United States Navy Chaplain Corps - Yearbook

Page 172 text:

X-exjjajmgl t g '..,NN'N'-sk NNN . I . NMQ mm MNH -I .K Wing chapel with newly constructed front. E E n n E i ! 5 All Hands Evolution. Even the generals turned out when Chaplain Parker called fo volunteers to help paint the newly constructed chapel 0 the air wing. Pictured here wielding paintbrushes are Brig Gen. Clayton C. Jerome and Brig. Gen. Frank H. Lamson Scribner, commanding general and deputy commande. respectively. Chapel Painting. Seabee Lawrence Schoenrock puts the finishing touches on a religious painting for the MAG 33 new chapel as Chaplain Gerard J. Clark looks on. Korean Painter. Jung Na Vi is shown with his painting of Christ executed fo: the MAW Chapel. The artist was an art professor at the University of Seoul. I tu 1-: ...L K -1544

Page 171 text:

Slattery said, i'Even though it seems as though we are rushing the season a little, the packages have been distributed to the men on the line. 1Bronze Star Awards Four chaplains received the Bronze Star for serv- ices in the lst Marine Division during the 8th Korean Campaign or for periods whose terminal dates fell within that time. Chaplain James C. Moore was awarded the Bronze Star for meritorious achieve- ment . . . while serving with a Marine infantry bat- talion in Korea from 12 February to 5 July 1952. After citing his initiative, courage, and industrious- ness in providing a ministry to his men, Mooreis cita- tion continues: He was consistently present in the front line trenches when friendly patrols and raids re- turned from making contact with tlhe enemy. Chaplain Noah L. McDowell was cited for coura- geous action on 13 September 1952. The Fire Direc- tion Center, Battery C, 159th Field Artillery Battalion received an intense concentrated shelling by hostile fire, one shell scoring a direct hit on a squad tent, kill- ing four men and wounding five others. Chaplain McDowell, who was with the 4th Battalion, 11th Ma- rines, when word was received of the situation in the Army unit, immediately made his way there. His citation continues the story: Entering a gun section tent where a direct hit had killed or wounded the occupants, he bravely remained with the men in the face of grave danger to render spiritual comfort and to administer first aid. After helping to move the wounded to nearby sheltered bunkers for further medical treatment, Lieutenant McDowell remained with them until they were evacuated. Chaplain Robert H. Willets, who received the Pur- ple Heart after being wounded on 12 June, was also awarded the Bronze Star for his service as regimental chaplain, 7th Marines, covering the period 2 May-20 September 1952. Although frequently exposed to enemy mortar, artillery and small arms fire and wounded in action on one occasion, he persevered in his efforts to aid and comfort the men of the regiment, constantly leaving sheltered positions and mov- ing through interdicted zones to minister to the spiritual needs of the stricken men. By his marked coolness under fire, strength of faith and unswerving devotion to duty, Lieu- tenant Willets served to inspire and encourage all who ob- served him .... The fourth was Chaplain Lionel A. Guillaume whose Bronze Star award for the period 29 April-8 November 1952 cited his untiring labors in the face of enemy fire. Despite extremely adverse conditions, he constantly moved among the wounded Marines with words of encouragement, attempting to make the casualties as comfortable as possible and, in many instances, administering first aid to the stricken men. Letter of Commendation Award Nine chaplains serving in the lst Marine Division received the Letter of Commendation for duty during the 8th Korean Campaign or for periods whose ter- minal dates fell within that time. Those of Chaplains McCabe, Callahan, and Barlik have been noted. Chaplain Alan R. Gibbons was cited for service from 15 October 1951 to 7 May 1952, almost all of it within the 7th Campaign. His citation notes that his courageous and selfless actions were directly in- strumental in saving the lives of several wounded Ma- rines. Chaplain Henry C. Duncan's award covered the period 18 January-29 May 1952, noting that working under hazardous conditions, he was con- stantly at hand to administer spiritual guidance and assistance to the men .... Chaplain Jonathan C. Brown, Jr., was cited for excellent service from 30 May to 4 November 1952, Chaplain Alla W. Robertson for service with the Tank Battalion from 2 March to 7 November 1952 3 and Chaplain Oscar Weber, for the period 2 August-30 November 1952, the latter part as regimental chaplain, lst Marines. All three were commended for their devotion and courage in providing a religious minis- try to men in combat, earning by their attitude the respect and gratitude of the men they served. The ninth chaplain to receive the Letter of Com- mendation was Ernest A. Wolfram, Jr., for service in the lst Engineer Battalion from 15 January-1 Septem- ber 1952. His citation read in part: Lieutenant Wolfram conducted services for all units of the battalion and planned services to meet the religious needs of all faiths. With no concern for his personal safety, he went to companies in direct support of front line units to hold church services, although often subjected to enemy sniper, mortar and artillery fire. On one occasion, while visiting members of the battalion working on a road within close proximity to the enemy, he was pinned down an hour by enemy mortar fire .... His conduct throughout was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service. Chaplain Wolfram died on 30 July 1955, while serv- ing in the cruiser MANCHESTER. Air Wing Chaplain Parker Joseph F. Parker had reported on 18 April 1952 as Wing Chaplain. Something of his activities at the outset of the 8th Korean Campaign can be described by means of excerpts from the Historical Diary sub- mitted by him for inclusion in the Wing's Historical 153 -

