would be in our nation’s armed forces? Could we ignore them if the shooting started again? Provisions needed to be in place to make sure that any and all veterans are given the chance to go to college, or a trade school, to buy a home, all under the G. I. Bill.

Korean War

Less than five years after the conclusion of World War II, on June 25, 1950, hostilities broke out when armed forces of the Democratic Peoples’ Republic of Korea (DPRK) with 90,000 Russian armed forces crossed over and invaded the Republic of Korea (ROK). The United Nations in its first test of preventing hostilities like this, tells North Korea to cease the violence and pull back to its boundary at the 38th parallel. On June 29, the ROK capitol Seoul falls to the enemy forces and on June 30, 1950, President Truman commits U.S. forces to assist ROK and to enforce UN demands. The war would rage up and down the peninsula several times over the next three years with a cease fire at the beginning lines of the 38th parallel on July 27, 1953. A new breed of veterans was born in the fields of Korea. But first, it needs to be brought up about the quality of our armed forces between World War II and Korea and why.

Between World War II and the outbreak of the Korean War, found our military to be nothing but a hollow shell. Improvements to the weapons we had in World War II were no longer being produced; our armored vehicles – primarily tanks – were of the past. Basically, our troops were trained for garrison duty. It was the idea of Truman’s Cabinet that because we had the atomic bomb, there would no longer be a need for advanced ground forces, just the Air Force to fly the nuclear bombs. Meanwhile the North Koreans were being armed by the Soviet Union and some manpower from the Peoples Republic of China (PRC). We (along with the ROK forces) were undermanned and out gunned by a large margin. On June 30, 1950, the US Army had 111,430 active duty soldiers in the Far East, most of which were WW II veterans that were on garrison duty and not actively trained for combat. During the Korean War, there were 5,764,143 in uniform, and there were 33,651 classified as battle deaths (Page 180).

Their homecoming from the war was similar in nature to those that returned home from World War II, with the traditional parade through the Canyon of Heroes with elements of the 4th Infantry Division upon their return on April 22, 1954 (List of Ticker-tape Parades). Questions about the G. I. Bill were upper most in the new veteran’s minds. Would it expire on July 25, 1956 or would it be extended for the new veterans of the Korean War? And if extended, for how long?

The GI Bill would not be the same as it was for those from the previous war. The Veterans Adjustment Act of 1952 kept the Guaranteed Housing as it was but it was the education that took the biggest hit of all. Under the new law, the government no longer paid tuition directly to colleges and universities; instead, veterans got a flat monthly fee of about $110 from which they were to pay for their education (History of the GI Bill).

Vietnam War

The beginning of a long, nasty war that some say we should have not been there in the first place and others say we should have been there. It is the author’s belief that we were there for the right reason at the very beginning but it was the politicians who micromanaged the war, far removed safe and sound in D.C. while our young men and women put their lives on the line day in and day out for 365 days, 24/7.

But first, why were we there to begin with? What was the reason we were there? The war in Vietnam was the longest, costliest war in our Nation’s history of war.

It was a war that lasted 16 years (1959 – 1975) and cost us 47,369 battle deaths and 10,799 “other deaths” for a total of 58,168 deaths, (Casualties – US vs. NVA/VC) of which all names are on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D. C. The cause of us being there was simple; we were there to advise and assist the regime in Saigon, capitol of Republic of Vietnam (RVN) in the battles of the forces from Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRV). From 1959 to 1964, we advised the RVN military against the forces of the North Vietnamese Army (NVA) and the local population minority the Viet Cong (VC). In 1964, in response to an attack on two of our destroyers in the Tonkin Gulf, engaged two DRV Navy torpedo boats on August 2, 1964 and on August 4, 1964; on August 7, 1964, Congress gave President Johnson authority to send armed US forces to the RVN to assist them in their civil war. It turns out August 4, 1964 did not happen at all, but the damage was already done, our troops were on their way.

Politics played into how the war would be waged. At times, our Naval/Marine and Air Force could not bomb above a line on a map, our ground forces could not shoot unless they were being shot at first and we would honor all religious holidays and the Tet or Vietnamese Lunar New Year, for example. None of these options is good in a war zone, and to top it all off, with news in the Stars and Stripes of the demonstrations being publicized back home, morale plummeted and no one to talk to; all one had to do was survive one year then they could go home. On January 28, 1973 a cease fire went into effect and our 591 POWs were released from the infamous Hanoi Hilton on February 12, 1973. There were no welcome home parades for us, just a parade on May 7, 1985 Vietnam War Veterans (History of Ticker-tape Parades).

