United States Navy Chaplain Corps - Yearbook

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nant returned with Regimental Aid, Hickey with 3X5 Marines Aid, and Sporrer with lfll Marines. 20 August. Protestant and Catholic services were conducted for Brigade and also Engineers. The Army hospital and cemetery were again visited. In the evening the Brigade began to entrain for return move to Chang-won-Masan area, arriving the next morning. E COMMENTS REGARDING PERIOD 14-20 AUGUST 1. With two Protestant and two Catholic chaplains and only one battalion at a time in the attack it was possible to have both a Protestant and Catholic chap- lain in the forward aid station at all times and also to cover the Regimental Collecting and Clearing Sta- tion with a chaplain. 2. Chaplains can and should judiciously exchange places so that a continued chaplain's ministry is avail- able and the physical demands are evenly distributed. 3. Under fire and being close to the front lines chaplains may be tempted to go forward of the aid station to do the job of a front line corpsman. A chap- lain should refrain from this because while he is assisting 1 or 2 and exposing himself to enemy fire, 8 or 10 may have been brought into the aid station from other sectors and his services may be permanently lost as a chaplain. 4. Funeral and Memorial Services were again not conducted by Navy chaplains as we departed the area prior to burial of all of our men and the cemetery was in no condition for the holding of a large service. -JE -X 'X' 'X' -li From 21 August to 31 August the Brigade was in Army reserve status bivouac area. During this time it was possible to hold daily Mass, and Protestant services were often conducted. Arrangements were made for funeral and Memorial Services at the 25th Division, U.S. Army Cemetery, Masan, Korea, for all of our men buried there as a result of our first action 7-12 August. This was attended by the Brigade Gen- eral and Staff and 500 men and all chaplains partici- pated. Pictures of this service are on file in Commandant of Marine Corps fCode AOD Washington 25, D.C. It was the general's desire that an individual picture of each grave with the appropriate chaplain standing by in benediction be taken so that families could secure copies if they so desired. Such pictures were taken during this period at Masan and also at Miryang Cemetery for deaths resulting from 17-19 August action. Protestant and Catholic services were conducted for the first time at the Brigade air component located at Chinhae. Sunday, 27 August, the greatest number of services in one day feightj were conducted: Protestant and Catholic services at bivouac area for all of Brigade there, at Masan for Medical Detachment and Service Battalion, at Chindong-ni for 11th Marines who were on detatched duty in support of Army, and at Chinhae for the air components. COMMENTS REGARDING PERIOD 21-31 AUGUST 1. While the physical strain of combat, travel, and diarrhea causes a chaplain to want mainly to rest and write personal letters in bivouac, he should move about among his troops. This can be done, with chaplains attached to a regiment, by eating each meal with a different battalion. It also helps the troops to understand that the chaplain does not belong to only one particular battalion or only to Regimental H Sz S. A chaplain attached to a regiment should be able to feel at home in any battalion and should use time in bivouac area to help the troops understand this fact. 2. Facts concerning next of kin, ofiicial dates, and burial records can and should be compiled during this bivouac time, even though letters cannot now be written. The morning of 1 September 1950 a warning order to return to Miryang for assistance in another Naktong breakthrough was received. In the afternoon the move began and was completed early the next morn- ing. The afternoon of 2 September Brigade moved forward close to Yongsan. Sunday, 3 September 1950, 2X5 Marines went into attack, followed by 1X5 Marines. This day chaplains were placed thus: 215 aid stations, Chaplains Hickey and Ingvoldstad. Regimental Aid, Chaplain Tennant. lfll and 2f5, Chaplain Sporrer. Monday, 4 September, 3f 5 Marines passed through into the attack and Chaplains Hickey and Ingvoldstad moved to 3 f 5 aid station. That night Chaplain Ingvoldstad moved to 1X5 aid station as they went into attack in the morning along with 3f5. Tuesday, 5 September, Chaplains were placed: 1111 and visiting aid stations, Chaplain Sporrer. 3X 5 aid station, Chaplain Hickey. 1X5 aid station, Chaplain Ingvoldstad. -24-5-

