EUGENE HENRY DEBRUIN, ET AL

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005527443
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: June 24, 2015
• Document Release Date: September 21, 2011
• Case Number: F-2010-01070
• Publication Date: June 14, 1965

L ,%A%..r"T - S LC - June 14, 19651
AIR AMERICA, INC.
Mr. C. F. Hanson
Deputy Commissioner
Bureau of Employees' Compensation
U.S. Department of Labor
680 Ala Moana, Rood 302
Honolulu, Hawaiii 96813
Subject: Eugene Henry DeBruin,et al
APPROVED FOR RELEASEL
DATE: 12-Aug-2011
Dear Commissioner Hanson:
There follow details with respect to payments made on the cases
of the named individuals, as requested by you:
Eugene Henry DeBruin: By agreement with Mr. DeBruin's parents,
his entire salary is being accrued, except that since August
1964, when Mr. DeBruin became eligible for the Air America
Retirement Plan, a deduction has been made from his Air America,
Inc. salary to cover his contributions to that Plan. This was
done at the request of his parents. The Company is also making
a matching contribution to the Plan. The figures from.
September 6. 1963 through April 30, 1965 are as follows: Gross
Salary accrued $17,183.33, Retirement Plan Deductions $370.98,
leaving a net salary accrued of $16,812.35. The Company's
contributions to the Air America Retirement Plan on Mr. DeBruin's
behalf amount to $370.98.
Yik-Chia To (as spelled on our records): At the prior request
of Mr. To, his benefits are being divided equally between Sok
Yuk Fan, his wife.) and Tamuro Reiko, a cohabitant. (By way
of explanation, the Company asks each employee to sign a
Beneficiary Designation Form to receive any death, capture
or internment benefits.) The figures for the September 6, 1963
 to April 30, 1965 period are: Salary $8,362.16 ($4,181.08
to each beneficiary).
Prasit Prumsuwan: Salary $3,210.42, paid half to Suvana
Promsuwan, wife, and half to Nittaya Promsuwan, daughter.
(We have very recently learned that Mr. Promsuwan had a legal
wife in Australia who is in the process of divorcing him in
Melbourne. Hence, Suvana is apparently not his legal wife,
and Nittaya is apparently illegitimate.)
Pisidhi Indradat: Salary $3,210.42, paid to Mrs. Kanyuka
Indradat, mother.
Prasidhi Thanee: Salary $3,210.42, paid to Mr. Kaenkham
Thanee, father.
In regard to all of the above claims, the Company has sought
no reimbursement under the War Hazards Compensation Act because part
of the consideration it received under its contract with the United
States Agency for International Development-Laos was based on the
degree of risk involved in flying in that country. It has therefore
been the opinion of this office that Section 104(b) would foreclose
any such reimbursement. If our understanding is incorrect, we would
appreciate your advice to that effect. We might add that._we have
secured an opinion from Counsel in Thailand that no war risk benefits
are payable under the laws of that country (Messrs. Promsuwant,
Indradat and Thanee are Thais), and our own research indicates that
the same is true under Chinese law.
 It is, we believe, apparent from the foregoing review that the
Company has attempted in good faith to do considerably more than the
statute requires. We might add that all payments were undertaken
without any request from the beneficiaries thereof, solely on the
grounds that they were committed by the Company's Personnel Manual.
We shall be happy to take any necessary technical steps to bring
the Company into full compliance with the statutory requirements.
Very truly yours,
AIR AMERICA, INC.