United States Navy Chaplain Corps - Yearbook

Page 206 text:

Worship on the Front. Chaplain john T. Moore who is pictured here states that this picture was taken during the bitter fighting for i'Berlin and East Berlinw outposts just before the truce in Korea. Several of the marines who received communion were killed the same day. 3d Battalion, 7th Marines, suffered 450 alone. Chaplain and Men Before Battle. A chaplain and marines pause for a moment of prayer before going to battle during the fight for Boulder City. -188-

Page 205 text:

at the dedication of the new division chapel the pre- vious Sunday. On 25 July he writes: We hope we are just through winding up another hassel ' that started early last night. The 7th Regiment took another beating, along with some elements of the lst and the 5th Regiments. I was up all night visiting the medical com- panies and supervising the assignment and work of chaplains. A few casualties were expected to arrive late at the medical companies when I left at noon. The infantry chaplains are doing a superb job in their battalion aid stations. Chaplains attached to separate bat- talions are relieving the medical battalion chaplains to give constant coverage in the medical companies. These are the worst clobbered of any hassel since Iive been out here. We are having many head and chest casualties, and many arm and leg amputations. The last accounts of the battle action are given by several chaplains. Chaplain Peter J. Bakker, Ameri- can Baptist, tells something of the fighting as seen in his sector: On the 7th of July we moved on the line in the Chang Dang sector, just north of Seoul, and had our camp at the foot of Hill 229. Berlin and Esther were on our right flank. My opportunities were practically limitless. I held two or three services a day with the men right on the Main Line of Resistance, and in front of it on the Outpost. This re- quired a good deal of hiking, but that never hurt anyone. The services were small, but very profitable. The enemy-Luke as we call him-3 years ago we called them- Gooks apparently did not always appreciate the services. We had just finished a service in the Easy Com- pany area when 13 or 14 76 shells came flying in on us. The men holler: '6Chink on the wayn, and everyone ducks into a bunker, and it is quite an experience . . . especially with a large quantity of Napalm stored near by. Some may say that it just happened that way, but I be- lieve it was God's guidance and protection. Early one after- noon my driver, Pfc. B. Holloway, and I were on our way down the Panmunjom road for a service when I noticed an outpost some distance in front of the MLR, and wondered who was up there. We investigated, and found a group of Korean Marines, and a group of Marines from another regi- ment. They said that they did not have a service for 3 months. We had a wonderful time-including songs by the Koreans, and preaching to them through an interpreter. We then proceeded to our original point, and found that while we were at the service, many rounds landed on and around the bunker where we were going to hold our service. Our first Marine to be hit last month was the result of a mortar blast-hitting the man, Private CFirst Classj Hansen in the chin, neck and left arm. One of our corpsman was hit about the same time by a mortar. Our first KIA fkilled in actionj was a Lieutenant Stumbo from Lancer, Ky. A mortar blast hit right over him, and a deep gash right be- hind the ear did the damage. I had a memorial service for him by the Battalion Aid Station, just after he was hit, with his commanding ofiicer and fellow officers paying their last respects to a fine Marine. 1 Boulder City. Land mines proved to be a continual source of trouble. Our patrols were continually stepping on them, and the terrific blast that it gives a man in the legs is anything but pretty. We lost quite a few legs because of them. I had the opportunity on several occasions to help carry some of these men back up the hills after they were wounded. God was merciful in particular with two of these men-one Al- fred Kalinowski, sergeant, had his leg in a horrible condi- tion. The corpsman did a wonderful job in stopping the flow of blood, and even though he lost a leg, he is coming along nicely. Another lad, a big colored boy, stepped on a mine, and has lost both of his legs, but is coming along in good shape. One of our patrols going out to hill No. 90 was ambushed about 10 p.m. Reinforcements were sent out, and another group had to be sent out to retrieve that angel squad. We were busy ministering to the wounded all that night, and on through the morning. We only were able to get two of the KIA's, and I had the privilege of taking them back to our C.P. During the next day we spotted five more dead lying on the hill, but were unable to go out and pick them up as Luke had the entire area zeroed in. That evening the funeral procession went to pick up the fallen Marines. We plastered the surrounding area with outgoing of various kinds. The men made a sweep of the hill, picked up seven valiant Marines. I proceeded with a squad of men to the bottom of the hill and helped carry those seven out to the Panmunjom road and safety. As you may observe, we were right adjacent to the Panmunjom area with its no fire zones, etc. As I rode back to our Command Post in an APC Car- mored personnel cargoj vehicle, I prayed for the next of kin of each one, and remembered that each one was dear to God, and to an entire circle of loved ones at home. Right behind our procession, Luke was blasting our trail with mortars. Late one evening we received the word that some men on our left Hank had received some mortar blasts. I carried one, George Hallabaugh, Jr., from Billings, Mont., into the aid station. He had just received a chest wound, and Dr. Roger Milnes asked for a copter to take him to the Medical Bat- talion. We carried George up the hill to the copter strip and waited for the helicopter. I was holding George's hand, talk- ing to him, and praying for him. After assisting him in the copter I gave him a parting prayer, and told him everything would be all right, and closed the door. We all skooted down a small bank, hid our eyes from the dust and heard the copter take off, only to sputter and then saw this horrible crash with several flashes of light. We raced the 20 yards to the copter, and I saw three people-two inside the plane, and one pinned underneath. I asked where the third man came from, and someone said, He's one of the guards. Two guards, who had just joined the outfit, were guarding the road, and the crash caught both of them, killing them in- stantly. We got George and the pilot, who were both un- conscious, out of the copter. George now had his forehead split somewhat. Another copter was ordered and George was flown out to Able Med. for treatment, and the pilot who was all right was sent out by ambulance fcrackerboxl. We had a memorial service for the two men killed: Pfc. Floyd McCoy and Pfc. Delton Mclnnis, the next morning which was Sunday. Concerning the helicopter accident and other inci- l87 -

