Bonus army removed from Washington

Bonus army removed from Washington

In the spring and summer of 1932, approximately 17,000 to 25,000 World War I veterans, along with their families and supporters, assembled in Washington, D.C. The group, known as the Bonus Army, sought immediate cash payment of service certificates authorized under the Adjusted Compensation Act of 1924, which were scheduled to mature in 1945. Encampments were established in several areas of the capital, including sites near the United States Capitol and across the Anacostia River.

The demonstration was led in part by Walter W. Waters. The veterans petitioned Congress for early redemption of the certificates. In June 1932, the House of Representatives passed legislation providing for immediate payment, but the Senate rejected the measure. A significant number of participants remained in Washington following the Senate vote.

On July 28, 1932, local authorities attempted to clear certain buildings occupied by veterans, resulting in clashes that caused the deaths of two veterans. President Herbert Hoover subsequently ordered federal troops to assist in removing the remaining encampments. U.S. Army forces commanded by General Douglas MacArthur, with Major Dwight D. Eisenhower and Major George S. Patton participating, advanced on the camps using infantry, cavalry, tanks, and tear gas. Temporary shelters were dismantled and burned. In early August 1932, an 11-week-old infant, Bernard Myers, died of pneumonia. Contemporary reports stated the illness followed exposure after the clearing of the camps.