United States Navy Chaplain Corps - Yearbook

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a boatload of men would board the ship and would return with their replacements. As I was in the liaison group that was on T.A.D. orders I was in the first group to leave the ship. But it was a happy, excited group of Marines, to whom I waved goodby. As we approached the landing at Inchon, I thanked God that the truce had been signed and prayed that the peace would be permanent and that no more lives would be sacri- liced for the preservation of freedom. Forces Afloat During this period a variety of items of iterest come from the Fleet. Chaplain Ralph Handran, Roman Catholic, speaks of the transporting of prisoners. He states that the ANDERSON usually carried 45 prisoners from the Far East. For the most part they were men who had gotten into dilliculty in Korea and had been sentenced by courts-martial. They were very bitter and the chaplain held services for them in the brig on Sundays because they did not want to appear on deck. Work aboard the hospital ships continued. Chap- lain Luther E. Olmon, Lutheran, in the REPOSE wrote, At present we are in Korean waters supporting the Marines. The Korean truce talks seem to be at a standstill at this time. Our patient load has kept about the same. The chaplains have a fine opportunity aboard a hospital ship. Circuit riding was rather commonplace. Chap- lains Andrew Grygiel in the ORISKANY, and Lawrence R. Phillips in the ESSEX speak of transfers by highline and helicopter to other ships in the task force. Chaplain Gordian V. Erlacher tells of being transported from the NEW JERSEY to Wonsan Har- bor to conduct services on the Island of Yodo. Where circuit riding was not possible Lay Leaders are reported doing a fine job. For example, on the JOHN R. CRAIG, Catholic Services were led bythe Executive Officer and Protestant Services by the First Lieutenant. The destroyer MOALE had an or- dained Baptist minister in the Gunnery Department who not only had held services all around the globe on naval vessels, but on this ship he found time to mimeograph bulletins for all Catholic and Protestant services held aboard ship and to broadcast his own religious program over the ship's PA system each Wednesday. On one cruise he organized a choir of 45 voices consisting of officers and enlisted men. It is encouraging to find that some of the ships during the Korean conflict found room enough aboard ship to set up a chapel. This has been something of an accepted custom in the British Navy. Chaplain B. E. Heuer, Lutheran, reports that the CORREGI- DOR set up a permanent chapel in the quarters formerly used as a Pilot's Ready Room. Chaplain George W. Thompson, who as an enlisted man in World War I rose to Quartermaster Second, was doing a fine job on the VALLEY FORGE. His Sunday starts with . . . a Communion service, includes Sunday School classes and two regular church services, and ends with a Protestant Fellowship and Evangelistic Service. During the week, he leads a Bible class which meets three times a week, and holds Protestant Devotional Services twice daily-in the early morning and late evening. He is continuing a tradi- tion carried out by his predecessors on the ship by pronounc- ing a short prayer for all hands at Tatoo over the ship's public address system. In summary it is seen that this period began with the conflict still in progress. Several bitter battles were fought. Once again the chaplains had acquitted themselves in a manner to deserve high praise. The truce was signed and with it were to come different problems to surmountg different victories to be achieved. 193 -

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taining liaison with the Korean Catholic Bishop of the Taegu Diocese . . . Dedicated to the humanitarian prin- ciples embodied in the precepts of his faith, Commander Mulligan's activities resulted directly in greater comfort and welfare for hundreds of helpless Korean families and orphans and enhanced the morale and efficiency of the lst Marine Aircraft Wing. He was detached in June. Chaplain Parker was relieved as Wing Chaplain in May by Chaplain Allen Jones, Presbyterian, US. On 25 June Chaplain John Burns relieved Chaplain Mulligan. Chaplain Gordon Griffin reported aboard in May. Chaplain Lineberger left in May. He had been cited by the Korean government and also had been awarded the Bronze Star. For the latter it was said that he . . . supervised the construction and furnishing of Lal chapel where he instituted regular classes in religious instruction, and often led services for congregations of other religious denominations when chaplains for those faiths were com- mitted elsewhere in the forward area. Sparing no efforts to aid the less fortunate in the war-torn country, he participated in the establishment of two separate orphanages for helpless Korean children and