§ 563. Death or Incapacity During or Resulting from Service as Affecting Rights; Perfection of Rights

     (1) If any person whose application for a homestead entry has been allowed or who has made application for homestead entry which may thereafter be allowed or who has a valid settlement claim dies while in military service or as a result of such service, his widow, if unmarried, or in the case of her death or marriage, his minor children, or his or their legal representatives, may proceed forthwith to make final proof upon such entry or upon an application which is allowed after the applicant’s death, or upon a homestead application thereafter allowed based on a valid settlement claim, and shall be entitled to receive a patent for such land. The death of such person while in military service or as a result of such service shall be construed to be equivalent to a performance of all requirements as to residence and cultivation upon such homestead or claim, notwithstanding the provisions of section 502 of this Act [section 562 of this Appendix].

     (2) If such person is honorably discharged and because of physical incapacities due to such service is unable to return to the land, he may make final proof without further residence, improvement, or cultivation, at such time and place as the Secretary of the Interior may authorize, and receive a patent to the land entered.

     (3) The Act of July 28, 1917 (40 Stat. 248) [43 U.S.C. 241, 242], is repealed.

(Oct. 17, 1940, ch. 888, art. V, § 503, 54 Stat. 1187.)

Section Referred to in Other Sections

     This section is referred to in sections 567, 572 of this Appendix; title 5 section 5569.