On July 28, 1932, American troops, with bayonets fixed, moved against a ragtag group of World War I veterans called the “Bonus Marchers.”
Amid the Great Depression, the Bonus Marchers sought the early payment of their wartime bonus, awarded by Congress in 1924 but not to be received until 1945 or in the event of the veteran’s death. Desperate for financial support during that time of economic turmoil, veterans and their families flocked to Washington, D.C., set up makeshift camps, and protested.
The situation escalated on July 28, 1932, after the D.C. government ordered the eviction of the Bonus Marchers from occupied buildings and their encampments. Chaos broke out and in the ensuing confrontation, two Bonus Marchers were shot by police—William J. Hushka died on the spot and Eric Carlson succumbed to his wounds on August 2. That same day, troops under the command of Chief of Staff of the Army Gen. Douglas MacArthur, including a company led by Maj. George Patton, deployed into the city to assist with the removal of the Bonus Marchers. While the soldiers did not use their guns, the situation became quite complex and they made a show of force with their bayonets drawn and five tanks.
Both Hushka and Carlson are buried in Section 18 of Arlington National Cemetery, among the graves of other World War I service members. Although they did not fall in battle, they lost their lives in a struggle for veteran benefits that made a lasting impact on how the United States treats its returning warriors.
