United States Navy Chaplain Corps - Yearbook

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.,,,-,.,...-ndl i l Church Bell Restored. Something of the damage to the church is indicated in this photograph. Military and civilian committees began work to rebuild the church founded by Canadian missionaries but soon North Korea was taken by Chinese troops. haplain John H. Craven returns the church bell used by the Communists at police headquarters to its rightful own- ers, Christians at Hagaru-ri beside Chosin Reservoir. at the first religious service after 3 years of persecution. The re- cipient is Korean Pastor Lee In Soup. Expressing Gratitude. he Reverend and Mrs. Lee En Suep of the Central Presbyterian Church, Hagaru-ri, thanking Lieutenant Colonel Murray for the liberation Hof our country and our churchf, Participating in the thanksgiving service and pictured with the group is Chaplain Ingvoldstad. 137-

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From Chinhung-ni, which lies at an elevation of 1,000 feet, the narrow, tortuous road climbs steeply for the next 10 miles over a 4,000-foot pass to Koto-ri, situated on a high plateau just over the hump. After the decisive defeat of the Chinese Communists at Sudong, the Marines met little resistance on their march northward through Koto-ri to Hagaru-ri, an- other ll miles distant. Hagaru-ri, 56 miles from Hamhung, was located at the foot of the Chosin Reservoir. The Marines reached this point on 15 November.5 Maj. Gen. O. P. Smith, in command of the 1st Division, felt considerable misgivings about his posi- tion and about alternate operational plans being con- sidered by General MacArthur. He wrote to Cen. Clifton B. Cates, Commandant, as follows: I believe a winter campaign in the mountains of North Korea is too much to ask of the American soldier or marine, and I doubt the feasibility of supplying troops in this area during the winter or providing for the evacuation of sick and wounded. And in conclusion he expressed concern over 'fthe prospect of stringing out a Marine division along a single mountain road for 120 air miles from Hamhung to the border. Small streams were noticed to be frozen over. Rice paddies had been glazed since October. And on 15 November when the 7th Marines occupied Hagaru, the temperature was 40 below zero. Already the Ma- rines, though equipped with winter clothing and sleep- ing bags, were reporting cases of frostbite. An ominous calm had ensued following the battle with Chinese Communists at Sudong. Taking a dim view of the possibility of a successful race against time, weather, and unknown enemy, the Marines neverthe- less made preparations to fulfill their mission. Reports were received from local Koreans of the presence of many Chinese troops in the vicinity, yet temporarily the enemy refrained from offering further resistance. 995 Thanksgiving Day, 1950 In the lull before the storm, the chaplains attached to the lst Division were able to carry on most of their usual duties in spite of many difficulties. Writing to the Chief of Chaplains on 1 December 1950, Chap- lain R. M. Schwyhart, the Division Chaplain, sum- marized: During the month of November 1950 the Division took positions covering an area all the way from Wonsan to Hagaru-ri. In spite of this, communication with the chap- 5 Montross and Canzona, op. cit.,vol. III, ch. VII. 6 Ibid., pp. 132-134. lains has been relatively good, furthermore I have person ally seen all but three of them during the month. All o the chaplains are doing a most commendable job. Perform ing their tasks as chaplains amidst the barriers of the distance and shortage of transportation, subfreezing temperatures mountains and snow has not been easily done 5 nevertheless I have not heard or seen evidences of any complaints, onlj that this conflict cannot be brought to an end. Chaplain Kenneth D. Perkins, Force Chaplain FMF Pac, arrived at Hamhung for an oflicial visit or 18 November. Of this Schwyhart wrote in his lettei to Chaplain Salisbury: The next day, Sunday, he favored us by delivering thf sermon at the Division Headquarters Protestant Divine Serv ice. Later that day we attended, by invitation, a large meet ing of local representatives of all Presbyterian churches in Hamhung. The following day we drove by jeep to I-Iagaru ri to see the chaplains in the 7th Regiment. We spent Tues day morning visiting at the Division Cemetery at Hungnan at which time there were 93 Marine burials. He departei by plane for return to Pearl Harbor at noon, 21 Novem ber 1950. During the few days of comparative calm spent a Hagaru-ri, the chaplains gave great encouragement tc the native Christians who had suffered much at th+ hands of the Communists. Chaplain Sporrer reporter on his questionnaire: Two little churches, one of them at the Reservoir, were r opened for the first time since the Red forces closed therj The congregations had secreted the altar furnishings in thei respective homes, and candlesticks, pictures, and crucihxd appeared as by magic from all over the villages. One of the congregations, as a collection, placed thre eggs on a plate in the rear of the church for me to tak as I left. The native Christians looked upon the Marines their heaven-sent deliverers from the Communist. Several of the Navy chaplains who penetrated int+ North Korea with the Marines had thrilling exper' ences with the Christians. Chaplain Craven reporte one such incident in his questionnaire. At Hagaru-ri we met an old Presbyterian minister ani his saintly wife. They had been hiding in the caves ani rocks for several months before our arrival. The churcf had been destroyed but their parsonage was still standin with a small cross on the highest peak. We obtained pe mission to use the bombed out theater building for the first church service in several months. I returned the church bell which the Communists had used for an alar bell in the police headquarters. The tears of joy flower freely down the old Presbyterian pastor's face. He insistei that I preach to his people through an interpreter. Ne day I met in the pastor's home with 35 baptized believell for Bible study. Chaplain Schwyhart in his letter to Chaplain Salis bury of 1 December wrote concerning some of th -36-

