United States Navy Chaplain Corps - Yearbook

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were among the worshipers last Christmas, meeting in tiny groups wherever the chaplain could call a congregation together. They gave their lives on the treacherous raids and patrols in no-man's landf' They died valiantly on savage Korean hills in a war-spawned hell of steel and Hame and fanatic enemy hordes. Now the bells are singing sleep in heavenly peace, sleep in heavenly peace. We heard the bells at Christmas and they brought to mind the church bells which ring out in country and city and town back home. Some of our men are spending their first Christmas far from their homes and loved ones. There are lonely hearts in Korea at Christmas. Many of the familiar Christmas customs are missing. All but the simplest holiday trappings are absent. The mission of American forces in Korea cannot pause even for this Holy Day. The lonely outposts overlooking the demarkation zone must be manned. The fortified bunkers and the long main battle position must be occupied. Even in the various command posts there are security tasks and essential services which must be performed. Still the bells are singing a glad song at Christmas. The glory and wonder of the Saviour's birth lies upon the earth this night. Over the still-broken native villages, over the shell-cratered hills, over the silent wasteland where the enemy keeps his careful vigil the bells are sounding. As the chaplains go from chapel to mess-hall to crowded bunker the carols follow and the Christmas Gospel gladdens the hearts of men. One problem was created. when Chaplain Stern- berger was released from active duty about the middle of May and the Division was left without a Jewish chaplain. He had stayed until after the celebration of Passover. Chaplain O,LeaIy wrote in July, l'We run into trouble every Sunday in our attempts to gchopper' an Army Jewish chaplain for services. Please rush the new rabbi to us as fast as practicable. Due to the scarcity of Jewish chaplains Chaplain H. T. Miller did not arrive until 24 September to represent that faith. Chaplain O'Leary was detached as Division chap- lain the lst of July. He was relieved by Chaplain L. M. C. Vosseler. He was awarded a Letter of Commendation, the citation of which reads in part, He demonstrated a remarkable foresight and determina- tion in caring for the spiritual welfare of all the Marines in the division. An understanding, capable, and persevering leader, he skillfully organized his section in such a manner that divine services were conducted within all the units of the division and spiritual guidance was available to all. De- spite the most adverse conditions of terrain and weather and with complete disregard for his personal comfort, he repeatedly traveled long distances to the most remote units in order that all Marines might have the opportunity to at- tend services of their particular faith. He was constantly present during the repatriation of United Nations prisoners of war to ensure that the men who had so recently undergone the hardships and deprivations of prison life had every oppor- tunity to receive immediately on their return the spiritual consolation and guidance they so eagerly sought. By the time of the change of divisions chaplains so many changes had been made in the roster that the list for l July l954 contains nearly all new chaplains. Church JVame Rank Assignment affiliation OCLEARY, F. T .....,. CDR Div Chap .,.. RC TUXBURY, V. W .... LCDR Hq Bn Chap. BAPT CAD BARRENGER, A. N. . LTJG lst Ser Bn. . PE HEIM, R. L ...,....., LTJG lst MT Bn.. RC JONES, W. L ......... LTJG 7th MT Bn. BAPT CSD KENNY, T. A .,...... LTJG lst SP Bn... RC KUHLMANN, J. L. . . LTJG lst Eng Bn. , AofG MARSH, H. J ........ LTJG lst Tk Bn... L. D. S. JOHNSON, D. A ..... LTJG lst Ar Am Bn EvMiss- Cox' 1sT MARINES MARTINEAU, E. R. . LCDR H8rS Co. . . RC CANFIELD, R ....... LTJG 2d Bn .... . PRESBY CUB FAY, C. I ............ LTJG lst Bn ,... METH HITCHENS, W. C .,.. LTJG 3d Bn. . . . METH 5TH MARINES JENKINS, R. W ...... LCDR HESLS Co. . . BAPT CAD ELWOOD, C ...,. . . . LT lst Bn ..,. LUTH IVFRS, V. J ..... . . , LTJG 3d Bn .... RC 7T1-1 MARINES THEOBALD, D. K .... LCDR H8rS Co. . . PRESBY CUSAD KIEFER, R. W ....... LTJG lst Bn ..,. LUTH RAINS, C. E ..... . . . LTJG 2d Bn .... BAPT CSD GIBBONS, M. F ...... LTJG 3d Bn .... RC 11TH MARINES NETHERLING, E. J. . LT HqBtry ..... LUTH QUISENBERRY,J.W. LTJG 2d Bn .... Chr. SC KANE, J. A .......... I.T 4th Bn ..... RC 3d Marine Division Mention should be made of the reactivation of the 3d Marine Division which took place on 7 January 1952. This division was moved to Japan on 3 August 1953. It included 25 chaplains of whom Chaplain I. W. Stultz was the Division chaplain. He wrote in December about the ministry in Korea and Japan saying, In a sense our ministry in Japan and Korea is more im- portant now than under combat conditions. We are up against all the problems that are created when troops are garrisoncd in a foreign country. We are fighting monotony, immaturity, moral illiteracy, and every factor that makes a contribution to moral degeneracy. He then speaks of the chapel centered programs and moral leadership programs which were geared to meet the situation. In June 1954 Chaplain Maurus F. Cook relieved Chaplain Stultz. -206-

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the fact that he was subjected to hostile mortar and small arms fire. His regular visits to the hospital ships were of great comfort to the wounded Marines of all faiths within the division. He was selected and served commendably as chaplain during the repatriation of prisoners of war. Chaplain Rothman was released from active duty on 27 November 1953. The new Jewish chaplain was Richard Saul Sternberger, who reported 17 November. Another chaplain receiving the same decoration was Chaplain Emmet O. Floyd in which it is stated that , . . During the last days of bitter fighting he frequently disregarded his personal safety by exposing himself to heavy concentrations of enemy artillery and mortar fire to aid the wounded and render spiritual comfort to the personnel of the regiment, regardless of faith. During the period of reorganization and development of the main battle positions following the cessation of hostilities, when the situation was tense and the troops performed hard physical labor under extremely adverse field conditions, he continued to circulate amongst the men delivering spiritual solace to those who requested it and by his personal example contributed mate- rially to the successful accomplishment of the regiment's assigned mission. Clergy Visitation.: Two distinguished visitors paid visits to the forces in Korea during the Christmas Season. One was Bishop William C. Martin, President of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. and President of the Council of Bishops of the Meth- odist Church, who returned from his trip commend- ing the commands for their interest and concern in moral and spiritual matters. He praised the work of the chaplains and was especially impressed with the lst Marine Division. Bishop Martin said, Thousands of them came during that snowy, freezing Christmas week, to bow in prayer in the chapels they had built with their own hands. As we reached the front lines, where they look across the 2M-mile-wide No-Man's Land of the demilitarized zone to watch the enemy digging in, many hundreds of them came to services, their guns in their hands. Cardinal Francis Spellman, a perennial 4 visitor of the troops, reported that he had his largest congregation since making these trips.5 He stated that more than 6,000 men attended one of the services held for the lst Marine Division. It was also about this time that Rabbi Eichhorn conducted a series of retreats for Jewish chaplains in Japan and Korea. Chaplain Cameron P. Hoff tells about the first Christmas after the truce. He says, We heard the bells at Christmas. Over the frozen rice paddies they pealed their joyful song. Salvaged from some 4 This was his third Christmas tour of the Korean area. ' 5 His visit was from 22 December-4 January. Chaplain Giles Webster was his personal escort. ruined temple where once a pagan god was worshipped their melodic voices now praised the Living God. From the thatch-roofed native dwellings bright-eyed babies and wrinkled, old, papa-sansu watched in wonder as the grace- ful, lighted Christmas tree shed its colorful radiance upon the frozen parade ground. Where only a Christmas ago the