United States Navy Chaplain Corps - Yearbook

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October Peck again commented on conditions in the frontlines: The approach of winter is the main concern here. The men and officers, including the chaplains, in the infantry regiments are having an increasingly difficult time. The stable lines mean less moving around and in cold weather that means long cold hours in the night and dreary days in the unheated bunkers. Keeping warm is diiiicult and posi- tions must be kept. The 1st and 7th Regiments are on the line now. A week later, he wrote: Chaplain Brooks is in a forward battalion whose position requires his living in an earthen bunker and since it is high in the hills, he has had an uncomfortable time of it, but is in good spirits, has no complaints and says he is getting along fine. On 10 November two more chaplains reported in: Melvin E. Torstrick and Arnold P. Spohn, making a total of 30, but orders were expected for 6 then on board, 5 of whom were detached by 21 November. On 14 November the 5th Marines relieved the 1st Marines in the front line and Chaplain Rulernan found himself occupying the earthen bunker formerly used by Chaplain Brooks. Back at the. Headquarters Battalion, Chaplain Peck succeeded in winterizing the chapel by securing two stoves. Squad tents were secured to use as chapels in each of the three battalions in the reserve area with ordinary planking for pews. As usual, the chaplains were adjusting their lives and ministry to render the best possible service under what- ever conditions might prevail. Following the Punchbowl engagements the chap- lains were busy, as they and their units prepared for the coming winter, writing letters to the next of kin of service personnel who had become casualties. It has been mentioned earlier that an SOP was estab- lished whereby no unit chaplain would write such letters until he had received from the Division Chap- lain's Ofhce fRearj amplifying information on each casualty, which was secured from the Division Casu- alty Ofiice. In practice, while hopefully the unit chaplain's work was thus simplified, the results were not satisfactory. Peck issued a Memorandum to the Division chaplains on 24 November 1951, pointing out that in many cases letters had been received in units from next of kin in reply to the commanding oHicer's casualty letter before the unit chaplain had been able to secure the necessary infonnation to write his own letter of condolence. Therefore, Peck directed the chaplains to obtain the needed' information directly from the Amplifying Reports furnished his unit com- mand. Where letters of inquiry should be received from next of kin before amplifying information was obtainable, chaplains were to reply, stating simply that the situation f not the deathj was being investi- gated and another letter would follow when further information became available. Talks Resumed While X Corps, including the Marine division, had been moving forward in the east, elements of IX Corps had secured the eastern point of the Iron Triangle.15 Farther west elements of I Corps had established the Jamestown Line along a 40-mile front from the vicin- ity of Kaesong eastward to Chorwon, the Western pivot of the Triangle. Successful offensives during August to October had thus given the UN forces a firm hold on commanding positions all along their front. Perhaps because of this pressure the Communist indicated a willingness to resume negotiations. After preliminary sparring by liaison officers, finally, on 25 October 1951 the chief negotiators resumed their talks, but now in a tiny village, Panmunjom, on the Seoul highway north of the Imjin River. For the fighting man the war went on, though the military picture remained essentially unchanged through the following months. Patrol activity was stepped up on both sides, and occasionally the Com- munists threw a battalion, and once a regiment, at the United Nations line. Guerilla harassment continued, and occasionally Marine. units were ambushedg but nearly as serious as the enemy's opposition was the hardship entailed by the onset of winter. 15 Miller et al., op. cit., p. 117. 109-

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of Defense, his solidest monument is, as Chaplain Daniel J. Silver wrote, the thriving existence of a Chaplain Corps which bears his signature and imprint. Nationalist Chinese Chaplaincy Brief notice may be taken of the emergence of another Chaplain Corps in the Far East, serving the Nationalist Chinese armed forces on Taiwan fFor- mosaj. Although sanctioned by the government, it had no official military status, being recruited and supported by ladies meeting in a Prayer Group with Madame Chiang Kai-shek. Concerned for the morale and welfare of Nationalist troops concentrated in the already overcrowded city of Taipeh, these ladies looked for evangelists and pastors to work among the troops. Supervising the program was the Reverend Wei- ping Chen, retired clergyman from the mainland and personal pastor of the Generalissimo and Madame Chiang. Begun in May 1950, by 1952 this Corps had 14 chaplains serving, one in a recruit training center, another in the Navy base, most of them in military hospitals. Chaplain W. W. Parkinson, on duty with the. Patrol Squadrons of 7th Fleet, occasionally made contact with the Nationalist Chinese Chaplaincy and helped in whatever ways were possible. Writing to Chaplain Salisbury in October 1951, the Reverend Wei-ping Chen stated: Our work in these hospitals C211 is very successful. Some superintend- ents of these hospitals are Christians. They welcomed us from the beginning while others hesitated. Today, however, they all appreciate our servicef, He re- ported that some of the worst troublemakers among the military patients had responded to the Gospel ministry, some even had become chaplain's assist- ants, doing valuable work in teaching the Bible and hymns to other patients. Unit Citations The lst Marine Division was awarded its third Presidential Unit Citation during the Korean hostili- ties Q the Division's sixthj for its gallantry in action during three periods of intense combat: 21-26 April, 16 May-30 June, and 11-25 September, all in 1951. The first two periods fell within the 5th Korean Cam- paign, the initial one covering the Chinese Communist offensive in April, the latter covering the counter- offensive which brought the Marines to the southern rim of the Punchbowl. The third period was the September drive which for the Marines constituted the heart of the United Nations fall offensive. The 1st Marine Aircraft Wing also received a Presi- dential Unit Citation covering the dates 8 March- 30 April, 18 May-30 June, and 3 August-29 Septem- ber, 1951. These dates reflect missions flown largely in support of Division operations during approxi- mately the same periods. The Navy Unit Commendation was awarded a number of ships and smaller commands for varying periods of service. BADOENG STRAIT and SICILY each was cited for the period 3 August 1950-1 August 1951. VALLEY FORGE received the unit decora- tion for the period 3 July-18 November 1951. LEYTE had already been cited for her service from 9 October 1950 to 19 January 1951, and PHILIP- PINE SEA had received two awards, the first covering the period 4 August 1950 to 30 March 1951, the second, 31 March-31 May 1951. PRINCETON's unit commendation covered the period 5 December 1950 to 10 August 1951. Winterizing While acting Division Chaplain, Fitzgerald had re- ported the arrival of John L. Curtis C Southern Bap- tistj, who was assigned to the 11th Marines. On 8 October Joseph P. F. Gallagher fRoman Catholicl reported in and was assigned to Motor Transport. Commenting on the activities of the Division Chaplain for the period 15-23 October, Peck noted the arrival of four more new chaplains, assigned as follows: BAPT my Shore Party Bn.. William E. Brooks. . LCDR Medical Bn ..... Vincent Lonergan LCDR RC METH 7th Marines ..... Alan R. Gibbons. . . LTJG RC Ordnance Bn. . . Barney L. Jones. . . . LT The United Nations drive during the summer and fall of 1951 was the last big offensive of the Korean War. By the end of October the frontlines were fairly well stabilized and hostilities were largely re- stricted to outpost warfare and patrol activities. Peck wrote to Salisbury on 25 October: We seem to be digging in for winter, and it is none too soon. The nights are getting bitter cold, although the days when the sun is out are fairly comfortable. The lines are becoming more fixed. Continual' raids and patrol actions by both sides cause daily casualties although not as many as on a push, I am encouraging the chaplains to prepare themselves for a program to combat the loneliness and depression which will come to their men through the winter if the front remains stable. He added: I wish to say that the main impression I have gained is to be deeply impressed with the work of the chaplains out here, from all sides, officer and enlisted, comes nothing but high praise. On 31 -108-

