United States Navy Chaplain Corps - Yearbook

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Visitor. Francis Cardinal Spellman with Chaplain Mulligan and Chaplain Parker during his Christmas visit to K-3 in 1952. Christmas Scene Chaplain Twitchell, FMF, Pac, Chaplain, stands with Chaplain O'Malley and Chaplain Parker beside the wing Il Zit1V1tY SCC IIC . chapel i ' ' . if ,, ,,.. f J-Ni V A. -181-S A

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. ,.,. J. - f .1 . . -'-. - f. Awe M, Monthly Meeting. Chaplain Parker dressed in Korean garb welcomes Brig. Cen. Alexander W. Kreiser, Jr., assistant commanding general of the lst MAW. The other chaplains do not appear to be overburdened although they are equipped to carry the load. Other than Chaplain Parker and the general those pictured here are: Chaplain J. H. Lampeg Col. Samuel S. Jack, Chief of Staflg Chaplains G. J. Clarkg E. C. Mulligang E. R. Linebergerg and J. W. Paul. on board prior to 6 January. They were assigned to MAG 12 and Hedron 1 respectively. Publicity and citations acknowledged the accomplishments of the chaplains. Noteworthy is the award of the Bronze Star to Chaplain Paul La Duca covering the period 29 January to 21 December. Besides traveling over hazardous terrain in subzero weather to minister to his own men, the chaplain directed the members of his congregation in helping the orphans of the area and assisted in providing aid to 2 destitute orphanages with a total enrollment of approxi- mately 250 children, thereby implementing the work of agencies concerned with creating a strong feeling of friendship to those in need. Chaplain Parker wrote on 6 December referring to the Marine Memorial Orphanage at Pohangdong and of the Eden Marine Orphanage at MAG 12. He also stated that during the 8 months that he had been in Korea that he had distributed 24 tons of clothing from the States. The Post Office men are often angry because of the weight of the packages. The Com- manding General has requested me to keep his jeep loaded with bundles of clothes so he can pass them out to the Korean naked. He further stated that a lilm called Operation Orphansn was made for TV. At no other time in my naval career have I had such an opportunity to help suffering humanity, he af- firrned. -18O--

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Chaplain M. H. Twitchell, FMF chaplain, visited the Wfing and the Division the last of December and the First of January. It is noted in the later award of his Commenda- tion Ribbon that Chaplain Edwin C. O'Malley was re- sponsible Ufor the inspirational appearance of His Eminence, Francis Cardinal Spellman before Wing personnel on 31 December 1952. Chaplain H. Lampe cites the Christmas party of 1952 as an outstanding experience. MAG 12 had on board, 400 orphans from 4 different orphanages, which they supported. They each received gifts and saw Santa, but . . . the tremendously important thing was that the men got to see or care for these children as if they were their own . . . and these chil- dren had a firsthand experience of being cared for by someone who, for the moment, was a real daddy It was more than the giving of gifts-it was the giving of themselves and their love that made the experience a vital, living thing for all concerned? Articles appeared in the Ladies Home journal 1 and the National Geographic Magazinef concerning the work of the unit with orphans. The former article described Operation Kidliftf' and told about the work of Marines at Kangnung, and presented the part played by Chaplains-Weidler and La Duca.9 A TV film was produced to present the story of the MAG-12 orphanage at Kecksa-ri. By this time the Marine Memorial Orphanage at Pohangdong has 6 buildings and 5,700 pyong of ricelands la pyong is 36 square feetj. The MAW also took over the support of an orphanage at Pyongtaek, 40 miles south of Seoul. Chaplain O'Malley noted on 3 March that a number of the Roman Catholic chaplains were about to go on a retreat to Seoul for a Day of Recollection. Chaplain F enstermacher, assigned to the Gun Bat- talion and the H8zS Battery in Pusan, found that it was much better to have services on weekdays rather than to try to serve all batteries on Sunday. It . . . permitted me more time Qforj visiting and counselling with the men at the batteries both on Sunday and weekdaysf' By this time the Wing has five chapels constructed. Forces Afloat No vessels of our forces were sunk during the period under consideration, although previously, in August, the tug SARSI, was sunk by a mine resulting in nine casualties. There was an increase in antiaircraft fire 1 Ladies Home journal, December 1952. 3National Geographic Magazine, February 1953. Cp. p. 227f. and for the period 1 June 1952 to 31 May 1953 Ma rine and naval units lost 170 aircraft from that source but only three were lost in aerial combat. There wa: enough action on ORISKANY for the chaplain tc have the problem of where Mass should be held Chaplain G. J. Barras states, The wardroom wa: used for the first Mass at 0800 to the accompanimenf of launching planes and bouncing bombs. They moved below to the crewis lounge for the remaining two masses though at times they moved down ever one more deck. Chaplain Warren L. Wolf was cited Qin lieu of 2 Bronze Starl for his work aboard the BADOENG STRAIT. Many fine things are said about this chap- lain including '4While in the Yellow Sea, this ofiicel conducted services on numerous United Nations ships of the screening element in addition to those on his own ship, which services . . . were invariably well received by his hosts. Chaplain Wolf indicates thai he felt like the Bishop of the Yellow Sea as I serv- iced Canadian, British, and American Destroyers The Dutch could not use me as my German was too out of date.', He also indicates an improvement a1 the staging area, Sasebo, and states that Chaplains Lonergan and Brink, who were stationed there, were very helpful. Chaplain Walsh relieved the former 1 April. A number of chaplains in the Fleet note the zeal oi their personnel for religious administrations. It is evident that the chaplains were doing a great deal to accept the challenge thus presented. As in previous periods the ships' companies were awake to the needs of others and contributed generously to worthy causes both in America and in Korea. The hospital ships the REPOSE, HAVEN, and the CONSOLATION continued to carry out their mis- sions of mercy. They too expressed an interest in the orphans in Korea. MSTS A number of chaplains continued to serve with MSTS. Their reactions to their duty is of great inter- est. Chaplain John W. Robb pointed out that the ship's primary function was transporting troops to th war area. He felt the importance of not preyin upon the fears of the men, but rather in making a con- structive religious appealf' Chaplain Reginald A. Berry tells of the cooperation of the Commanders of the Military Departments aboard the ships on which he had served. He tells how the executive officer of the Military Department of the USNS Gen. D. E. AULTMAN held Roman 182-