United States Navy Chaplain Corps - Yearbook

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Baptism. A Marine is baptized by Chaplain Solomon K. Johnson dur- ing a lull in the Korean fighting, Abner R. Cook, senior chaplain aboard the VAL- LEY FORGE and a Protestant, was likewise com- mended for meritorious service. His citation reads in part: Devoting himself with energy and tenacity to all phases of the mental health and welfare of the officers and men during the period of prolonged combat operations, he per- formed immeasurable service in maintaining high morale. His broad knowledge of spiritual needs in times of stress contributed greatly to the success of the operation. Chaplains at Work Not all chaplains serving with the Marines in Korea were in the combat zone nor were those at- tached to combat units on the front line all the time. As far as the exigencies of the situation allowed, com- bat battalions were rotated from the front lines to re- serve. The ordinary duties of a Navy chaplain con- tinued meanwhile. Divine Services were conducted, the sacraments administered, the sick and wounded visited, and countless numbers of consultations held. The difficulties attendant upon fighting a war became part of the normal routine. The unusual became the usual. Some of the chaplains reporting as re- placements arrived without having had field training, but for the most part quickly adapted themselves to the difficult conditions. The questionnaire sent out by the Chaplains Di- vision in the spring of 1954 asked for an account of experiences which would illustrate unusual activities or initiative on the part of chaplains. In reply to this, Chaplain James S. Ferris, who is entitled to wear three battle stars for service in Korea, wrote: What- ever initiative I have shown or taken is typical of all chaplains. Chaplain Leslie L. O'Connor com- mented: I cannot claim any unusual activity or initiative out of the ordinary. I was there as a chaplain, pastor, friend, and comrade-without-arms during the guerrilla fighting between Andong and Pohang-Dong and during the first phase of K'Operation Killer. He told of visiting isolated companies of Marines in the guerrilla country with the armed chow truck carrying hot food and noted how appreciative the men were to see a chaplain. Their smiles and con- versation, wrote O'Connor, was like the winsome gratefulness of a tired puppyf, Chaplains belonging to denominations practicing baptism by immersion often made use of clear running streams for that purpose. On one occasion Chaplain Austin baptized six Marines in the Pukhan River, while a congregation of native Koreans and military personnel gathered on the makeshift bridge over the swiftly flowing river. An interesting and potentially dangerous episode in the UN advance concems this same river. Rising in the mountains of North Korea the Pukhan flows into the Hwachon Reservoir and thence southeastward to its confluence with the Han River near Seoul. On 9 April the enemy opened several sluice gates of the Hwachon dam, thus destroying bridges on the lower river and providing a serious obstacle to the UN ad- vance as the waters of the lower Pukhan rose swiftly? A task force dispatched to wrest control of the dam failed, but the opening of the sluices actually affected UN operations less than had been feared and the mission was abandoned. Chaplain George C. Bingaman described an unfor- gettable Communion service which he conducted as follows: The service near Yangu in a rice paddy located near one of our Marine artillery battalions was interrupted by sniper fire directed at the chaplain preaching the communion scr- mon. It was the only time in my ministry where the con- gregation told the chaplain what the next act of the service was to be. I hit the deck like every other worshipping Marine, especially after they shouted to me to do so. The coincidence was most unusual. I had been develop- ing the point in my sermon on faith that this attitude was an everyday feeling of confidence in God. At this point came the sniper interlude. This served excellently to illus- 9 Miller et al., op. cit., pp. 25f. ..51..

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we if T, ' af Special Music. A quintet of marines add to the worship service which is conducted by Chaplain Henry E. Austin out of doors. values of life may stand out in clearer perspective. Some men, indifferent to other evangelical appeal, respond under circumstances when even the bravest are not ashamed to admit they are afraid. In any case men are likely to be more responsive to the min- istry of a man of God who is sharing their own ex- periences. Whatever may be the Hnal truth concern- ing ucombat conversion, there can be little doubt that the combat chaplain is in a position to influence many who would hardly otherwise come within reach of a religious ministry. Chaplain Austin was awarded the Bronze Star for meritorious achievement in connection with opera- tions against the enemy while serving with a Marine infantry battalion in Korea from 19 March 1951 to 4 April 1951. The citation continues in part: Sewing as battalion chaplain, Lieutenant Austin con- sistently displayed outstanding courage and devotion to duty in ministering to the spiritual needs of the officers and men of the battalion. Frequently exposing himself without re- gard for his personal safety to intense enemy mortar, artil- lery, automatic weapons and small arms fire, he moved fear- lessly with forward elements of the battalion in order to better perform his duties. The two chaplains serving aboard the VALLEY FORGE received the Letter of Commendation for combat service in Korean waters for the period 25 June 1950 to 22 March 1951. Paul Knapp, the Roman Catholic chaplain, received a citation which states in part: By his determination to make divine services and instruc- tions available at all times of the day or night to the Catholic personnel, he rendered invaluable support to the high morale of that ship. The crew of his ship and its air group were inspired to accomplish greater achievements by his untiring devotion to the objectives of uplifting men's spirits and moraleg thus, he contributed immeasurably to the successful conclusion of the ship's mission. ..6Q,

