United States Navy Chaplain Corps - Yearbook

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Y f 1 :nfl 'ff .,-In Visitor . The Episcopal Bishop of Honolulu, the Right Reverend Harry S. Kennedy frightj speaks to men after his service at the lst Division. He is greeted by the Senior Chaplain of Her Majesty's Forces, Wynn Rhys. At left is Chaplain Alex- ander W. Boyer of the Motor Transport Battalion. Bishop Kennedy was Episcopal Representative for the Armed Forces in the Far East. installation, Slattery reported gleefullylj, neverthe- less a dispatch to the lines brought a few representa- tives from each unit and a service was held on the evening of the 29th, with General Hart and Maj. Gen. John A. Selden, lst Marine Division commander, present. Accompanying the Bishop was Episcopal chaplain A. W. Boyer of the Division and on hand to greet him was the Reverend Wynn Rhys, senior chap- lain of the British Commonwealth Division. On 5 May Slattery wrote: Due to Fenning's orders we had to detach him on 30 April, no relief being in sight Chaplain Brooks volunteered to plug the gap at Chaplain Fenning's battalion. That was on 30 April and 1 May. Needless to say, he slept little and then frtfully, due to a certain amount of incoming plus a volume ffor the occasion of May Dayj of outgoing On 17 May the chapel which had been erected at the Division Command Post following the Division's move to the western front was dedicated. General Selden gave the address, and Chaplains Slattery CRO- Chapel--lst Marine Division. The new lst Marine Division Chapel leaves its doors open to members of all faiths. E . 2-'iii-f'4'.s jr ' a1 ,56- ,g 135 -

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CHAPTER 8 KOREAN DEFENSE-SUMMER-FALL 1952 1 May-30 November 1952 With the truce talks still continuing there were few major engagements during the summer and fall of 1952.1 The lines were relatively stable, the United Nations troops often facing the enemy across no more than 50 yards, though sometimes separated from them by as much as 10 miles. The importance of hills and mountains for observation purposes made the battles for peaks particularly tense, especially when such an elevation protruded forward of one's own sector into the enemy's lines. Then there ensued stubborn fight- ing and peaks would change hands several times in seesaw actions. In such engagements artillery and close air support were often of decisive importance. Wherever the opposing units remained dug-in and contact limited, there was less need for air support. Navy and Marine fighters then concentrated on sup- porting Air Force missions aimed at the destruction of railroads and highways, rolling stock and trucks, marshalling yards, and supply depots. The B-29's were systematically engaged in neutralizing Commu- nist airfields in the North. The enemy had at no time during the Korean War posed a serious threat at sea. United Nations naval forces were engaged largely in siege and interdiction operations. Wonsan, on the east coast, which had fallen to the enemy with the withdrawal of UN forces from north of the 38th Parallel in December 1950, was denied access to the sea by continuous siege. By the end of October 1952 4 battleships, 8 cruisers, 16 aircraft car'riers and approximately 80 destroyers had been at one time or other deployed in Korean waters? Of the carriers 13 were United States vessels, 2 British and 1 Australian. Perhaps the most spectacular event of early summer was the rioting of Communist prisoners-of-war on the island of Koje-do, off the southern coast? A hard Britannica Book of the Year, 19535 article, Korean War. 'Ibid. albid. 1 core of Communists had kept the compound there in turmoil for months, fomenting serious riots in Febru- ary and March. Finally, on 7 May, the prisoners succeeded in seizing control of the camp and held Brig. Gen. F. T. Dodd, UN commander, hostage un- til his deputy signed a statement which practically conceded charges of maladministration which the Communist negotiators at Panmunjom had been urg- ing against the United Nations Command. On 12 May Gen. Mark W. Clark succeeded General Ridg- way as commander-in-chief of United Nations forces in Korea and promptly repudiated the so-called con- fessions, making clear to the world that it had been secured by violence and repeating the proposal already frequently made at Panmunjom to open the POW camps of both sides to international inspection. May Day May first is of course a holy day for international Communism and UN forces were on the alert as the day approached. On 29 April Bishop Harry S. Ken- nedy, Episcopal bishop of Honolulu with responsibil- ity as that church's Military Ordinary for the Pacific and Far Eastern area, arrived at the Division Com- mand post at the invitation of Lt. Gen. Franklin A. Hart, FMF Pac Commanding General. Division Chaplain Slattery had written on 21 April to Chief of Chaplains S. W. Salisbury: Chaplain Boyer plans a Division Episcopal service at 1830 on 30 April and I have written a memorandum to the Chief of Staff' requesting that unit commanders be authorized to release the officers and men who may wish to attend the service. It will depend, of course, on the tactical situation and with 1 May looming up I am under the impression that the Commanding General will hesitate to issue such authorization. Although his arrival was unexpectedly a .day early, and both the Bishop and his military escort were ill from food poisoning fthey had first visited an Army -134-

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Chaplains at Dedication. The lst Marine Division's Command Post Chapel was formally dedicated on Armed Forces Day. In attendance were 24 of the Division's 28 chaplains. They are shown here in front of the new chapel. First row, from left are: E. S. Jonesg R. H. Willetsg B. N. Wolfeg E. A. Wolframg J. T. Callahang A. W. Boyer. Seated: O. Weberg A. D. Prickettg E. A. Slattery, Division Chaplaing Maj. Gen, J. T. Seldeng A. M. Oliverg W. P. Laneg W. D. McCabe. Standing: N. A. McDowellg H. C. Duncang V. J. Lustigg C. W. Herrickg C. T. Duggang A. F. Mendosag A. W. Robertsong M. E. Torstrickg R. Siegelg R. F. Barlikg B. J. Nowakowski. Missing from the picture are H. C. Bowlingg C. H. Elliotg L. A. Guillaumeg and J. H. Muller. Dedication. Maj. Gen. John T. Selden, Commanding General of the lst Marine Division, delivers the dedicator address at the opening of the Division Command Post Chapel on Armed Forces Day. Seated from left to right are Chaplains Reubin Siegel, Edward A. Slattery and Cobscured by the rostrumj Algernon M. Oliver. -136-4