was largely responsible for the creation of the United States Marine Memorial Children's Clinic designated to provide advance medical care for destitute women and children in the vicinity of Pohang, In addition, he was instrumental in the purchase of rice land for hungry Koreans and in the delivery of tons of clothing and toys to needy civilians in the combat zone. By his inspiring efforts, resourceful initiative and unswerving devotion to duty, Lieutenant, Junior Grade, Lineberger directly aided in increasing the health, comfort, and welfare of hundreds of helpless Korean families and orphans and contributed mate- rially to the overall morale and efiiciency of the two Marine Aircraft Groups. The citation by Korea was like the one received by Chaplain Parker. It concluded, His demonstration of energetic efforts and generosity in working for the betterment of the Korean war orphans left homeless in the midst of the war in which the peace- loving people stand firm in the path of aggression to safe- guard freedom and human dignity has elicited the highest possible praise from all those cognizant of his Fine spirit. Chaplain Fenstermacher tells of his contacts with the Korean chaplainsf In Pusan I had contacts with the chaplains of the Republic of Korea Navy Chaplain Corps. Their Chief of Chaplains, Cmdr. D. B. Chung, ChC, ROKN, had his offices there. My first contact with the ROK Navy chaplains, however, came through their Senior Chaplain of the Korean Marine Corps, Lt. Cmdr. C. S. Park, who visited me at our Battalion Headquarters early in January 1953. Chaplain Park and I discussed the work of a chaplain in general, as well as the language barrier . . . I helped him out with quantities 4Cp. pp. 107Ff. M 192 of chaplain supplies . . . I met the Chief of Chaplains, as well as all his chaplains who served the ROK Navy and Marine Corps, nine altogether. All are men consecrated to God as far as I could see, serious about their work, and hard workers. On 14 June 1953 I was guest preacher at a Divine Service in which we commemorated the Fifth Anniversary of Chap- lain activities in the ROK Navy. I preached in English and Chaplain Chung interpreted what I said in Korean. The service was held in the Korean Navy Church in Pusan, the church being set up iri the well deck of an LST which is tied up to the dock at Pier No. 1 in Pusan and used for church services every Sunday. Nearly 500 attended this anniversary service, including high-ranking ROK Navy offi- cers, the ROK Navy Band, and a large well-trained choir. 'SMSTSH One chaplain 5 submits a very interesting account of a draft of Marines arriving in the Far East just after the truce had been signed. The lighting in Korea was very fierce last summer and replacement drafts from Camp Pendleton were seriously training for combat. I was given the task to accompany the July 1953 replacement draft to Korea. We were to travel on the USNS GEN. NELSON M. WALKER and there was a Protestant chaplain aboard. I was to conduct Catholic services for the men. It was a noisy group of Marines that I joined in San Diego, on July 16, 1953, The next afternoon we were given quite a farewell with the Marine Corps band and three generals to see us off. The approaching dangers of combat were forgotten for the moment as the ship sailed out of the harbor. Most of the men were looking at the pier for a last glimpse of a relative or friend. Others just gazed at the city and wondered when they would see San Diego again. The older men realized that some of these men would probably never see the United States again for they would be in combat in a few weeks. As we neared Japan the tension mounted and the men spent more time at church services, preparing their souls should they be called upon to sacrifice their lives. The news dispatches were avidly read daily. The mail boxes were always crammed with letters to mothers and fathers, to wives and sweethearts. But it was a wonderful feeling when the news of the truce reached us three days out of Japan. The carefree attitude of the young men returned and a prayer of thanksgiving was sent heavenward. We all looked forward to Japan and Korea confident that the danger of death was passed. The conditions of the truce made it impossible to enter Korea immediately and we went from Kobe, Japan to Sasebo, Japan where we spent 5 days. It gave us an opportunity to see a bit of the Japanese people and customs. Finally on August 7 we arrived at Inchon, Korea, and were put ashore. Again the conditions of the truce changed our plans. We were not allowed to bring any weapons ashore with us and all rifles and pistols were collected. IAJ provision of the truce specified that we could not add to our forces in Korea. So before we could land, troops to be taken to the United States, had to be taken aboard. We used a shuttle system. First 5 This account is credited to Chaplain Normand A. Ricard.

