United States Navy Chaplain Corps - Yearbook

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Worship at Pusan. Chaplain Edwin F. Carr conducts services on board the ROCHESTER in Pusan Harbor. Air-Gun Strikes In April Admiral Joy ordered a seriesof coordinated air and surface ship gun strikes, the first against Chongjin.8 Carrier plans from the BOXER and PHILIPPINE SEA joined ST. PAUL and U.S. and British destroyers in the effort. Two weeks later IOWA, joined by three destroyers and planes from Task Force 77, again pounded that target. Such combined operations were to be continued to the end of the war. IOWA was the fourth and last battleship returned to active duty, sewing in the war zone from late March to mid-October 1952. Senior chaplain was Jerome Sullivan who, after some 14 months in the HELENA, was ordered to the IOWA, where he served for a year. Junior chaplain was Don M. Michael, who was transferred from ANTIETAM. The chaplains tried to serve the destroyers operat- ing with them, usually crossing by helicopter. Chaplain Michael reported visiting the destroyer MACKENZIE on Easter Day to celebrate Holy Com- munion. On his own ship the service was held below decks while her guns were firing support missions for troops on the front. Of this he later commented: albid., pp. 347-9. The contrast was evident to the men in attendance between the tenets of Christian faith and the conflicts of menf' Experience taught him the need for a state of constant readiness, because of frequent changes in the daily operating schedule of IOWA, arrangements for Divine Service often had to be altered and services held on as little as 15 minutes notice. When Chaplain Sullivan was transferred to the IOWA, C. W. Ackley had become chaplain in HELENA. QHELENA was then out of the war zone, but would return in June 1952.j George R. Brosius had succeeded Ackley as chaplain in SPERRY. JUNEAU, after participating in the first, second, and fourth Korean campaigns, returned in April 1952. Her chaplain from May 1951 to May 1953 was Arthur L. Dominy, following B. Davis. E. F. Carr was still chaplain in the ROCHESTER, D. J. Kosky in MANCHESTER, and F. H. Wickham in ST. PAUL. Chaplain W. J. Organ was still serv- ing in LOS ANGELES and L. C. M. Vosseler in TOLEDO. In May 1952 the BREMERTON would take up station in Korean waters 5 her chaplain was Louis C. Smith. Destroyers Chaplain H. W. Jeffers, previously attached to De- stroyer Squadron 3, reported aboard the tender 123-

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Ilth Marines Memorial Of all the ties of respect and friendship developed within small fighting units, perhaps none was closer than that frequently found in the gun sectionsn of the artillery. Precision and skill were essential to COIII- bat effectiveness, but no more so than the cooperation of the gun section members working as a team. Such comradeship received overt recognition when the 2d Battalion, 11th Marines dedicated a memorial hall in honor of men from their unit who had given their lives in line of duty. To save material the large tent served a triple pur- pose: it was mess hall, theater, and chapel in one. An altar was constructed of precious plywood, with a background made from cargo parachutes, and am- munition boxes fastened together provided seats. As the battalion gathered for the dedication ceremony, under the leadership of the battalion commander, men of all faiths listened in respectful silence as the names were read of those artillerymen, their buddies, whose lives had become a sacrifice in the cause of justice and world order. Both Protestant and Roman Catholic chaplains took part. Rotation The tour of duty for chaplains in Korea had thus far averaged around 6 months. Chaplain P. Man- nion, Assistant Director of the Chaplains Division, wrote to Chaplain Peck on 6 February 1952: On the recommendation of the Fleet and Force Chaplains and responsible line officers, it has been determined to lengthen the tour of duty in Korea to about 10 months. This change in policy will not affect chaplains presently on duty, but only those who will be ordered after 1 February. We shall do everything in our power to relieve the chap- lains presently on duty with the lst Marine Division at the end of the sixth month or during the seventh month. How- ever, as you know, there are so many due for rotation in April that we may find difficulty in getting them all out on schedule. Beginning in February orders were written so that a chaplain might be detached, not when a named re- lief reported in, but within a 1- to 2-month period. Giving the Division Chaplain a measure of latitude regarding the detachment of chaplains serving with him was thought by Peck to have several advantages. He wrote on 14 February. We have received the dispatch containing orders for de- tachment of Chaplains Ruleman, Vierling, and Fenning in March or April, and Chaplain Curtis in April or May. That is the best way of writing orders, as far as coverage is con- cerned out here. I believe that method of naming 1 or 2 months will keep a situation from developing where we are overstrength or under on our coverage. On 29 February, he wrote further: The information lin a recent letter from the Chaplains Divisionj, from which I can figure ETA lestimated time of arrivalj in Korea is a tremendous help. That information coupled with the way the orders are now being written . . . will make it possible not to have so many switches of assign- ment right after a man gets here, as happened when I first came and there were the same large numbers of chaplains being replaced. It will also prohibit an overlay of chap- lains by having us at no time over our complement fexcept over Easter, perhaps, when you said to retain the chaplains in order to be amply strengthened at that timel. This is a really perfect system from our standpoint. To know in advance who is coming and when, and who is to go and when, makes it possible for whoever has my job to do a far better job, and by not being faced with necessity of changing the chaplains around too much, they can do a better job. Later Peck reported, The command here waits for word from this ofiice before executing orders on chaplains. Chaplain TXO With units of the Division increasingly deployed over widespread areas, it was difficult with seven Roman Catholic chaplains to effect adequate cov- erage. Peck frequently noted in his weekly letters to the Chief of Chaplains the need for an additional one, especially since rear echelon units had of neces- sity been receiving Catholic ministrations from Army chaplains and non-English speaking Korean priests. Notified that an eighth Roman Catholic chaplain was on his way, Peck wrote on 29 February: p We are especially glad for the eighth Catholic chaplain, he is more needed now than before. To give you some idea: of our geographical problem, these two new concentrations of our men ll,O00 in 1 new place and 1,500 in anotherzl are approximately 55 miles apart, 1 of them 8 miles over rugged hills from the Division CP, the other 47 miles the other way., A 1 In the same letter Peck wrote concerning the Table' of Organization for chaplains serving with a Marine! Division. N If this Division is committed to action it needs all of thel chaplains listed on the complement given at the top of my roster, of these eight Q81 should be Catholic. If a cease-1 fire and armistice is reached, and the Division becomes a part of occupation troops, I am convinced adequate cov-, erage could be given . . . with four Q4-l fewer Protestants. With a different geographical and terrain setup, which would be the case if we were pulled out of Korea, that could be increased to read five C5j fewer Protestants and one flj less Catholic. However, that is only in the case of a so-called peacetime setup and not committed to action. Someone did a splendid piece of work when the comple-5 ment for a Marine Division was set up. It is perfect for times when committed to action. It is a bit heavy otherwise. -122-