Page 207 text:

dents, Bakker's citation for a Letter of Commendation has this to say about the chaplain himself. Exhibiting personal courage and initiative, he conducted religious services in front line trenches, bunkers and platoon areas. Expressing complete disregard for his personal safety he frequently exposed himself to enemy mortar and artillery fire to conduct religious services on the main line of resistance for the marines manning combat outposts. On one occasion, when a helicopter evacuating a seriously wounded marine crashed, he personally removed the wounded man, the in- jured pilot and the bodies of two sentries killed in the crash. Chaplain John T. Moore, Roman Catholic, sent some action photographs of the fighting around the Berlin and East Berlini' outposts. He stated that some of the Marines who received Communion were killed the same day. He states that the . . . 3-7, lst Mar Div suffered 450 casualties alonef, Chaplain Homer L. Schnick, Southern Baptist, has this to say: With Chaplain Paul C. Hammerl, I visited the wounded at E Medical Company during the last serious fighting before the truce in July 1953. A sober sense of the awful reality of war surrounded the room where the men were being brought in-ambulatory and stretcher cases. One young fellow I'll never forget. He was muddy and wet and in considerable pain and discomfort. Being thirsty, he asked for a drink. After a corpsman got some wet pads for me, I cleaned around his mouth, eyes and ears fthe mud was caked in his earsj and applied the pad of water to his lips. In talking with him, I learned that after he was wounded, he had been dragged up and down the muddy trench line by the Communists before being rescued by men of his outfit. The shock was most evident as the men were first brought in, but it was amazing to see the men return to normalcy so rapidly in the succeeding days that we visited them. One felt a real sense of mission as he assisted the doctors and corpsmen in their busy times. Once, when talk- ing with one of the doctors, he said that he didn't know whether he could take much more or not. It was good to be able to be there just to talk with them. No door was closed to the chaplain. He was well received and was an integral part of the team. Chaplain Robert E. Brengartner tells of a Navy Chief Corpsman who was so impressed by the peace and joy which the Sacraments brought to the wounded that he himself took instructions and was received into the church. ' Chaplain Brengartner is later awarded the Letter of Commendation with Metal Pendant and Combat Distinguishing Device authorized. In the citation are found these words: During the period when the battalion was engaged in extensive combat operations against the enemy, he contin- uously worked long and arduous hours, frequently under intense enemy shelling in order to provide comfort and aid to the sick and wounded. His courage and determination in helping to evacuate and in tendering spiritual consolation to the severely wounded men won the admiration and confl- dence of all who served with him. The following incident demonstrates the type of work done by the chaplains, Assisted by a four-man Marine squad Lt. Robert E. Bren- gartner, CHC, USN, led in the dramatic rescue of a wounded Puerto Rican Marine left in no man's land, Korea, by Chinese Red captors. After a Chinese loudspeaker boomed to United Nations forces that a squad would be allowed to remove the soldier without being fired upon,'l Chaplain Brengartner led the Marines toward the victim. Despite his wounds the Marine tried twice to walk to the Allied line, but collapsed. On reaching the man, Father Brengartner gave him Ab- solution. The Marine, clad only in winter underwear and a sweater stuffed with Red propaganda leaflets, was clutching his Rosary Beads. The Chinese covered the area with their rifles but did not fire as the rescuers took him to the Allied line. The Truce Chaplain Bakkerz writes concerning the last day of the war: I WAS THERE-THE SIGNING OF THE TRUCE On Monday morning of 27 July at 10 o'clock General Harrison walked into the Truce Pagoda which we had watched during its construction from our outpost, sat down, and signed the truce. Folks-I was there. I decided that two-fifths ought to be represented, as I came over with the brigade 3 years ago, and so was present. I sat in the chair that the general sat in, and had my picture taken. I also got shots of the general, the pen he used fa Parker 515, and surrounding areas. It was quiet, semitense, nondramatic and yet deeply historical. When our grandchildren study about it in school-you tell them, Uncle Peter, and Grandpa Pete was there. The look, and feeling of utter contempt that the Chinese Communists have for us is something to see. I felt like decking the entire group of them. The hatred in their eyes seems to stem from the bottom of their high top boots. Chaplain Hutcheson states that Three out of four 'Services of Thanksgiving for Peace Restoredj con- ducted on the day the Korean Armistice was signed Q during 12-hour period between signing and effective hourj were interrupted by incoming artillery fireli' Chaplain Meachum was asked for a statement for the press: He wanted my reaction to the truce which had been signed a short distance up the road at Pan-Munjan. My first reaction was: Thank God this Meat grinderl' has stopped. The more I thought, the harder it was for me to give a short concise statement. Briefly I would like to write a few thoughts and reactions. 2Chaplain Bakker is known among other things for his ability as a wrestler. He at one time asserted that he found a better counseling relationship after wrestling with a man. 189-H