Page 173 text:

Report, which in turn became part of the official rec- ords of the Marine Corps, participation in the Korean War. fThe selected entries are here paraphrasedj 1 May. Distributed clothing. Wrote to theological schools stateside asking for Greek New Testaments for semi- nary professor in Pusan. 4 May. 0900, Communion at MAG 33 in absence of Chaplain Seymour, on leave in Japan. Communion at 1015 in Wing Chapel. Drove to MGCIS-3 for Communion at 1300. 1500, another service and Communion at MAG 33. Brief devotional, MAG 33, 1800. Preached to Korean Presbyterians at Do Koo through interpreter at a night service. 8 May. Visited Orphanage, taking scrap building mate- rials and clothing. 11 May. Mothers Day. Twenty children from orphan- age sang at 1015 service in Wing Chapel, large congregation. , Children ate with the men in the mess hall. 1300 service 'at MGCIS-3 and 1800 service at MAG 33. 1 13 May. Received overstocked dry cereals and powdered imilk from station and divided it in equal parts for Catholic lOrphanage, Pohang City Orphanage, and Marine lOrphanage. 19 May. Two loads of scrap lumber with no salvageable value to the Armed Forces given to Chung Nim Dong Church. 28 May. Attended dedication of Chung Nim Dong Church. Donated 600,000 wan from Protestant Chapel Fund. Gave the sermon and conveyed best wishes from the Staff. 30 May. Spent morning with aid of interpreter examin- ing account books of the U.S. Marine Orphanage. Books in good order. Other entries in the same Historical Diary indicate that the chaplain was busy with the more or less rou- tine duties of his office. In the absence of the Amer- ican Red Cross Field Director he acted in cases requiring Red Cross assistance. Meanwhile he was holding choir rehearsals, consulting with men who came to him for help, visiting Sick bay and brig, secur- ing and distributing supplies to his Wing chaplains, attending StaH meetings, and in other ways supervis- ing the overall moral and religious ministry of the MAW. Improvements on the new Wing Chapel continued. On 6 May a new altar was installed, behind which were painted three murals by L. F. Schoenrock, a Seabee BU2 stationed with the Marine Aircraft Wling, who gave his spare time to the project. On Sunday, 18 May, some 200 officers and men gathered at 1300 and within 2 hours the exterior had been painted, Among those wielding paint brushes were Brig. Gen. C. C. Jerome, Commanding General of the Wing, and his deputy, Brig. Gen. F. H. Lamson-Scribner. The band furnished music, hot dogs and cokes were served and all hands had axgood timefl Later in the month 'l'l Choir Robes. Here is shown the choir of the lst Air Wing dressed in their new choir gowns made of parachutes. -1-T- brass candelabra were secured from the Army Chap- lains Warehouse, and 20 small trees were secured and planted around the chapel. Deciding that the new chapel warranted a properly vested choir, the chaplain went to the parachute pack- ers of the Air Wing, who dug up several parachutes which could not be salvaged. Half of the nylon ma- terial was dyed black at a native dyeing establishment, the rest left white, a local Korean tailor turned the 'chutes into choir robes. Marine personnel wore the black robes over their green dungarees 5 the white robes were worn by Korean girls, employed on the base, who participated in the chapel services. Parker wrote later, We are proud of our chapels. The one at the Wing is being constantly improved and is now the best in Korea, though I may be a little prejudiced. Both Marine Aircraft Group 12 and Marine Aircraft Group 33 were enlarging and beauti- fying their chapels and a new one was built at MGCIS-3, although it had no chaplain aboard. We have developed a friendly competitive spirit as to who is going to have the best chapel. On 5 May the Wing was visited by Chaplain H. E. Austin, formerly attached to lst Marine Division, then assigned to Air, FMF Pac, Marine Corps Air Station, El Toro, Calif. Austin had been delegated to speak for the Chaplains Service Corps, a voluntary group in Los Angeles, offering welfare items and religious equipment for the use of chaplains. Parker issued regular memorandums to the Wing chaplains. That of 7 May, for instance, requested an inventory by each chaplain of the religious supplies and recreational gear in his possession, together with a reminder on accountability procedures where ap- propriate. Other items concerned chapel funds, ex- 155 -