In an exchange with a close Vietnam veteran friend, he emailed me this recounting of his return home from the war.

When I came back from [South East Asia] SEA (1969), we landed at Travis AFB, CA. As we departed the aircraft, from behind the fence, we heard the comment “There’s another Baby Killer”. Since all of us were in direct support of the B-52’s mission that took a BIG BIT[HIT] out of the Honor we all felt doing our jobs. Needless to say, the feeling still lingers to this date. I really don’t think I need to elaborate anymore. However, I will work (have worked) very hard to prevent this from happening to our current troops. It is a struggle some times to cope with the drastic difference between the past treatments versus today’s support. But, it has its benefits also (Healing) Al – Wyoming.

Other veterans emailed me with their accountings of their return home for SEA.

Pat from NH emailed me and told me of how it was when he came home, “there were no big ceremonies, no media, no crowds to welcome me home.”

Bob from CA sent me an email on his experience when he came home from Vietnam for 30 day leave after serving 14 months “in the rear with the gear”.

The overall reception of my return was total apathy and uncaring demeanor on most of the people that I knew. I did have neighbors come over to visit and my family was glad to see me but overall it was like I had never been away and there was really no conversation about much of what I had been through. I do think the immersion into our troops today by our society is brought about because the Vietnam era veterans are now the parents and grandparents of these brave servicemen and women and we know the cost of no recognition.

Bob ended his email with this very true statement; “If what we learned by ignoring our returning vets from the Vietnam War was to be more compassionate and connected to our vets today then I am glad the way it worked out.” I find this statement very true and an honest thought. There were others who had no problems when they returned from SEA.

My own personal reaction that I received when I was home, in uniform before leaving for Thailand in 1973 was being called a “baby killer” and seeing I was in my Air Force uniform, I was asked “How many families did you blow up with a bomb from your airplane?” But the worst reaction I had was when I returned from Thailand in an Air Force C-141 air evac on a stretcher, was in my hospital room at Travis AFB, CA and on the news was the story line of demonstrators outside the gate and when they heard a jet was coming in they would throw plastic bags of human excrement over the fence. I remember crying and trying to figure out what I had done wrong. My first marriage ended in divorce partly due to the war. We all did our job that we had to do when we signed that bottom line. Clearly, American society let us down by not supporting us both in the war theater of SEA and home. What were the changes to the GI Bill that we had read about?

The Vietnam Era GI Bill offered the same entitlements as the Korean War Bill, except for one thing, the Bill was being changed over to the Montgomery GI Bill (MGIB). You had to pay into it ($1200 payroll deduction) to receive matching from the VA. If you converted to the MGIB from the Vietnam era G.I. Bill, you did not have to pay the payroll deduction. As time went on, the MGIB would lose power, and the post 9-11 influx of new members in the military extended the problem (History of the GI Bill). Clearly a new bill was necessary.

August, 2009, Congress passed a new 21st century GI Bill significantly expands veterans’ education benefits, offering up to 100 percent tuition and fee coverage at institutions of higher learning, a monthly housing stipend, up to $1,000 annually for books and school supplies, and the option to transfer benefits to one or more immediate family members. And it has made the reality of higher education more attainable than ever for today’s veterans (History of the GI Bill). This bill clearly identifies a way to welcome home the veterans from not only the war zone but those in support roles as well. However, not everyone can benefit from the GI Bill; or support from the nation itself.

Susan from NH sent me an email that I find is most disturbing as she was an officer in the Air Force, not during war time. Here is her comment to me.

I haven’t found that being a veteran has helped me in society as far as employment or housing. People in general have been very appreciative of my service, and being a member of a veteran’s organization has surrounded me with other veterans and their families whose active members help and support each other. But when I apply for a job I can’t check the “veteran’s preference” box because I didn’t serve in war time. I don’t qualify for a veteran’s property tax exemption in my town for the same reason. When I was looking to buy a small mobile home last year, my VA loan did not apply to mobile homes.

As you can tell, her country and the system have let her down, and she is not alone; one has to wonder why is she, and others like her, able to fall through the crack.

Dave from FL sent me an interesting point of view on the support from the nation and American society.

I guess the bottom line is that civilians do not have the same camaraderie and respect that we enjoyed in the military. I also feel that they don’t appreciate our skills, experience, and the value we bring to an organization. On my exit interview from the Department of Revenue, I was asked what it would take to keep me there (I guess they appreciated me more than they let know) and I asked if they could match the salary I had been offered. I was asked if it was more than $xx. When I replied that it was much more, I was told they couldn’t meet it because that’s what the director of the entire office made. I’m just illustrating here how undervalued former military members are in some circumstances.