sullen throb of bombers filled the air now the heavens were glad with the sound of carols. We heard the bells at Christmas as we gathered in our chapel on the hill. A hundred candles spoke softly to the night, and we remembered when lights were afraid to shine as we listened in the unrelieved darkness and sirens shrieked their warning. We know the meaning of a silent night. We have lived through other nights made hideous by the shriek of shrapnel, the deadly chatter of machine gun and rifle, the dull crash of enemy mortar and artillery. Now in a silent night all is calm, all is bright. We heard the bells at Christmas while we remembered those for whom the bells tolled not many months ago. They .-M1- Christmas Vistor. Bishop W. C. Martin looks through a B.C. Scope at an ob- servation point overlooking Panmunjom, on his visit during the Christmas holidays. Bishop Martin was the president of the National Council of Churches. -205-

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The Ist Marine Air Wing For the most part the recognition given to the chaplains of the Wing was for their participation in JONES, A .cnnc . . CDR BURNS, J. J .c..c..n.,.c, . . LCDR LAMPE, J. H ....ccc...,,.. . . LCDR FENSTERMACHER, H. F ,.., . . LCDR O,MALLEY, F. P ,..,.c,... . . LT SMITH, J. R .,.i......., , . LT CLOONAN, J, F ...... . , LT STROMAN, H. w ...... ..L... . . LTJG MCKNIGHT, P. G.1 .......,..,.. . . LTJG 1 McKnight was Paul's relief. In September Chaplain Paul was detached. His Letter of Commendation includes the following comments, He continually gave his attention to sick and wounded patients who were flown to Japan at all hours of the day and night, and greatly assisted the medical oHicers by main- taining an exceptionally high degree of morale among the patients. Lieutenant Commander Paul met and assisted all replacement drafts reporting for duty in the forward area. Chapel-Third Division. A view of a chapel used by marines of the 3d Division. This chapel is located at Camp McNair, Japan, where the 12th Marines was located. Mount Fuji is shown in the back- ground. , 'mv' r ., , ff tiki. T R ' relief work. This will be more fully considered in a subsequent chapter. The roster of the command was as follows, Wing Chap ..,. , . PRESBY CUSJ FMAW ....... . . RC MAG-12 ..,..... . . PRESBY QUSAD 1st9OMMAABn. . . . . EVAN St REF MAG-12 ,..... . . RC MAG-33 .... , . CHRISTIAN MAG-33 ..., . . RC . . NAZARENE . . PRESBY QUSAD MAG-16 ..., It is evident from this that the Wing participated actively in the movement of the sick and wounded and of replacements. Chaplain Lampe was awarded a Bronze Star about this same time. His citation emphasizes the work which was done for needy civilians, Continually seeking ways to aid Korean civilians, he in- stigated and supervised the construction and furnishing of a new orphanage building to house 150 destitute Korean children. His ceaseless endeavors permitted the purchase of rice land for hungry Koreans and the delivery of tons of clothing and toys to needy civilians in the combat zone. Dedicated to the humanitarian principles embodied in the precept of his faith, his activities resulted directly in greater health, comfort and welfare for hundreds of helpless Ko- rean families and orphans, and enhanced goodwill for all United Nations forces. Before the change of Wing Chaplains, Chaplain Bennett, FMF Pac chaplain, on his visit in September 1953 noted the high morale of the chaplains, the new chapels under construction, and other aspects of the command. Chaplain Paul of MSWG-17 had been detached without a relief at Itami. Chaplain McKnight was selected to go there. It would appear that, like other areas where troops were stationed in Japan, problems of morality and intermarriage were present at Itami so that a chaplain was essential. Chaplain McKnight was to continue covering MAG-16 Cat Honshin which was about 15 minutes away by helicopterj. Chaplain D. Gould, Southern Baptist, arrived Oc- tober 1953. Upon the detachment of Chaplain Allen Jones, Wing Chaplain, he was awarded the Legion of Merit. Concerning his work one reads, Thoroughly understanding the problems confronting men in a combat zone, Commander Jones capably administered to the spiritual needs of military and civilian personnel of -207-