Minnesota. Department of Veterans' Affairs

Minnesota Laws 1957. chapter 942, authorized "adjusted compensation" (bonus payments) to Minnesota residents who served honorably in the U.S. armed forces for 30 consecutive days between June 27. 1950 and July 27, 1953, or to their beneficiaries. The law appropriated $15 million for this purpose, to be administered by the commissioner of veterans affairs. Awards were in varying amounts not to exceed $400, depending on length and type of service. Later legislation specifically termed these payments "Korean bonus" (Ex. Sess. Laws 1958, c1), and appropriated additional funds (Ex. Sess. Laws 1959, c23).

From the guide to the Korean War bonus records., 1950s-1960s., (Minnesota Historical Society)

The veterans' grave registration program in Minnesota began in 1927, with an amendment to Section 2440 of the General Statutes. The Adjutant General was given the duty, as part of the war records collection program, to maintain a permanent registry of the graves of all persons who served in the military or naval forces of the United States, and whose mortal remains rest in Minnesota (chapter 102, section 1, Laws of Minnesota 1927). Prior to this law, the Adjutant General was to have kept a complete list of all Minnesota residents who served in the Civil War, Spanish-American War, Philippine War, Mexican Border service, Indian Wars, and World War I. Included with each name was a military history of each person (chapter 506, section 47, Laws of Minnesota 1921).

In 1943, the duty of keeping the records was transferred to the Commissioner of Veterans Affairs. The scope of the program was also increased in that year to include veterans of World War II, as well as all prior periods (chapter 420, section 5, Laws of Minnesota 1943).

In 1947 the legislature enacted Law 149.07, which further streamlined the record-gathering process (chapter 302, section 1, Laws of Minnesota 1947). The burden of registry was placed on the embalming and funeral services, which were required to send information on veterans to the Department of Veterans Affairs. Within Veterans Affairs, the Records Division handled the actual processing and storage of the documents.

By 1967, the graves registration program had been transferred to the Veterans Benefits Division of the Department of Veterans Affairs. According to the annual reports of the late 1960s, the Department of Veterans Affairs had begun to feel the pinch of budget constraints, while at the same time facing a new influx of problems and responsibilities from the Vietnam Conflict. In 1969, the graves registration program was eliminated from the duties of the Commissioner of Veterans Affairs, quite possibly due to the budget constraints (chapter 275, section 2, Laws of Minnesota 1969).

As an example of the growth of the program over the years, there were 33,763 registered graves in 1944, and in 1952, nearly a decade later, there were over 55,000.

From the guide to the Veterans graves registration reports., [ca. 1930]-1975., (Minnesota Historical Society)

Laws of Minnesota 1949, chapter 642 [Veterans Adjusted Compensation Act] authorized "adjusted compensation" [bonus payments] to Minnesota residents who served honorably in the U.S. armed forces for at least 30 consecutive days between December 7, 1941 and September 2, 1945, or to their beneficiaries. The law authorized the sale of up to $84 million in bonds for this purpose. Awards were made at the rate of $10 per month for domestic duty and $15 for foreign duty, with the total amount not to exceed $270 for domestic duty and $400 for foreign or a combination of domestic and foreign duty. The awards were administered by the commissioner of veterans affairs.

The initial deadline for bonus applications was December 31, 1950, but it was extended first to December 31, 1951 [Laws 1951 c450], and then to December 3, 1953 [Laws 1953 c228].

From the guide to the World War II Denied Bonus Records., 1950s., (Minnesota Historical Society)