Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-01-19
Modern Horror Story

"still. however. preoccupied
with explaining his psychiatric
difficulties on the basis Of err
rors on the part of the physi-
clans who have handled his
case"
The crucial paragraph In the
report said verified history
reveals that this patient was
discharged from the United
States Army on March 3. i942.
because OF q mental illness
diagnosed. psyche neurosis
anxiety. neurosis. with schizoid
features"
Court Cites Mistake
The Court Of Claims decision
says. 'the verified history re-
ported in the statement Of facts
Of the Board Of Medical Survey
was the service and medical
history Of another John j.
Egan. not this plaintiff. who
had indeed been discharged
from the Army on March 3.
1912 as an insane person"
Because what the Court
called "this astounding piece Of
misinformation and careless
ness" was transmitted 10 Q
Marine Corps retiring board.
Egan was notified on October
IS. 1943. that he was discharged
from the Marine Corps. Eean
appealed. A further appeal to
the Naval Retiring Review
Board was fruitless. OF this ac-
ion. the Court says lin view Of
he true facts which could and
should have been easily aScer-
tanned by the medical and adj
ministrative officials Of the
service. we conclude that a
more unjust and outrageous
record against plaintiff could
not have been compiled"
Egan. q reluctant returnee
to civilian life. finally got q job
on July 5. 1914 with the Vet
Grams Administration in Hart
ford. But the old charges rose
up TO haunt him. On Christ
mas eve Of lo45 he was fired.
charged with Justification Of
employment and medical GER
tificates."
Egan appealed the firing and
was reinStated. The appeals
board was overruled by his local
Finally the matter
came before the Civil Service
Commission in Washington.
They upheld the firing. But
Egan made an appeal to Miss
Frances Perkins, then csc
chairman. asking her to with
hold action until Egan tried
his luck with a new board cree
ated by Congress known as the
Board for the Correction Of
Naval Records. A Washington
lawyer. Overton Harris. went
over the case carefully, The
board fully cleared
Egan and its decision was APP
in every respect by the 4
Secretary OF the Navy on March /
II. 1913.
But Egan's troubles were not
over. He went to Carl r.
Gray. head Of the VA. VINO
still resisted the reinstatement. /
According TO Egan. Mr.. Gray
ASKED that Egan be examined
by four psychiatrists. one Of the
VAS choosing. one OF Egan's. /,
and two Of the original psy-
chiatrists.
Meets the Other Egan +
II was about this time that
John J. Egan met his nemesis.
the other John J. Egan, an
Army officer from Chicago who
had been discharged as an In
sane person. The two men had
little to say 70 each other.
According to Egan, at q spe-
cial Saturday morning inter-
view at the VA office. Mr.. Gray
told him, mo man would so
through what you've been
without having q scar,
doubt very much If you're
Egan saw the four psycia-
triSts and got a verdict OF
three to one Nin his favor.
after Senator Baldwin
Of Connecticut had interviewed
in his behalf. Egan. after a To- I
month struggle. was reinstated
in his VA job.
But a short time later Egan
got a notice that he would be /
under a reduction
in force. Years before he had