United States Navy Chaplain Corps - Yearbook

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Greater Love Hath No Man The march south from Hagaru-ri to Koto-ri began on 6 December, only 2 days after the final elements of the Yudam-ni forces arrived at Hagaru. At 2230 of that day Chaplain Cornelius GriFHn was seriously wounded when the ambulance in which he was riding came under severe machine gun Hre. While en route to Koto-ri, Chaplain Griffin was giving the last rites of his church to a dying young Marine. With the chap- lain was his assistant, Sgt. Matthew Caruso. On a narrow mountainous road leading into Koto-ri, the convoy ran into a roadblock. Although the ambu- lance was clearly marked with the Red Cross, such a symbol of mercy was not respected by the Communists. A machine gun bullet tore through the chaplain's lower jaw, causing a deep wound. Another bullet hit him in the right shoulder. Sergeant Caruso Hung himself over his chaplain just in time to catch another bullet which took his life. In an interview published in the Monitor of 5 January 1951, Griffin said: My clerk was killed as he lay alongside me. He was a 20- year-old grenadier and rifleman assigned to cover me, one of the finest kids I ever knew, Sgt. Matthew Caruso of Rocky Hill, Conn. He never left me, saved me I don't know how many times and even covered me with his body. He died 20 minutes after I had given him Communion. Chaplain Griffin was knocked unconscious by the terrific blow on the jaw. Word was quickly passed to Chaplain Craven, who was then about a mile away, that Chaplain Griflin had been wounded. When Grifiin regained consciousness, he was aware that some one was bending over him trying to get him to say the Act of Contrition: HO my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended thee . . . and I detest all my sins . . .H As the wounded chaplain began to repeat the words of the Roman Catholic prayer, he realized that the one bending over him was none other than his friend, John Craven, a Baptist. The story of this incident was recorded in the spring of 1951 and widely broadcast during Brotherhood Week to illus- trate the meaning of brotherhood. Several months later at a ceremony at Pearl Harbor when Chaplain Griflin was awarded the Silver Star for conspicuous gallantry while in action against the enemy on 3 November, Gen. Lemuel C. Shepherd said to Grifiin as he pinned on the medal: They don't give a damn whom they shoot, do they, Chaplain? Chaplain Griffin was evacuated from Koto-ri to Japan by air on 8 December. His wound in the jaw required many operations and much plastic surgery during about a year and a half spent in Navy hos- pitals. Chaplain Grifiin was the most seriously wounded of all Navy chaplain casualties of Korea. A chapel at Camp Pendleton has been named in honor of Sergeant Caruso. Among those who rendered notable service in the withdrawal from Hagaru-ri to Koto-ri were Chaplains Robert L. Patton and William D. Lyons. Both re- ceived the Letter of Commendation award for their tireless devotion to the men of their units, frequently exposing themselves to enemy fire in their efforts tc minister to the wounded. In the midst of such constant danger, where death might come fiying with the speed of a bullet and where no one knew what a few minutes might bring forth, many Leathernecks found strength and consolation in religion. Navy chaplains were there to lead them in the worship of Almighty God. Chaplain B. C. How- land in his questionnaire commented on an experience which took place at Koto-ri. The most impressive service of Holy Communion in my experience as a minister occurred at Koto-ri on the way down from the Reservoir. Chaplain Preston D. Parsons, assigned to the 2d Battalion, and I conducted the service with the snow lightly falling on the heads of the men knelt in prayer. Over 100 gathered there not knowing whether we would ever get back to Hamhung but thankful that sc far the Division had been able to make it down the roads. The faces of those men, as I placed the wafer on their tongues, showed that they were putting their trust in the Master of all men as they united in professing their loyalty to Him. ...to theSea South of Koto-ri, the withdrawing column of Ma- rines ran into a new difficulty when they discovered that the enemy had destroyed a 29-foot section of at bridge on the road leading down from the 4,000-foot summit. The road at that point was on a shelf of si cliff which could not be bypassed. On 7 December a successful air-drop of the necessary 2,500 pound Treadway bridge section was made, the necessary re- pairs were completed on 9 December within 3 hours after the materials were made available at the site, and the march continued. By the morning of 10 December the advance units of the 7th Marines were moving out of Chinhung-ni and on the afternoon of that day they finally reached Hamhung, where hot food and warm shelters were awaiting them. The last elements of the Divisior reached Hamhung at 1300 the next day and the long ordeal which began at Yudam-ni on 30 November was over. The Marines succeeded in bringing back to the protecting lines around Hamhung all theii wounded, many of their dead, much of their equip- -42-

