United States Navy Chaplain Corps - Yearbook

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Scenes From Little Switch Chaplain Lonnie Meachum serves communion to Billy Penn shortly after his repatriation from the Communists. Chaplain Richard W. Shrefiier prays for Pfc. Reggie A. Sul- livan shortly after the latter's release and arrival at Freedom Village. scribes his experiences in a paper entitled Rebirth in Freedom Village? He affirms that, In the Marine tents we chaplains were placed in an ideal location. After the men had been given a military briefing, had been interviewed by the press, had changed from their blue Chinese uniforms of repatriation into the uniforms of free peoples, they were brought to the nourishment section. Here we chaplains were invited to meet them. In the four lines of tents each line was terminated by a visit to a little chapel. In this part of the tent a Protestant altar was set in one corner, a Catholic altar was in the other corner, and the Jewish chaplain was called when needed. The men with whom I talked touched me deeply. They came in various conditions: some healthyand trim looking fwith a wind burn from their long ride of several hundred milesj, some just skin and bones. Some had stumps of legs left, some had withered arms .... Some looked as though they were TB cases, some looked emotionally aroused and confused. In some cases their hearing was impaired. Our job as chaplains was not so much to question them on what had happened in general but to make them feel at home, to get them to relax a moment, to direct their thoughts along a religious line, and then to see if they wanted to make an act of thanksgiving to Almighty God. In general, most of the men did want just that, ASKED for it, and the greater majority of them wanted to receive Holy Communion. When we met them at the coffee table usually a Catholic priest and a Protestant chaplain seated themselves with the man. We asked if they had been to church. They usually said: On Christmas and Easter yes, but not most Sun- days. One man showed us some pictures he had taken with a camera up there-and some pictures of what he said was -176 a religious ceremony. They told us that sometimes a man was allowed to keep his New Testament with him. I know of only one Catholic man who had an English missal with him on his return-although they had them when captured. Chaplain Lyons records, A very large percentage of the returnees requested com- munion, it was the first time that some of them had received the sacrament for 2 or more years. While prisoners they were permitted to hold religious services. At least that was true in the later months of their imprisonment. In the early days of the war, services were prohibited. Since there were no chaplains in the camps the men or- ganized their own services of worship. They sang hymns which they remembered. A few of-them managed to keep New Testaments or Bibles, but most of them were con- fiscated when they were taken prisoner. The men reported that Chinese guards who understood English were present for each service and the scripture lesson as well as the hymns and sermon had to be cleared in advance of the service. Chaplain Lyons gives testimony to the fact that, The privilege of distributing the sacrament to these men will long live in my memory as one of the great thrills of my ministry in the service. Participating in these individual communion services I gained a new appreciation of the meaning and significance of the sacrament. Chaplain Rice speaks of the reports concerning worship, Some Protestant men told me the Catholics would gather for devotions. Other men tell us that when the rosary was said the Communists would break up the meeting because

