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Question from Harold
Its me again got a new question for the boys.
From 1946 here we go got discharge at fort devens no money this time got home so they must remember the 52 -20. That was 52 weeks at twenty dollars a week From the gov program unemployment office. I lived 12 miles from the nearest place to work, so got ride to town and signed up for 52-20. Good got 5 checks then got a message lack of transportation you no longer can get this benefit. Appealed got notice. Disqualfied signed another 18 weeks waiting for there dicision. No checks.
Got a total of $100.00 well lived through that one said to hell with the gov. A few years got a bill from guess who us gov you owe $100.00 dollars to us for your 5 weeks then again i said to hell with them let them get it. By gosh they did.
Well you boys know about the insurance paid plan the gov had during those years if you did not collect. Then some years later do not remember the exact year, have the paper some where early fiftys. Got notice from guess who, my gov reimbursment on insurance. Deducted $100.00 for your bill you owe the gov. For the 5 weeks you got paid. Beat that one. Still not bitter but was then.
HWhiting
Marion J Chard
Proud Daughter of Walter (Monday) Poniedzialek
540th Engineer Combat Regiment, 2833rd Bn, H&S Co, 4th Platoon
There's "No Bridge Too Far"
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Marion: Something is lacking in this explanation. The 52-20 was unemployment from the Govt. for Vets. Yes I collected it a couple of months with no problems till I found work. (the first month I sure didnt look too hard, just enjoyed as I was single and living home then, had my second installment of the $300.00 "Mustering out pay" and what I had sent home was quite a bit also. Also kept my G.I. insurance payments and did not take the dividends so I have many times the original amount of paid up insurance as
of yet. Most, if not all of my payment of $6.40 per month goes into more paid up life insurance with the dividends staying in and not collected. Where else does a critter over 80 get this kind of life insurance for $6.40 a month. My paid up life insurance goes up each month even yet. I feel in most cases we were treated damn fairly by the Govt.
on returning home. On enlisting we were promised nothing but serving for the whole
duration of the war plus 6 months and in late 1944 they came out with the G.I. Bill which was not expected or promised. I feel I was treated more than fairly by a gratefull country. Maybe I was just lucky, but the harder I worked the luckier I became. The 9 months of trade school in refrigeration and Air conditioning I took
in 1946 gave me a trade to comfortably retire from thanks to the G.I. Bill and a good life while working. No complaints from me. Prior to trade school I realized I had no
trade education and went from job to job..
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Just curious, what were some of the jobs you had?
I've had a few myself.
Brooke
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Brooke: I was only 20 years old when discharged. Not much of a trade learned prior
to my elistment. First job after the war was a gas pump jockey, then a machine operator, then back to running my trapline during trapping season. I qickly got wise and
beleived the comming thing was refrigeration and air conditioning and was correct. This
trade, is and continues to be growing even yet. This was a lucky guess for me as I stuck to it for over 40 years and made a good living and retirement..
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Joe:
Thanks for responding to the questuion regarding 52-20. As always appreciate your insight and comments. 
Marion J Chard
Proud Daughter of Walter (Monday) Poniedzialek
540th Engineer Combat Regiment, 2833rd Bn, H&S Co, 4th Platoon
There's "No Bridge Too Far"
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I received my 300.00
Only problerm with GI insurence, why did they not tell me that after so many years they would cut my GI insurene in half. I was cut from 10,000.00 to 5000.00 then to 2500.00. Happy we did not collect on it.
papa Art
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Joe, I'd say you're right. Air conditioining isn't just a luxry anymore, almost everyone has it in their homes and it's most definately in all businesses.
$300 What did you do with all that money?
Brooke
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Brooke: As the old saying goes, "I spent most on women and booze and the rest I spent foolishly " . Just joking.. Yes, $300.00 was a good bit of money back then and
in my Army time I had a alloment sent home (for banking) for all but $25.00 a month
of my pay. So along with regular pay, overseas pay and C.I.B. pay I came home to a good bit of money for those days. Bought a used car and some civies. While going to trade school we also recieved $65.00 per month in subsistance while in school. Believe it or not, while going to trade school in a nearby city they had a free lunch counter near
the train station at a bar. Buy a beer and eat sandwitches and hard boiled eggs with no charge for food. Mug of beer was .10 cents but we usually had two. Three of us from nearby towns went to this trade schooll each weekday by train together from 10 A.M. to
4 P.M.. After living through the whole damn depression era I felt I was living "high off
the hog".. Especially being young and single.
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Quote: Only problerm with GI insurence, why did they not tell me that after so many years they would cut my GI insurene in half. I was cut from 10,000.00 to 5000.00 then to 2500.00. Happy we did not collect on it.".
Seems damn strange to me as by paying my $6.40 a month as yet, and leaving my dividends in, my last statement on my
G.I. Insurance showed I have over $30,000.00 of Paid Up life insurance and it increases each year. No complaints from me about it.
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Same deal here Joe with my GI Insurance!!
I collected all 52 weeks plus the State Bonus before I did anything.
Funny story about the 52/20 Club:-
I had to go into Boston to sign up and collect etc.and on my first trip I still had my uniform on. Walking down the street near the State House I see a Bird Colonel we had at the school I attended. We had compulsory Military Drill there and this "Bird" was the Ranking Army man at the school.
I saw him looking me over so I said to my brother who was with me "Watch Col. Joe when he passes us". I threw him a hand salute BUT turned my head so the I could put my thumb up to my nose!!
He screamed out at me "You SOB Top what year did you graduate and that was not what I expected from a Top. Looking at your CIB I guess I'll have to let it go as unmilitary courtesy and discipline from a former Cadet".
Thought my brother was going to choke!! I forgot to add that the brother with me was the Navy Lifer and he was a Chief Petty Officer IN UNIFORM!!
Sgtleo