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COMMENTS CONCERNING PERIOD 7-13 AUGUS'1' 1. While chaplains in the field are, and should be, given great freedom of movement in order to render services where most needed, they must, at all times, keep their immediate command informed with up-to- the-hour information as to their whereabouts. Prac- tical knowledge of various types and means of communication should be had and utilized. 2. Protestant chaplains should be more alert to conduct worship services whenever opportunity affords, without waiting for Sunday. 3. It is valuable to have a chaplain at each battalion aid station, the collecting and clearing station, and the hospital. This would have taken six chaplains in this operation. Where a choice must be made, it is preferable to have a chaplain with the forward aid stations, not only for the wounded but the morale of the troops who are entering the engagement and see the chaplain up close with them. 4. Chaplains must give an air of calmness and assurance, give of their faith and courage, give their church's ministry and beware of asking operational questions, repeating ill-founded rumors, and becoming 'farnateur strategists. A chaplain in combat must give, give, give of the best he has! 5. Where chaplains must cover much mileage to reach separated units, a jeep of his own is invaluable. However, alertness and initiative can get him around much also, although not with much, or any, church gear. 6. Chaplains should know the location and activity of units other than their own and think of chances for services of worship for them. Use of operational maps and communications makes this feasible. 7. Chaplains should be cognizant of the duties of the Graves Registration Office and alert to check on the accuracy of their records. Chaplains should main- tain their own record of burials for future reference in letters to next of kin. They should ascertain the ojicial dates of death so that no discrepancies occur between their letters and the official death notice. 8. Chaplains should have a note book for jotting down names and services rendered, especially to seri- ously wounded or dead, in aid stations. Slips of paper with checkoff list of services rendered and placed in patients' pockets are not practical. 9. Chaplains should remember that, in a way, they are personal representatives of the next of kin and act accordingly. 10. Navy chaplains are not able to conduct funeral services for all of their own men because Army chap- lains cover Army cemeteries and also operationaf demands delay their return to the cemetery. However they can secure the records of which chaplain and when the funeral services were conducted for their own men. . . ' . On 14 August the Brigade was ordered to proceed as quickly as possible to Miryang for assistance in the Naktong breakthrough. They arrived at Miryang 15 August. ' 1 Chaplain Ingvoldstad, having been assigned a jeel: and trailer, traveled independently via Pusan wherd additional Catholic and Protestant religious supplies were obtained from our reserve and the Army. Two Protestant and Catholic services were held on 16 August and at 2000 the troops began to move forward. 17 August. 2X5 Marines went into attack at 0800. In the afternoon 1X5 Marines continued the attack. During this day over 300 casualties were handled in the forward aid station. Chaplains Ingvoldstad and either Sporrer or Hickey were in the forward aid sta- tion all day, with Chaplain Tennant at the Regimental Collecting and Clearing Station. That night Chap- lains Tennant and Hickey were in the forward aid station, Chaplain Ingvoldstad at Regimental Col- lecting and Clearing, and Chaplain Sporrer with 1f11 Marines. 18 August. 1X5 Marines continued the attack and later in the morning 3X5 Marines went into attack, taking the third and final objective with light casual- ties. 2f5 Marines in late afternoon moved forward through 1X5 Marines and secured objective two. Dur- ing this day and and night chaplains were placed as follows: Chaplain Ingvoldstadh1f5 aid station, 3X5 aid station, 1f11 Marines for church 2X5 aid station for night. Chaplain Sporrer-1f11 Marines and visited all aid stations. Chaplain Tennant-Regimental Collecting and Clearing Station. Chaplain Hickey-visited all aid stations, mostly with 3X5 aid station. 19 August. The Brigade was relieved by the Army and returned to Miryang. Chaplain Ingvoldstad vis- ited the Army cemetery at Miryang and obtained records, also visited the Army hospital and Naval Operating Unit and patients there. Chaplain Ten- M244-

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Regimental Collecting and Clearing, Chaplain Tennant. Having again reached its objective, the Brigade that night was relieved by the Army and returned to Pusan on 6 September. Q Chaplains returned with their units as follows: lfl 1, Chaplain Sporrer. 3f5, Chaplain Hickey. Reg'tf5, Chaplain Tennant. Chaplain Ingvoldstad returned independently via the cemetery and the hospital at Miryang where burial data was obtained and patients visited. X COMMENTS REGARDING PERIOD 1-6 SEPTEMBER 1. Chaplains again must be warned against going ahead of forward aid stations and also using slack time for exploring and investigating in GI fashion. While all chaplains were under some sort of fire, there is no reasonable excuse for being under Fire when away from place of duty. Though a man may be curious to see what is going on and infected with souvenir collecting, a chaplain should hold himself in check because of his value as priest or pastor. 2. Again because of rapid movement we were unable to conduct funeral services at 24-th Division, U.S. Army Cemetery, Miryang, Korea. 3. Chaplains, as troops, should keep personal gear at a minimum and in a state of readiness and neatness so that they are not caught unprepared for rapid moves. The period 6-12 September Brigade was in Pusan in warehouses on the docks. For this period chap- lains were placed: lfl 1, Chaplain Sporrer. Regiment and 1f5, Chaplain Tennant. 3X 5, Chaplain Hickey. ' - 246 Brigade and 2 X 5, Chaplain Ingvoldstad. This period was used in preparing and mailing letters to next of kin, conducting services for all units, and preparing for going aboard ships for next operation. COMMENTS REGARDING THE PERIOD 6-12 SEPTEMBER 1. Extreme care must be taken in writing letters to next of kin to assure correct official date of death and burial location. 2. With extra effort monthly reports can be accomplished. 3. Use of initiative on chaplains' part in conducting services in smaller ships and other units should be encouraged and used. 4. Chaplains should do the superhuman and refrain from non-constructive recounting of front line and aid station experiences. Much talk on part of chaplain, even though true, has an adverse effect on listeners as regards the chaplain. The chaplains connected with lst Provisional Marine Brigade conducted themselves well, gave brave and valuable ministry under fire and in bivouac, and also learned much concerning service with the Marines in attack. One chief regret was the impossibility of conducting funeral services after the last two engagements, even though graveside services were conducted by Army chaplains. O. INGVOLDSTAD, Jr. Enclosures: QAJ Type of chaplain ministration card to be placed in patient's pocket, which proved impractical. QBQ Type of letter written to next of kin by Protes- tant chaplains. QCD Type of letter written to next of kin by Catho- lic chaplains.