United States Navy Chaplain Corps - Yearbook

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for in December the Navy found itself ordered to take off 8th Army troops from the west coast, at Chinnampo and Inchon, and X Corps troops from Wonsan and Hungnam on the east. Actually, since a large part of 8th Army was finally able to withdraw overland, the naval redeployment in the west was not a major task, and outloading at Wonsan proceeded methodically and with a minimum of opposition. But it was far otherwise at Hungnam. With three American divisions flst Marine, 3d Army, 7th Armyj, a number of ROK regimental combat teams, and mountains of gear on the beaches, the Navy raised a wall of fire around the port city. As 13 ships poured shells into a perimeter surrounding the area, planes from 7 carriers provided an umbrella overhead. VALLEY FORGE, hastily recalled from the United States, and PRINCETON, newly arrived in early December, joined LEYTE and PHILIPPINE SEA, which had been providing air support for X Corps from the beginning of this operation. Also present were the escort carriers SICILY and BA- DOENG STRAIT, now joined by the BATAAN. In addition to rocket ships and destroyers, naval gunfire was furnished by the MISSOURI and the heavy cruisers ROCHESTER and ST. PAUL. Serving as chaplains in the LEYTE were Clovis A. Frame fMethodistJ and Charles A. Szczesny fRoman Catholicj , both of whom reported on 28 August 1950. In the PRINCETON were Raymond F. McManus CRoman Catholicj, from August 1950 to February 1952, and George J. Enyedi fPresbyterianJ, a Re- serve who returned to active duty in August 1950 and was aboard until September 1951. The light carrier BATAAN had as its only chaplain a Roman Catholic, John Coffey, from July 1950 to July 1952. Chaplain in ST. PAUL, also from July 1950 to July 1952, was Faber H. Wickham, a Presbyterian QUSAJ. End of an Epic Heavy casualties were suffered by the Marines in the withdrawal to Hamhung. Writing to Chaplain Salisbury on 5 December, Chaplain Schwyhart re- ported: I have been spending the majority of time at the clearing center, Yong-po Airport, where they evacuated by air from Hagaru-ri a thousand casualties yesterday and an estimated 1,100 today. Today we begin a heavy schedule of burials at the Division Cemetery. This past week, since a week ago today, has been what Sherman said war was. On 9 December, he wrote again: Yesterday we buried 149 at Koto-ri, today more burials, now total- ing 216, at Hungnam. And on 15 December, in an- other letter to Chaplain Salisbury, Schwyhart stated: At the Division Cemetery at Hungnam, there were 324 graves, mostly Marines, a few Army, 3 British Commandos, and 29 ROKSf' According to oflicial statistics,12 the Marine losses from 27 November to 11 December 1950 were as follows: Killed in action-- -- 432 Died of wounds .... -- 101 Missing in action ..... .... 2 49 Wounded ...... --- ---- 2, 710 Total .-.......... ------------- 3 , 492 In addition there were over 3,600 nonbattle casualties, largely from frostbite. Enemy losses for the same pe- riod were estimated at a total of 37,500-15,000 killed and 7,500 wounded by Marine ground forces, plus 10,000 killed and 5,000 wounded by Marine air strikes. On 13 December a memorial service was conducted at the Division Cemetery at Hungnam in which the following chaplains took part-R. M. Schwyhart CProtestantj, Garson Goodman fJewishJ, and P. A. Killeen fRoman Catholicj. Even as Gen. Oliver P. Smith, the Division Commander, delivered the ad- dress, preparations proceeded for the burial of the last bodies brought down from Chinhung-ni. Chaplain Goodman, attached to Division head- quarters at Hamhung, was the only Jewish chaplain with the 1st Marine Division. On 5 December he conducted two services for Hanukkah. As was to be expected, the number of men of the Jewish faith in the 1st Division was comparatively small, yet at one time Chaplain Goodman found 12 Jewish patients at the 121st Evacuation Hospital and 4 at the Division Hospital, and among markers placed over the mounds in the different military cemeteries were those bear- ing the Star of David. In his letter of 15 December to Chaplain Salisbury, written aboard the BAYFIELD, as it sailed from Hungnam, Chaplain Schwyhart summarized as fol- lows the role played by the chaplains in the Chosin Reservoir campaign: Throughout the operation the chaplains, all of them, gave unsparingly of themselves to render assistance and to min- ister as chaplains wherever and whenever possible. Frankly, it is not possible to point out outstanding performances, be- cause everyone in his own way did just that. Four Chaplains Award, B'nai B'rith Chaplain Schwyhart would be the First Navy re- cipient of the Four Chaplains Award, which was es- 12 Marine Corp: Gazette fNovember 1951 J, Lynn Montross, Breakout From the Reservoir: Marine Epic of Fire and Ice.

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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.

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le Memorial Services, Hungnam. Chaplain Robert M. Schwyhart, Division Chaplain, is shown' participating in the memorial services for marines after their breakout from the Chosin Reservoir. The services are held in the Division Cemetery at Hungnam. Memorial Services, Hungnam. Chaplains Goodman, Killeen, and Schwyhart lead the marines of the 1st Division as they remember fallen buddies at memorial services at the Divisionis Cemetery at Hungnam, following the breakout from Chosin Reservoir. tablished by the Alexander D. Goode Lodge, B'nai B'rith, of New York City. The award honors the memory of the four Army chaplains lost in the sink- ing of the Army troop transport DORCHESTER on 3 February 1943 5 of these one was a Roman Catholic, two were Protestants and the fourth, Alexander D. Goode, Jewish. In February 1951 the Lodge presented a check for S500 to the Chiefs of Chaplains of each of the three branches of the Armed Forces for presentation to that chaplain in each Chaplain Corps who should be se- lectedfas best representing the spirit of brotherhood and cooperation displayed by the four chaplains lost in the DORCHESTER. A committee of Navy chap-