World War 1 Pensions

[rp76226]

My grandfather, Salvatore Puma, served in the Army during World War 1 and I was told that he received a small pension for his service. Did all WW1 veterans receive a pension or only those that were wounded in battle? His service record says that he was not wounded, but this site has previously told me that was not unusual back then to not indicate that wounded survivors were not indicated as wounded.

My late father told me that during a charge from the trenches toward the German line, the soldiers on his left and right were killed, but he survived. My late aunt said that she saw the ugly scar on his leg and that he was wounded in WW1. If he was wounded, that might likely explain his small pension. None of his children are alive now. More details on his service:

Inducted into the US Army on May 28, 1918. Released 5 June 1919. Served overseas from July 8, 1918 to May 29, 1919. Company A, 313th Infantry. His Army serial number was 3,197,381. Is there a way to determine why he received a military pension? Also, is there a way to find out if he enlisted or was drafted into the Army.

Ron

[Tessa78]

Regarding "enlistment vs. induction"

On his WWI Army Service Card the "Enlisted..." line is blacked out, and only the "Inducted..." line is showing. So it looks like he was Inducted.



Perhaps what your ancestor received was not a pension per se, but a payment resulting from the World War I Bonus Bill of 1924?
See here...
https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/en ... %20service.

Also... have you explored this site?
https://www.archives.gov/files/st-louis ... eteran.pdf

T.

[rp76226]

He did get a WW1 war bonus of $68.30. Was not aware of that genealogy website. Too bad that I was not into family trees when he was alive. I could have asked him as I was 33 when he died.

Ron