Pub. L. 83-744, tit. I, sec. 103

Sec. 103. The War Claims Act of 1948, as amended, is hereby further amended by adding at the end thereof the following: “Sec. 15. (a) The Commission is authorized to receive and to determine, according to law, the amount and validity, and provide for the payment of any claim for compensation filed by or on behalf of any individual who, being then an American citizen, served in the military or naval forces of any government allied with the United States during World War II who was held as a prisoner of war for any period of time subsequent to December 7, 1941, by any government of any nation with which such allied government has been at war subsequent to such date. Compensation shall be payable under this section in accordance with the standards established by, and at the rates prescribed in, subsection (b) of section 6 of this Act, and paragraphs (2) and (3) of subsection (d) of such section 6. “(b) The amount payable under this section shall be reduced by such sum as the individual entitled to compensation under this section has received or is entitled to receive from any government by reason of the same detention. “(c) In the event of death of the individual entitled to compensation under this section, payment may be made to the persons specified in paragraph (4) of subsection (d) of section 6 of this Act. “(d) Claims for benefits under this section must be filed within one year after the date of enactment of this section. “(e) Any claim allowed under the provisions of this section shall be certified to the Secretary of the Treasury for payment out of the War Claims Fund established by section 13 of this Act. “Sec. 16. (a) As used in this section, the term ‘merchant seaman’ means any individual who was employed as a seaman or crew member on any vessel registered under the laws of the United States, or under the laws of any government friendly to the United States during World War II, and who was a citizen of the United States on and after December 7, 1941, to the date of his death or the date of filing claim under this section; except any such individual who is entitled to, or who has received, benefits under section 5 of this Act as a ‘civilian American citizen’. 68 Stat. 1035 “(b) The Commission is authorized to receive and determine, according to law, the amount and validity, and provide for the payment of any claim for detention benefits filed by or on behalf of any merchant seaman who, being then a merchant seaman, was captured or interned or held by the Government of Germany or the Imperial Japanese Government, its agents or instrumentalities in World War II for any period of time subsequent to December 7, 1941, during which he was held by either such government as a prisoner, internee, hostage, or in any other capacity. Detention benefits shall be paid under this section at the rates prescribed and in the manner provided in subsections (c) and (d) of section 5 of this Act. “(c) Payment of any claim filed under this section shall not be made to any merchant seaman, or to any survivor or survivors thereof, who, voluntarily, knowingly, and without duress, gave aid to or collaborated with or in any manner served any government hostile to the United States during World War II. “(d) Claims for benefits under this section must be filed within one year after the date of enactment of this section. “(e) Any claim allowed under the provisions of this section shall be certified to the Secretary of the Treasury for payment out of the War Claims Fund established by section 13 of this Act. “Sec. 17. (a) (1) The Commission is authorized to receive and to determine, according to law, the amount and validity, and provide for the payment of any claim filed by— “(A) any individual who— “(i) on or after December 7, 1941, was a member of the military or naval forces of the United States; “(ii) is the survivor of any deceased individual described in subparagraph (i); “(iii) was a national of the United States on December 7, 1941, and is a national of the United States on the date of enactment of this section; or “(iv) is the survivor of any deceased individual who was a national of the United States on December 7, 1941, and would be a national of the United States on the date of enactment of this section if living; or “(B) any partnership, firm, corporation, or other legal entity, in which more than 50 per centum of the ownership was vested, directly or indirectly, both on December 7, 1941, and on the date of enactment of this section, in individuals referred to in subparagraph (A) of this paragraph; for losses arising as a result of the sequestration of accounts, deposits, or other credits of such individual or legal entity in the Philippines by the Imperial Japanese Government. “(2) The Commission is authorized to receive and to determine, according to law, the amount and validity, and provide for the payment of any claim filed by any bank or other financial institution doing business in the Philippines which reestablished sequestered accounts, deposits, or other credits of— “(A) any individual referred to in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1) of this subsection; or “(B) any partnership, firm, corporation, or other legal entity, in which more than 50 per centum of the ownership was vested, directly or indirectly, both on December 7, 1941, and on the date of reestablishment of such sequestered credits, in individuals referred to in such subparagraph (A); for reimbursement of the amounts of such sequestered credits paid by such bank or financial institution. 68 Stat. 1036 “(b) Claims must be filed under this section within one year after the date of enactment of this section. “(c) Where any individual entitled to payment under this section is under any legal disability, payment may be made in accordance with the provisions of subsection (e) of section 5 of this Act. In the case of the death of any individual entitled to payment of any claim under this section, payment of such claim shall be made to the individuals specified, and in the order provided, in subsection (d) of section 6 of this Act; except that no payment shall be made under this section to any individual who voluntarily, knowingly, and without duress, gave aid to or collaborated with or in any manner served any government hostile to the United States during World War II. “(d) Each claim allowed under this section shall be certified to the Secretary of the Treasury for payment out of the War Claims Fund established under section 13 of this Act. The Secretary of the Treasury shall pay such claims as follows: “(1) In the case of each claim allowed in an amount equal to or less than $500, such claim shall be paid in full; and “(2) In the case of each claim allowed in an amount greater than $500, such claim shall be paid in two installments. The first installment shall be paid in an amount equal to $500 plus 66% per centum of the amount of such claim allowed in excess of $500. The last installment shall be computed as of September 1, 1956, under the next sentence of this paragraph, and, as so computed, shall be paid from the sums remaining in the War Claims Fund on that date. If the sums remaining in the War Claims Fund on September 1, 1956. are sufficient to satisfy all claims allowed under this section and not paid in full, the unpaid portion of each such claim shall be paid in full; if the sums remaining in the War Claims Fund on September 1, 1956, are not sufficient to satisfy all claims allowed under this section and not paid in full, the last installment payable on each such claim shall be reduced ratably, and, as so reduced, shall be paid from the War Claims Fund.