Here Dave points out the lack of understanding from a civilian point of view on how to work on a problem with the keen eye of a retired military service member.

Operation Desert Shield/Storm

The war currently in Iraq, actually began August 2, 1990 when Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait which resulted in Operation Desert Shield. Operation Desert Storm began January 17, 1991 and lasted only six weeks. During this war, those in uniform accounted for approximately 500,000; with 149 battle deaths and 151 other deaths (Page 180). It was when our forces came home that media and crowds welcomed them home from the war, a far different cry from when we came home from SEA. One person asked me “Are you a Vietnam Veteran?” I replied “Yes I was” and then he followed up with “Well this is your welcome home also.” There was no way I could accept that.

One of the primary reasons why they were able to successfully complete their mission was due to the support of not only their society but also those in Washington that did not try to second guess the mission and how to finish to job. On June 10, 1991, the largest tickertape parade was held for the Gulf War veterans through the Canyon of Heroes (List of Ticker-tape Parades).

Once again, our young men and women have been thrust into the breech and sent off to war. Operation Enduring Freedom was a result of the attack on our soil on 9-11-01, it was not a matter of choice but a matter of necessity. Operation Iraqi Freedom was based on faulty intelligence as to whether Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction (WMD) of any kind. In the 1980s, he did have gas as that was what he used in the war with Iran; and on his own people of the Kurds. Between 1991 and 2003, he had plenty of chances to hide and to ship out of his country the WMD that the world knew he did have. When the US and allies went in, there was no WMD, now the question arises where are the WMD now? Our nation’s leaders and fellow countrymen need to help those in need when they come back home, some with physical wounds, and others with hidden wounds. We must not do to them what happened to us in Vietnam.

Conclusion

Knowing that your nation supports you while you are involved in armed conflict helps to make the separation from your loved ones that much easier. The families have a special network to themselves that helps to handle the stress of raising a family, facing financial problems all by themselves can seem daunting. However, when the publicity of demonstrations against the war, it affects not only your job performance but makes it harder to maintain discipline within the unit. Once the combat veteran returns home, the support that they receive is far better than any of our previous wars have been able to give.

In the aftermath of Vietnam, when our troops came home from Vietnam, they went to the VA and filed claims to be treated for wounds and illnesses from their time in combat. In most cases, the troops were told that “There is nothing we can do for you” even with supporting documents that showed you had been wounded and received at least one Purple Heart. This made the troops broken hearted and they would throw away their paperwork in complete distrust towards our own government, but who could blame them? Now when they are in the later years, they need to find someone who remembers them to back up their claim. Problem is with this, it shows that civilians do not know how to react since they had not “been there, done that”. In simple fact, it is our own government that spurned the veterans from the unpopular war, and even now, most Vietnam veterans have to fight and appeal for their earned benefits. It took the author eleven years (1993 to 2004) to finally receive his 100 per cent rating with the VA.

To think that the birth of the GI Bill started with a group of World War I veterans who had been promised their War Bonus and they went to Washington D.C. to ensure they would receive it, instead they were run out of town, by the US Army. The GI Bill of rights in 1945 was the result of these brave American men and women who put their lives on the line once again for the nation. The Bill has been updated several times to bring up the cost of education, updated the guaranteed home loans and job searching. One key point of the Post 9/11 GI Bill is that you can now share it with your spouse or child if they want to go to college that is a major point to the positive.

Works Cited

• Crossen, Cynthia. “Veterans of WW1 Ridiculed as Beggars For Seeking a Bonus.” Wall Street Journal – Eastern Edition (2005): B1.
• Dickson, Paul and Thomas B Allen. “The Bonus Army, An American Epic”: Indiana Magazine of History (2007): 115-118.
• GI Bill History Born of Controversy: The GI Bill of Rights: 6 November 2009. 2009: December 9 2009
• History of the GI Bill: 2009: 11 December 2009
• List of ticker-tape parades in New York City: 6 November 2009. 2 December 2009
• Schoenherr, Steven. The Eagle Squadrons: 1 October 2005. 10 December 2009
• The American Legion My GI Bill. 2009L 9 December 2009
• The New York Public Library American History Desk Reference: New York: Hyperion, 2003
• Unknown. The Bonus Army: XXXX XX 2000, 2 November 2009