Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 56 Part 1.djvu/1048

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PUBLIC LAWS-CH. 639--NOV. 23, 1942 [CHAPTER 639] November 23, 1942 [H. R. 7629] [Public Law 773] Coast Guard Auxil- iary and Reserve Act of 1941, amendments. 14U.S .C ., Supp.I , ch.9. Ante, pp. 329, 990. [56 STAT. AN ACT To amend the Coast Guard Auxiliary and Reserve Act of 1941, as amended, so as to expedite the war effort by providing for releasing officers and men for duty at sea and their replacement by women in the shore establishment of the Coast Guard, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Coast Guard Auxiliary and Reserve Act of 1941 (55 Stat. 9), as amended (U. S. C ., title 14, ch. 9; Public Law 599, Seventy-seventh Congress, second session), is further amended by adding after section 304 thereof an additional title as follows: "TITLE IV-WOMEN'S RESERVE Establishment and administration. Ranks and ratings. Provisos. Commissioned grades. Limitation on mili- tary authority. Age requirement. Service restriction. Purpose. Disability or death benefits. 14 U. S. C., Supp. I, § 311. 312. Post, p. 1021 . Articles of uniform and equipment. Proio. Duration of author- ity. "SEC. 401. A Women's Reserve is hereby established which shall be a branch of the Coast Guard Reserve and shall be administered in the same manner as provided for the Coast Guard Reserve in all respects, except as may be necessary to adapt said provisions to the Women's Reserve, or as specifically provided herein. "SEc. 402. Members of the Women's Reserve may be commissioned or enlisted in such appropriate ranks and ratings corresponding to those of the Regular Coast Guard as may be prescribed by the Secre- tary of the Treasury, or by the Secretary of the Navy while the Coast Guard is operating as a part of the Navy: Provided, That there shall not be more than one officer in the grade of lieutenant commander; nor more than eighteen officers in the grade of lieutenant; and that the number of officers in the grade of lieutenant (junior grade) shall not exceed 35 per centum of the total number of commissioned officers: And provided further, That the military authority of officers com- missioned under the provisions of this title may be exercised over women of the Reserve only and is limited to the administration of the Women's Reserve. "SEC. 403. The Reserve established by this title shall be composed of members who have attained the age of twenty years. "SEC. 404. Members of the Women's Reserve shall not be assigned to duty on board vessels of the Navy or Coast Guard or in combat aircraft and shall be restricted to the performance of shore duty within the continental United States only. "SEO. 405. Members of the Women's Reserve shall not be used to replace civil-service personnel but shall be composed of women trained and qualified for duty in the shore establishment of the Coast Guard to release male officers and enlisted men of the Coast Guard service for duty at sea. "SEC. 406. The provisions of section 211 of this Act (55 Stat. 12) shall not be applicable to members of the Women's Reserve, but such members shall be entitled to the same benefits as are provided for temporary members of the Reserve in section 212 of this Act. "SEC. 407. The Commandant of the Coast Guard shall fix the money value of articles of uniform and equipment which enlisted members of the Women's Reserve are required to have upon their first reporting for active duty: Provided, That he may authorize such articles of uniform and equipment, br parts thereof, to be issued in kind, or, in lieu thereof, the payment in cash of the money value fixed according to the foregoing, not to exceed $200, to be made to such members so ordered to active duty, for the purchase of such articles of uniform and equipment. "SEC. 408. The authority conferred by this Act for appointments and enlistments in the Women's Reserve shall be effective during 1020