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CHAPTER 7 SECOND KOREAN WINTER 28 November 1951-30 April 1952 The closing months of 1951 witnessed a return to the stalemate that had settled over the Korean con- flict in July and early August, when the peace talks had first begun at Kaesong. Now that they were re- sumed, at Panmunjom, both sides adopted a largely defensive posture, content for the most part to rein- force established positions or capture others for the purpose of straightening or strengthening a front line? General Ridgway ordered the UN front stabilized and an outpost line established three to five thousand yards forward of the main positions. The main line of resistance CMLRD stretched for 155 miles, from the Yellow Sea to the Sea of japan, manned by the fol- lowing Qin west to east orderj : U.S. I Corps, from the confluence of the Imjin and Han Rivers to a point between Khorwon and Kumhwa, along the base of the Iron Triangle, IX Corps, northward to Kumsong and thence east to the Pukhan River, X Corps, includ- ing the lst Marine Division, eastward up and over the mountainous backbone of the Korean peninsula down to the Nam River, and, as eastern anchor, the ROK I Corps, whose line extended northward from the Nam to Kosong on the east coast.2 DivChap Slant The situation at the beginning of this period, as it affected the work of the chaplains, may be high- lighted by the following extracts from weekly letters from Division Chaplain Peck to the Chief of Chaplains. 28 NOVEMBER 1951. Winter is here and is complicating living and supply prob- lems. The front ahead of us is stable, with military activity confined to aggressive patrols and mortar and artillery ex- changes. This results in daily casualties but not great num- bers of casualties. The chaplains still have the lines to walk, - . 1 Miller et al., op. cit., p. 206. 2 Ibid. the hills to climb to reach their men, and the cold when on their rounds. The chaplains are in high spirits and they are a continuing inspiration and source of pride to me. I have a helicopter trip scheduled for next Thursday to visit Chaplain Ruleman up in his isolated area. It is 3 hours by trail from the farthest jeep point and, due to infiltrators, one is allowed to go up and back only with a large convoy, so to visit by foot is a case of up one day and back the next. 5 DECEMBER 1951. This week I covered all the infantry battalions on the line, and in regimental reserve behind the line, plus the regimental CPs on the line. To get to Chaplain Rulemanls position on top of a mountain, I took my first 'copter ride .... It was quite an experience. The officers and men to whom I talked praised their chaplains without exception. The chaplains are especially busy with the Christmas season here. Some things which seem simple enough nor- mally, like obtaining decorations, getting out special bulletins, getting a Christmas music program together, all become major projects under conditions out here. The chaplains are not easily discouraged and keep plugging until they get them. 13 DECEMBER 1951. This is not an easy time, however, from a morale stand- point-standing by, as it were, for these Cease Fire Talks is proving a strain. I think everyonels nerves would be more relaxed if the talks would go ,one way or the other. Strangely enough the nearness of Christmas seems to aggravate the situation in many ways-the men have time to think, and the Christmas season with its rich memories of home only adds to the burden. Some of the chaplains are restless themselves, I counsel them to dig into the Christmas season and give the men the spiritual gems from the season to counteract the men's nervousness-and their own. Christmas, 1951 This second Christmas in Korea was considerably different from that of 1950, when the last elements of the Division were still being brought into rest areas following the terrible withdrawal from the Chosin Reservoir. True, Marines were on the front lines, but combat was limited and the situation was relatively quiet. Special Services had distributed decorations and each unit has lighted Christmas trees. Those -110-