Изображения страниц
PDF
EPUB

TO AUTHORIZE THE AMERICAN LEGION, DEPARTMENT OF NEW JERSEY, TO ERECT A MEMORIAL CHAPEL AT THE NAVAL AIR STATION, LAKEHURST, N. J. (H. R. 16533)

NAVY DEPARTMENT, Washington, January 22, 1929.

The SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,

Washington, D. C.

MY DEAR MR. SPEAKER: I have the honor to transmit herewith a draft of a proposed bill to authorize the American Legion, department of New Jersey, to erect a memorial chapel at the naval air station, Lakehurst, N. J.

The purpose of this bill is to authorize the Secretary of the Navy to permit the American Legion, department of New Jersey, to erect at the naval air station, Lakehurst, N. J., a memorial chapel in commemoration of those whose lives are lost in aviation and particularly in lighter-than-air craft activities. The site of the memorial chapel is to be selected by the Secretary of the Navy, and its design and construction, with its individual memorial windows, will be subject to his approval and supervision. The design and construction of the memorial chapel shall be without cost to the United States, and upon its completion and dedication it is to be accepted as an unconditional gift to the United States.

The Navy Department believes that the proposed memorial chapel will be of great value and benefit to the Navy. The future cost to the Government for its care and maintenance, including the furnishing of heat and light, will be nominal compared to the benefits to be derived by the Navy and its personnel.

The inclosed draft of bill was referred to the Director of the Bureau of the Budget on January 5, 1929, with the information that the Navy Department contemplated recommending to the Congress that it be enacted, and under date of January 12, 1929, the Navy Department was informed that the proposed legislation is not in conflict with the financial program of the President. It is requested that the matter be referred to the appropriate committee and that the suggested draft of bill, or one similar thereto to accomplish the same purpose, be enacted during the present session.

Sincerely yours,

CURTIS D. WILBUR,
Secretary of the Navy.

A BILL To authorize the American Legion, Department of New Jersey, to erect a memorial chapel at the Naval Air Station, Lakehurst, New Jersey

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Secretary of the Navy be, and he is hereby, authorized to permit the American Legion, Department of New Jersey, to erect at the Naval Air Station, Lakehurst New Jersey, a memorial chapel in com(539)

2197-29-No. 92

memoration of those whose lives are lost in aviation and particularly in lighterthan-air-craft activities. The erection of this memorial chapel shall be subject to the following conditions:

First. The site of the memorial chapel shall be selected by the Secretary of the Navy, and its design and construction, with its individual memorials and memorial windows, shall be subject to his approval and supervision.

Second. The design and construction of the memorial chapel shall be without cost to the United States.

SEC. 2. Upon the completion and dedication of the memorial chapel, the Secretary of the Navy is authorized to accept it as an unconditional gift to the United States from the American Legion, Department of New Jersey.

о

FOR THE RELIEF OF THOMAS N. SMITH (H. R. 15003)

NAVY DEPARTMENT, Washington, January 25, 1929.

The CHAIRMAN COMMITTEE ON NAVAL AFFAIRS,

House of Representatives, Washington, D. C.

MY DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: Replying further to the committee's letter of December 17, 1928, transmitting the bill (H. R. 15003) for the relief of Thomas N. Smith, and requesting the views and recommendations of the Navy Department relative thereto, I have the honor to advise you as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to provide that in the administration of any laws conferring rights, privileges, and benefits upon honorably discharged men of the Navy, Thomas N. Smith, who was a member of the Navy as seaman second class, shall hereafter be held and considered to have been discharged honorably from the naval service. The records of the Navy Department show that the above-named man was born on May 24, 1899, and enlisted in the Navy on March 5, 1917. During this enlistment he was absent from ship and station without leave from July 8, 1917, to July 16, 1917. For this offense he was tried by general court-martial, found guilty of absence without leave, sentenced to be confined for a period of two years, to be dishonorably discharged from the naval service and to suffer all other accessories in the sentence. The Navy Department approved the sentence on September 19, 1917, but reduced the period of confinement to 18 months. While serving his sentence at the naval prison, Portsmouth, N. H., he was reported for several minor offenses. On March 27, 1918, Smith was restored to duty on probation for a period of one year. During this period of probation he was reported for stealing a Red Cross jersey, the property of another enlisted man, was tried by summary court-martial, found guilty, sentenced to solitary confinement on bread and water for 30 days with a full ration every fifth day, and to lose pay amounting to $107.70. The loss of pay was reduced to $62.70. In view of the fact that Smith did not maintain a record satisfactory to his commanding officer during his period of probation he was returned to the naval prison, Portsmouth, N. H., on October 28, 1918, and was discharged from the naval service at that prison on April 19, 1919.

