Iowa, U.S., World War II Bonus Case Files for Beneficiaries, 1947-1959

In May 1947, the Iowa Legislature approved bonus payments of up to $500 for men and women who served on active duty in the U.S. armed forces between 16 September 1940 and 2 September 1945. To qualify, applicants had to be legal residents of Iowa for at least the six months prior to their service. Bonus applications were either filled out by veterans or their beneficiaries. If the claim was filed by a beneficiary, the beneficiary was also required to provide documentation that they were the next of kin of the deceased and were entitled to his or her bonus.

Note: This database includes only the case files for applications that were filed by beneficiaries. The case files for applications filed by veterans are available in a separate database.

Along with name, birth date and place, place of residence for six months prior to enlistment or induction, and address where a check could be sent, forms may provide a wide variety of details related to the applicant’s service:

• applicant’s service or serial number
• name the applicant served under
• date of entry into and separation from active service
• credit for foreign service
• school attendance during service
• time lost to AWOL, desertion, confinement
• branch of service
• address at time registered for Selective Service
• application made to any other state for compensation
• units served in during WWII