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trate the second point which I was to make-that faith is also common sense. One should not ask God to do what you can do for yourself. In this case it was divine expedi- ency to duckll rather than to depend completely upon God to influence the sniper to miss his aim in your direction. This unusual incident has always been a lesson to me illus- trating the fact that God expects us to do as much as we can for ourselves, including the protection and safeguarding of men, women, and children from aggression and attack. Chaplain Garson Goodman was the Jewish chap- lain with the 1st Marine Division from 6 July 1950 to 22 May 1951. While his peculiar responsibility was a ministry to men of the Jewish faith in the Division, he found many opportunities to serve men of other faiths and to assist in the work for civilian refugees and orphans. Commenting on his work, Chaplain Goodman wrote: Not only did I carry out my duties as the only Jewish Chaplain for the entire Division, but I also served men of all faiths in my battalion. On one occasion while assigned to the medical battalion, I went without sleep for a 48-hour period serving the wounded and assisting the corpsmen as necessary. While attached to the Ordnance Battalion, I saw to it that a chapel was built for the specific purpose of worship. I set up a smoothly running library, and for the first time all the men were well supplied with writing paper, pens, and all toilet articles which I had procured from stateside organizations and other sources. In addition to being the chaplain, I was the special services officer and li- brarian. The greatest satisfaction derived was that the men found a true friend in their chaplain under all circumstances. Easter 1951 Nor were other Navy chaplains any less busy. Easter Day was on 25 March in 1951, and was every- where celebrated with appropriate religious observ- ances. Chaplain E. R. Barnes reported a Sunrise Service on the fiight deck of the PHILIPPINE SEA for not only his ship's personnel but all forces afloat in Yokosuka harbor. Chaplain Arthur Wartes, on board the repair ship JASON since October 1950, also reported a sunrise service on the top deck. Doubtless there were many others. The following account by Chaplain Charles H. Swift, Jr., was sent in as part of his questionnaire reply. On Easter Day, 1951, services were conducted at Naval Air Facility, Oppama, outdoors, as the chapel space was too small. An LST which had been converted to an ARVE faircraft repair ship fenginelJ, the USS AVENTINUS, was moored bow first at the seaplane ramp. With the bow doors open and the ramp down, this formed a setting for the altar. The ship's company had made a large white cross which hung in the opening against a background of blue curtains. Greene-ry and flowers decorated the opening and formed a frame around it. The altar and pulpit were set up on the ramp. This beautiful setting, with the sun coming up in the East, recalled to mind that beautiful song, Let Us Break Bread Together on Our Knees' Oppama is fairly close to the great port city of Yoko- suka. The Naval Air Facility was mainly concerned with the maintenance and repair of carriers and air- craft. Chaplain James D. Hester, aboard the THOMAS JEFFERSON, a transport operating under MSTS, Pacific, out of San Francisco, from January to July 1951, wrote in his questionnaire of Easter celebrations as the ship carried personnel replacements toward the Far East. The chaplain had made provision before leaving stateside to provide as fully as possible for all the familiar decorations. These were used in both the Protestant and Catholic serv- ices. This particular group of replacements was landed at Pusan, airlifted to the perimeter of the forward battle line, and three days after leaving the ship committed to battle. On the next trip out it was learned that this group had suf- fered heavy casualties-about thirty per cent. It was com- forting to the chaplain to remember that only 10 days previ- ously they had knelt on the deck at the Communion Table and received the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper. In the lst Marine Division, as far as operations al- lowed, special services were planned for Holy Week and Easter. During Holy Week weather had been pleasant but it rained all day on Easter. Travel was difficult as the chaplains rode the circuitil of their several separated units. Chaplain G. Bingaman, stationed with the Amphibious Tractor Battalion, held a service which he later described in the following fashion. Easter-1951. Chaplain R. E. Jenkins holds an Easter sunrise service for the 5th Marines.