The Navy Department is unaware of any good reason for considering Smith as having been honorably discharged from the naval service, and without such reason, does not believe that any special action toward his case should be taken. Further, any legislation such as this bill, restoring the rights, privileges, and benefits of an honorably discharged man to a man discharged for his offense is a partial revocation of the penalties of the discharge, and by the accumulation of cases in which such remission is accomplished by (541)

2197-29-No. 93

acts of Congress tends to weaken the force of subsequent discharges of the same nature.

The bill (H. R. 15003), if enacted, will result in no additional cost to the Navy, but it is probable that a Veterans' Bureau charge will be involved now or in the future.

The bill (H. R. 15003) was referred to the Bureau of the Budget with the above information as to cost and a statement that the Navy Department contemplated making an unfavorable_recommendation thereon. Under date of January 17, 1929, the Director of the Bureau of the Budget advised the Navy Department that this proposed recommendation is not in conflict with the financial program of the President.

In view of the foregoing, the Navy Department recommends against the enactment of the bill (H. R. 15003).

Sincerely yours,

CURTIS D. WILBUR,
Secretary of the Nary.

A BILL For the relief of Thomas N. Smith

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That in the administration of any laws conferring rights, privileges, and benefits upon honorably discharged men of the Navy, Thomas N. Smith, who was a member of the Navy as seaman, second class, shall hereafter be held and considered to have been discharged honorably from the naval service of the United States: Provided, That no bounty, back pay, pension, or allowance shall be held to have accrued prior to the passage of this act.

O

TO AUTHORIZE THE PRESIDENT TO AWARD, IN THE NAME OF CONGRESS, GOLD MEDALS OF APPROPRIATE DESIGN TO ALBERT C. READ, ELMER F. STONE, WALTER HINTON, H. C. RODD, J. L. BREESE, AND EUGENE RHODES (S. 4338)

NAVY DEPARTMENT,

Washington, D. C., January 24, 1929.

The CHAIRMAN COMMITTEE ON NAVAL AFFAIRS,
House of Representatives, Washington, D. C.

MY DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: I have the honor to inclose herewith a copy of a letter which I have this date received from the Chief of the Bureau of Aeronautics, together with a copy of the indorsement of the Chief of the Bureau of Navigation thereon, recommending an amendment to the bill S. 4338. The bill (S. 4338) has been passed by the Senate and has been reported out by the Committee on Naval Affairs, House of Representatives. The reason for not including Commander John H. Towers's name among those to be awarded a gold medal by the President, in the department's previous report, was because of the fact that he did not complete the first successful trans-Atlantic flight in the United States naval flying boat NC-4, in May, 1919. However, in view of the reasons set forth by the Chief of the Bureau of Aeronautics in the within inclosed letter, concurred in by the Chief of the Bureau of Navigation, the Navy Department recommends that Commander Towers's name be now included.

In order to include Commander Towers's name so that he will be appropriately designated, it is recommended that the bill be amended as follows:

After the word "to", in line 5 of the bill, insert "Commander John H. Towers, United States Navy, for conceiving, organizing, and commanding the first successful trans-Atlantic flight and", and in the sixth line, after the word "officer", insert "NČ-4". The bill as amended would then read:

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the President be, and is hereby, authorized to award, in the name of Congress, gold medals of appropriate design to Commander John H. Towers, United States Navy, for conceiving, organizing, and commanding the first successful trans-Atlantic flight, and to Lieutenant Commander Albert C. Read, United States Navy, commanding officer NC-4; to Lieutenant Elmer F. Stone, United States Coast Guard, pilot; to former Lieutenant Walter Hinton, United States Navy, pilot; to Lieutenant H. C. Rodd, United States Navy, radio operator; to former Lieutenant J. L. Breese, United States Naval Reserve Force, engineer; and to former Machinist's Mate Eugene Rhodes, United States Navy, engineer, for their extraordinary achievement in making the first successful trans-Atlantic flight, in the United States naval flying boat NC-4, in May, 1919.

Sincerely yours,

CURTIS D. WILBUR,
Secretary of the Navy.

2197-29-No. 94

(543)

« ПредыдущаяПродолжить »