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warm hearts at Freedom Village in the lst Marine Division sector. Everything possible was done to welcome them and make them comfortable. This event marked one of the greatest opportunities for chaplains in the U.S. Naval Service. We were standing in our section of the processing lines by our altars ready to extend the hand of Christian fellowship to soldiers and Marines of many nations. They were eager and happy to receive our spiritual ministry. Many wept with joy in their hearts. We had prayer with them. We served Holy Com- lmuniong gave them New Testaments, Missals, and rosaries. We made our sections as attractive as possible by getting flowers from the hillsides. We pinned the religious posters, church pennants, and spare altar cloths to the walls of the tents. The impression on the prisoners was terrific-as well as on generals, newspaper men, photographers, and all hands who were engaged in the processing work. I was never so proud and humble in trying to minister as a military chap- lain. I remember one man who wanted me to read a few verses from the Bible. He had been a prisoner for 29 months, I read the 23d Psalm. If I had not known it from memory I would have stalled on the verse: Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me. Both his and my eyes were full of tears. Then I read the Beatitudes and a part of I cor. 13. It seems that they were allowed to conduct church services by holding prayer meetings and singing a few familiar songs from memory while prisoners. The ones with whom I talked aid that they did not have any clergyman or priests to elp them. Tomorrow we will be back. Our chaplains in the lines nd medical companies are ministering to battle casualties very day and night. Every chaplain I have is doing a wonderful job. This letter speaks for itself, and bears eloquent testi- mony as to the work of the chaplains on this memo- rable day. Chaplain Meachum's own activity was pictured in a number of press releases. There are other accounts of Little Switch as given by participating chaplains. The chaplains had ar- ranged folding altars at the exchange site for Protes- tants, Catholics and jews in one of the long rows of hospital tents erected by the United Nations. Their part in the operation became quickly apparent when the first 50 American prisoners arrived and sought first of all spiritual comfort after their long ordeal of sickness, pain, and captivity. Of those first 50, 35 took communion as their Hrst act of freedom. A number of the chaplains state that much of the credit for setting up the program should go to Chap- lain Meachum. The men were brought in ambu- lances from the Panmunjom exchange point and un- loaded. They were separated into four lines which went through two tents each. In the first tent Chap- lain E. Vaughan Lyons, Jr., states that, the returnee . . . was given a physical examination, preliminary medi- cal treatment, and a new issue of clothing. He was then taken to the records section to establish identity and clarify his status. From there he was ushered into the press tent for interviews by representatives of the press, provided the returnee was willing for such an interview. From the press he was taken to the nourishment section where he sat down and was given a cup of soup or coffee. It was at this stage that chaplains talked with the men. Chaplain Leo F. Rice, Roman Catholic, de- Freedom Sign A marine of the lst Engineer Battalion puts the finishing touches on the sign to be placed at the medical camp where the prisoners will be received. 1. 'e' -g,:L,e.L.t:. ' .... - . - i l K., Released POW Pfc. Billy Brown talks with Chaplain Andrew J. Barry, Jr., upon arrival at Freedom Village.

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Thomas H. Waddill is given communion by Chaplain Vaughan Lyons at Freedom Village. Waddill was captured by the Communists in the Reno action. ,they said we don't know what you are doing. Since there are captive priests admittedly, and these could have been made available to the Catholic men, it is apparent that these men were deprived of an essential element of their religion-namely, the administration of the sacraments by legitimately ordained priests. Some of the men made their own crosses and cruci- Fixes by melting down the metal from their toothpaste and shaving cream tubes. There are a number of per- sonal accounts given by chaplains. Chaplain Rice tells how, One man really touched me. He sat down at the coffee table, I introduced the Protestant chaplain and then my- self as the Catholic priest. He told us that he had not been to the Sacraments the whole 2 years in prison. He said his rosary had been taken from him. He asked for a rosary and also to go to confession and communion. He then looked around, his eyes twinkled and he said: Gee, I'm free. And then he filled up, sobbed heavily, and after a few sobs said Gee, Father, Ilm sorry I'm cryingf, I said That's all right-I'm with youf, And I'm sure those others sitting at the table with him were crying too. The Division chaplain, Chaplain Meachum, stepped up behind the man, braced the manls shoulder and said: i'All right son, come along and you'l1 be all right. We all stood up and directed him to the chapel. I took him by the arm and led him to the chair for confession. He was then ready for communion. As he sat down to make his thanksgiving I gave him a rosary. He asked me to put it around his neck. I suppose his feeling was: On my neck it's more my own. Also, the rosary is an- other one of the signs we use to indicate the members of the union of communion of saints. As he stood up I put my arms around his shoulder and led him to the man who was to take him to the Army hospital just outside our tent. I hope to see you back in the Statesf, I said in farewell. Other Roman Catholic Chaplains were also serving. Chaplain Elmer F. Ernst was with Chaplain Rice. Chaplain Andrew J. Barry was on hand to as- sist where the British Commonwealth men were being processed. Chaplain Thomas Edwards assisted with other UN troops. Two other chaplains, Edward Kelly and John T. Moore participated. The Jewish chaplain attached to the Division at this time was Chaplain Murray I. Rothman. I-Ie worked along with the other chaplains in both g'Little and Big Switchf' Chaplain Lyons adds this story, About a month before Marines of the 5th Regiment were engaged in a heavy battle for three forward outposts. Out- post Reno and Vegas were completely overrun by the Com- munist forces. A few Marines were recovered from Vegas, -177-