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EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT APPROVED JUL 25 1946 bureau OF THE budget TRUMAN NARA LIBRARY WASHINGTON, 25, D.C. JUL 24 1946 My dear Mr. Latta: The Congress has enacted H.R. 5539, "For the relief of Andrew M. Halvorsen." The purpose of the bill is to pay the sum of $905.94 to Andrew M. Halvorsen, of San Francisco, California, in settle- ment of his claim against the United States for the loss of earnings sustained as a result of an accident on April 16, 1945, near pier 17, San Francisco, when he was injured by barrels falling from an Army-operated fork-lift truck. It appears that on the date in question a fork-lift truck, operated by a civilian employee of the War Department, was stack- ing cargo in front of Pier 17, San Francisco, California; that the driver of the truck would load five metal drums weighing 150 pounds each on the forked platform of his truck, and then transport the drums to a row of barrels near the sidewalk on Embarcadero Street; that, at the same time, the claimant was walking along the sidewalk on Embarcadero Street; that as the claimant was passing the spot where the barrels were being placed the driver of the truck caused the truck to tip forward and the metal drums fell from the forked platform; and that one of the drums struck the claimant on the right shoulder and another drum struck his right foot. As a result of the accident the claiment sustained fractures of several bones in his foot. He remained in the hospital only two days, but it was 13 weeks before e he could return to his work. He was 54 years old at the time of the accident, and was employed as a rigger by the Western Pipe and Steel Company from which he earned $69.68 per week. The medical and hospital expenses incur- red by the claimant have been paid by an insurance company. The $905.84 contemplated by the bill is to pay Mr. Halvorsen for the loss of 13 weeks of earnings. The War Department, in reporting on the bill when it was pending before the Congress, concluded that the accident and