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events of the preceding Thanksgiving Day: Chaplain Ingvoldstad, Regimental Chaplain, 5th Marines, joined in a service with the local Presbyterian pastor at Hagaru-ri who gave thanks for the liberation of his Korean people from the hands of the Communists who had so long prevented their worship. Unfor- tunately for the Korean Christians, the later with- drawal of the forces of the United Nations left them at the mercy of the Communists who were ruthless in wreaking vengeance. This accounted in part for the waves of refugees who surged southward by every possible means to get to safety behind the anti-Com- munist lines. Thanksgiving Day, 1950, was celebrated by the Ma- rines of the lst Division with special attention being given to the religious significance of the day. Chap- lain Schwyhart sent out a memorandum to all chap- lains of the Division suggesting that each hold as many services as possible. This was done. Chaplain How- ard H. Groover, lst Service Battalion, held two out-of- door services that day, Chaplain Patrick A. Killeen, lst Signal Battalion, conducted two Catholic Masses, both largely attended, and by arrangements with the mess officer, each chaplain said a blessing at the chow- linef' On 25 November the Marines continued their north- ward march toward the Yalu River by taking the road which led from Hagaru-ri in a northwesterly direction over the 4,700-foot Toktong Pass to Yudam-ni 14 miles away. Here was another twisting, narrow road that had to be traversed. Some 15,000 Marines were now at the Reservoir ready to join a part of the Army which was advancing north by a more westerly route. But the union of the Marines with the Army never occurred. Crisis at Yudam-ni Yudam-ni marked the most northern advance of the Marines in Koreaf On the night of 27-28 November bugle-blowing, screaming Communists began to attack at Yudam-ni and it was soon apparent that they were present in overwhelming numbers. Shortly after- wards enemy forces, deployed along the thin supply line which connected the advance body of Marines with its base at Hamhung, began to cut the motor sup- ply route in several places. The temperature was dip- ping to subzero readings during the nights. Little wonder that many were nearing the edge of nervous exhaustion: not far enough gone in battle fatigue to 'Ibid., chs. VIII-XI. For a brief sketch of activities of other UN forces during this critical period, see Korea, 1950 fDepartment of the Armyj , ch. V, pp. 227-229. warrant hospitalization, but giving clear signs of bone- weariness: wan face, trembling hands. Shook, they would say of such a one, Hhe is shook. Dietary de- ficiencies were beginning to appear because of the lack of hot food, and many of the Marines were suffering from diarrhea. Weapons often froze to such a degree they were rendered unserviceable. Chaplain Craven later described some of the diffi- culties faced regarding the care of the wounded: Taking care of the wounded during this period also pre- sented problems to stagger the imagination. During the First 2 days of heavy fighting at Yudam-ni, we suffered sc many casualties that we ran out of tents in which to place them. I had a working party gather hay from the scattered stacks and spread it out on the courtyard of a native house We placed the wounded foot to foot on the straw and covered them with a large tarpaulin .... This arrangement helped to conserve on our tentage and also facilitated our ministry to the wounded. During these days, under ever-increasing pressure from the enemy, the doctors and the chaplains had little or no time for sleep? Chaplain Craven, for in- stance, who was working with the regimental surgeon stated that he went without sleep for 3 days. Once he was sent to an empty tent to rest and had hardly stretched out when another consignment of woundec arrived who were put in the same tent. Of course there was no opportunity then for sleep when the wounded needed help so desperately. On 30 November the order was given to the Marinee at Yudam-ni to withdraw. By that time there were 600 wounded men, many of whom were ambulance cases. Transportation was a problem. The more serious cases were given priority in all available am bulances and trucks. The need for fighting men wa so urgent that the walking wounded were given guns just before leaving Yudam-ni, Chaplain Craver conducted a brief funeral service for about 80 Marine who had lost their lives in the fighting at that place In his reply to the questionnaire Craven commented f'The problems involved in attempting to bury bodie during the Chosin Reservoir campaign when thi frozen ground was covered with ice and snow anc the temperature about 20 below zero are beyonc words to describe. The following seven chaplains were with th' Marines at Yudam-ni: 5th Marines-O. Ingvoldstad B. L. Hickey, and L. R. Phillips, 7th Marines-J. Craven and C. J. Griffin, and llth Marines-O. Sporrer and B. C. Howland. sMarine Corps Gazette QDecember 1952j. See Lynl Montross, They Make Men Whole Again: The Medica Battalion and Chaplains in Korea. 1 -3g- l