O'Brien v. United States

MEANEY, District Judge.

This is a suit against the United States to recover the proceeds of a National Service Life Insurance policy. The insured, Reverend E. Polhemus, a Chaplain, was a member of the Order of St. Benedict. While in the service he applied for and was granted a NSLI policy in the amount of $10,000., designating as beneficiary the “Abbot of St. Mary’s Abbey, (Major Superior)”. Plaintiff, the Abbot of St. Mary’s Abbey, claimed the proceeds of the policy on the death of the insured. The Veteran’s Administration, however, finally denied the claim. The question presented is whether…