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ment, and even some prisoners. Such items as were of necessity left behind had been destroyed. Shafer of Tripoliv Not only were hot food and warm shelters awaiting the battle-weary Marines at Hamhung but also mail from home. Before leaving the Mediterranean area on 15 August, Chaplain Craven had sent a roll of Kodachrome film to the processing laboratory for de- velopment. The package of finished slides was a part of the mail that the chaplain received at Hamhung on 10 December. Among the slides was one which showed the chaplain in a bathing suit on the French Riviera. Chaplain Craven held the film up to the light-the contrast was striking! Four months earlier he was in the pink of condition. He looked in the mirror and saw a gaunt, drawn face. The scales told him he had lost some 30 pounds and the ribs showing through his sides bore eloquent testimony that the scales were not lying. Chaplain Craven held the pic- ture up to the light again and asked himself the ques- tion: Can it be that I and this person in the picture are one and the same? His experience was that of all the survivors of that 6th Fleet battalion. Within 3 months these men had been taken from the balmy shores of the blue Mediterranean and hurled into bat- tle in the freezing temperatures of North Korea. And after another month they had become veterans of one of the toughest campaigns in the annals of the Marine Corps history. Chaplain Craven was awarded the Legion of Merit for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the perform- ance of outstanding services from 28 November to 10 December 1950. The citation reads, in part, as follows: On one occasion, he participated in an evacuation opera- tion in which more than 600 wounded Marines were loaded into trucks and transferred to rear aid stations. By his com- plete devotion to his fellow man in the face of extremely adverse combat conditions, Lieutenant Commander Craven served to inspire and encourage all who observed him. His fortitude, professional integrity and courageous conduct throughout were in keeping with highest traditions of the United States Naval Service. But the stereotyped language of an official citation can hardly convey the living reality of the dedicated ministry of a chaplain. More meaningful is the fol- lowing letter of Capt. Don France who, before he was killed during the Chinese offensive on the night of 5 December 1950, wrote about Chaplain Craven to his home churchfo Marine Corps Gazette CDecember 19531, p. 18. D. D. Nicholson, Jr., Their Faith Is Yours. 10 CATHEDRAL OF SAINT PHILLIP, Atlanta, Ga. DEAR DEAN WALTHOUR: This is the interim period when all of us are trying to catch up with our letter writing .... I landed at Inchon on D-day, was among the lst Marines to cross the Han River, fought to capture Seoul, and it was my regiment that made the drive to Uijongbu .... In all those days one man stood out in my mind as the real leader, spirit and principle for which we are fighting. He is a mild- mannered Navy chaplain who answers to the name of John Craven. I met Chaplain Craven back at Camp Lejeune. Everyone liked him and I remember saying to myself at the time, 'fWhen things get rough, it is going to be comforting to have him around. Since landing in Korea, I know that Chaplain Craven has spent more time in the frontlines than any other man in the regiment. Often on patrols I encountered him talking to the men-the dying, and instilling confidence in all those he met. By his very presence everything seemed better and easier and the men accomplished deeds that will live for- ever. To all of us, he has been a shining example of a chap- lain, a father, and a man. Chaplain Craven has the distinction of having served with the Marines through seven campaigns-four in World War II fthe Marshalls, Saipan, Tinian and Iwo Jimaj and three in the Korean War. It is be- lieved that this has established a record in the history of the Chaplain Corps. Chaplain Ingvoldstad was also awarded the Legion of Merit for 'fexceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding servicesi' from 28 Novem- ber to 10 December 1950. The citation reads, in part, as follows: Untiring in his efforts to be of service to the men in his regiment, Lieutenant-Commander Ingvoldstad frequently ex- posed himself to accurate enemy small-arms and machine- gun fire in the field to comfort and cheer the troops, ad- minister first aid to the wounded, and assist in evacuating casualties. He directly contributed in saving the lives of many wounded. His constant contributions in feeding wounded, shifting wounded to motor vehicle hoods to keep the badly hit from freezing to death, patrolling the column to assist corpsmen in administering first aid all contributed immeasurably in saving some 1200 wounded. His fortitude, professional integrity and courageous conduct throughout were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service. Wall ofFi1'e Worried by the situation in North Korea, senior naval officers had already in early November begun planning for the eventuality of a United Nations with- clrawalfl A number of ships, including the BOXER, en route to stateside, were recalled, and all available shipping began to be collected. And fortunately so: 11 Cagle and Manson, op. cit., pp. 179-192.