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DIXIE in January 1952, relieving R. A. Vaughan. Tin can chaplains were evidently still working out patterns for their ministry. Of his work Jeffers wrote: The Commodore, not knowing exactly how to govem my work, gave me pemiission to move at will from ship to ship on the condition that I keep him informed of my location. While in the forward area I tried to move at least once a week to another ship in my division to better cover the division and encourage the lay leadership program. Com- manding officers were very cooperative in passing the chap- lain when another ship in the division came alongside with the mail or during refueling or replenishing operations. Other changes were made. W. S. Powell was transferred from ComDesRon 1 to the tender FRON- TIER. Charles E. Hailstone had reported to DesRon 5, Harold F. Syrnons to DesRon 7, Raymond W. Moore to DesRon 9, and George B. Riley to DesRon 13. Edward O. Riley was assigned to Commander Destroyer Division 32. When it is noted that all these chaplains except Edward Riley were Protestants, it would appear that the need for equitable coverage demanded that the Roman Catholic chaplain be assigned to a larger command, in order to be able to move more freely and extend his ministry more widely. Carrier Chaplains The carriers continued interdiction campaigns dur- ing this period. P. Murphy was still in the PHILIPPINE SEA. He wrote to Chaplain Salisbury of the arrival on 16 March of Gordon B. Galaty, an Episcopalian. The Phil Sea had been short a chap- lain, for when Barnes and Murphy had, in effect, ex- changed assignments in the carrier and lst MAW, the former Roman Catholic chaplain, H. E. Meade, was also transferred. Since then nearly a year had elapsed. Murphy expressed delight that the Chap- lains Division had decided to have two chaplains aboard the CV's. There was one hitch, however. Galaty had re- turned to active duty in August 1950 and it appeared that, according to current regulations, he would be eligible for return to inactive duty in late November. There was clearly still a shortage of chaplains, and the release of Reserves who had fulfilled their obligated service would in the future add further pressures. In the PRINCETON Chaplain R. F. McManus was relieved by Thomas F. McNeill, a Reserve who, having returned to active duty in September 1950, would serve 27 months before being released to inac- tive duty in January 1953. Chaplain Cook was relieved in VALLEY FORGE, after nearly 2 years, by Prescott B. Wintersteen. In its third combat tour, the ship had long since come to appreciate the nightly lights out prayer given by the chaplains over the inter-comf, One prayer of Chaplain Cook's may be thought worth recording. Almighty God, our Father, our thoughts turn tonight to our comrades-in-arms in Korea. Be pleased, we pray Thee, to grant them Thy most gracious protection against the enemy and the weather and from every peril. Let Thy fatherly hand be over them, and grant them sure trust in Thee. In these critical hours of negotiation for a cease-fire agree- ment, guide our leaders that they make no decision that will compromise truth, and no error in judgment of righteous- ness and justice: for we fight for truth and justice for all men. If peace means the sacrifice of these, for us or those who shall live after us, grant us the courage and fortitude to continue, in war if necessary, by peaceful means if possible, until, if it be Thy holy will, a lasting peace of freedom from tyranny, freedom from fear, freedom from want shall come to all the nations of earth. We pray in the name of Jesus our Savior, our friend, and our companion of the way. Amen. Paul Knapp had served with Chaplain Cook dur- ing the first year of the war. Because of serious fam- ily illness he was detached without relief and VAL- LEY FORGE was without a Roman Catholic chap- lain until Pius F. Keating reported in March 1952. Keating was a jg with less than a year's active duty, having served at Naval Hospital, Camp Pendleton, after graduation from Chaplains School in Class 1-51. Chaplains in the BOXER, now in its fourth Korean tour, were G. A. Hoglan fwho had been aboard since his recall in September 1950j and A. Keeley. Kee- ley had previously served in BON HOMME RICHARD but when that ship returned stateside in December 1951, the chaplain was transferred in Ala- meda, Calif., to the BOXER, before she started to the Far East once again. It thus appears that the Chap- lains Division was forced to transfer chaplains, even after only a few months, from ships leaving Korea in order to keep the complement filled on those slated for active war service. Even so it was not always pos- sible to have two chaplains in the large carriers. Escort Carriers Chaplain O. B. Salyer was relieved in BADOENG STRAIT in June 1951 by Warren, L. Wolf, who would remain until May 1953. Chaplain C. O. Sul- livan was relieved in SICILY in December 1951 by George A. Jacobs, who served until his release to in- active duty in December 1952. Both followed the practice of their predecessors in trying to get around to as many small ships as possible, administering Com-