United States Navy Chaplain Corps - Yearbook

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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-

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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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sau: 'A' . M74-'ff Memorial Services. The National Colors are carried to the 2d Battalion, 5th Marines Chapel as the memorial services begin in memory of the men in the battalion who have lost their lives in Korea. and clutching numerous papers as well as their ditty bags, the repatriates meet the chaplain at the fourth station? Chaplain Meachum says, 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 nationsf, The room was dominated by a large mural depicting the varied activities of chap- lains with the lst Marine Division. Chaplain Meachum describes the setting 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. The chaplain extends his hand in warm welcome to the serviceman. After a brief get acquainted period, the chaplain determines the religious affiliation of the man. If not of his own faith the man is introduced to a chaplain who is. The chaplains claim the men 3NoTE: Chaplain William H. Vinson tells us that as planning for 'Big Switch, came into its final stages, the many lessons learned during KLittle Switch' were applied. One of these lessons had to do with the chaplains section in the processing line. It was decided that food for the soul should come before the food for the body. In the previous opera- tion, the chaplains section was set up behind the nourishment section and offered very little privacy or atmosphere of reverence to the worshipersf' Rollcall. In a service conducted by Chaplain Peter J. Bakker the names are read of those who gave the supreme sacrifice and who were members of the 2d Battalion, 5th Marines. 535332 0460+-14 H 195