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CHAPTER ELEVEN ARMISTICE AFTERMATH 27 July 1953-27 July 1954 It was an uneasy truce but peace had come to a war torn area. The United States, as did the United Nations, recognized the Korean campaign as active for the campaign ribbon could still be earned for the period ending 27 July 1954.1 It is this date that has been considered as the end of the Korean Police Action. The summer was best known for g'Big Switchl' and then inevitably there was another Korean winter. By this time there were a number of shifts in personnel. The Ist Marine Division On 1 August the Divisions withdrew to lines stipu- lated by the Armistice agreement. Soon thereafter there began a very busy period for the Marines for on 5 August uOperation Big Switch was set in motion. This return of Allied prisoners of war began at L'Free- dom Village which was located in the lst Marine Division sector. On 4 September the lst Provisional Demilitarized Zone Military Police Company was activated from lst Division troops, for the purpose of enforcing the neutrality of the buffer zone between the territory of the United Nations and North Korea. Operation Big Switchl' was completed on 6 Septem- ber. The Division now devoted most of its time to training and position improvement and in the program of Armed Forces aid to Korea for reconstruction and rehabilitation of that war torn country. There was a short period ending on 21 January 1954, when the last of the prisoner exchanges took place with the transfer from the Division's area of those prisoners of war who refused to return to their lines. It is evident that many units held memorial services. The 2d Battalion, 5th Marines, had theirs on 9 August at which General Pate dedicated the memorial wreath. It was about this time that the commanding general also presented to the 30 division chaplains the new altar kits. These were described as 1 No engagement star was authorized as the actual Hghting had ceased. . . . resembling a woman's large shoulder pocketbook, are made of canvas and contain vestments, altar linen and all other necessities for conducting church services in the field. Eventually, they will be issued to Padres serving with all Marine divisions and to a few on small naval craft. Big Switch Now hear this. Now hear this. Over the loudspeaker comes an authoritative voice. Serial Two passed Check Point Five at one-zeroethree-two hours. Approximate time of arrival, 3 minutes. All processing personnel man your stations? 2 Marine M.P.'s, Navy corpsmen, Army and Marine per- sonnel men, Chaplain Meachum accompanied by four Prot- estant and four Catholic chaplains together with all others concerned with the reception of American repatriates move quickly to their posts. On a platform overlooking the entrance to the building, press photographers ready their cameras. Into the enclosure moves a line of ambulances, their great red crosses bright against squares of white. From them emerge young Americans of all sizes and shades of color, most of them in the shapeless blue cotton outfits furnished by the Chinese Communists but some stripped to their white cotton shorts, clutching ditty bags with their few personal belongings. Strong hands help them down from the vehicles, warm smiles greet them. Some shout Freedom! Freedom! Wonderful Freedom! Some hop out of the ambulances without saying a word, their eyes and expressions bespeak a new life and a new hope. A few are brought out on stretchers, but the greater part walk eagerly and unassisted through the wide doorway under the red and gold sign Gateway to Freedom. At the first station the returnees are dusted with dis- infectants to reduce the possibility of disease. Next they are given a preliminary medical check. It is determined whether they are physically fit to continue the rest of the processing which includes among other things an interview by the press and regular chow. Tags are given noting these facts. At the third station they are registered with repre- sentatives of the Adjutant General's Corps of Marine person- nel and the names of their next of kin are checked. The Adjutant General will notify their next of kin regarding their recovery and general physical condition. Then, tagged 2This account is a compilation of various chaplains, accounts. -194-