US Army Training Center - Yearbook (Fort Eustis, VA)

Page 103 text:

mms Fort Eustis- O-D -Fort Eustis ' , .3 si K CAl::ovej A Biggs, Johnson, Esaias, Watkins, Crawford, Markley, Irwin, Cleary Cin Charge of Chaplains' Trainingj, Foulke. QCenter, leftl CCenter, rightl Mr. Finestone, Conductor of Jewish Services - Leaders of the jewish Services , CBelowD Perkins, Hogue, Edge, McHugh, Watkins, Unruh, Cleary, Snyder, lVIartin. Page One Hundrzd Two , VV V 'YY YVYYYV

Page 102 text:

XR r F sf RELIGIOUS ACTIVITIES CHAPLAIN TVILLIAM D. CLEARY Fort Eustis-HO-D -Fort Eustis The Chaplains, work for the CNITC commenced long before the camp opened. The program of all religious services to be held during the entire period of the camp was drawn up, approved and printed in folder form and handed to each candidate during the processing. Arrangements were made and dates set for three special outdoor services-one for Protest- ants, one for Catholics and one for men of Jewish faith. Prominent speakers for these special outdoor services were invited and responded. Dr. R. Cary Montague of Richmond spoke at the Protestant service, the Rev. E. S. Brosnan of Norfolk at the Solemn High Nlilitary Field Nlass and Nlessrs. Pinestone and Lipman at the Jewish service. Chaplain John T. Axton, Chief of Chaplains of the U. S. Army, visited the camp on Sunday, August 1, 1926, and addressed the Protestant congregation. Two large stands, one for the members of the choir and the other to serve as altar and speakers'platform,Were constructed for the outdoor services and placed in a suitable location of the civic center grove. A form letter was drafted, approved and printed to be mailed to the next of kin of every candidate who came to camp. This letter contained a statement of how the boy liked camp and explained the wonderful advantages he had at his disposal While here. It also extended an invitation to the next of kin to visit the camp on c'Mother's Dayw, July 30. As the orders were received, envelopes were addressed and approximately fourteen hundred of these letters were mailed by July 15. This letter was in addition to the postal which every candidate was required to write home on the day of his arrival. The Chaplains requested and were cheerfully granted a place in the general processing program. They decided to classify every candidate under the headings, Protestant, Catholic and Jewish. Accordingly two thousand cards were printed having a blank space for the name, company and religious affiliation of each candidate, and at any time during the processing they could tell how many Protestants, Catholics and Jews had so far reported. On July 8, the day camp opened, four chaplains were on duty all the time at the Processing,' station. When not busily engaged in actually processing the candidates SOLEMN I'TIGH FIELD MASS ' ' Pagr One Hundred One , n . .v. . . v vmv. .v.v.vnq. .v-v. ' . .Usa-vw. .v.v.v.v.vJ.v.v.v.v.v.v.v.vmv.v.v.n

Page 104 text:

Fort Eustis- O-D -Fort Eustis f JE they met them at the main gate and directed them to the refreshment tent where the Hostess, the ladies of the Post and members of the Girl Scouts were serving coffee, lemonade and sandwiches. ' A church parade was held every Sunday morning and was led by the CMT Camp Commander and his staff. In order to obviate the necessity of more than one parade all religious services were held at the same hour. The Protestant services were held in the Liberty Theater, the Catholic services in the Post Chapel and the Jewish services in the Catholic Sunday School Building. In addition services were held every Sunday and Wednesday evening for the Protestants, Confessions for the Catholics were heard Saturday evening and Sunday morning and an early Sunday Mass was said for those desiring to receive Holy Communion. In addition to the two Regular Army Chaplains fourteen Reserve Corps Chaplains served for a period 'of two weeks at different times during the camp. These Chaplains assisted the Regular Army Chaplains in all the services both of religious and welfare nature. At least one Chaplain was assigned to each company and was charged with the care and welfare of the men of that organization. He visited the men who went to hospital and maintained contact between them and their folks at home. July 30, Mother,s Day, brought a host of relatives to the camp. The chaplains met all incoming trains and furnished sufficient transportation to convey the visitors to the Post. The CMTC Recreation Hall was the headquarters for the visitors. There they met and visited with their sons or wards. Through the courtesy of the two Coast Artillery regiments at the Post sufficient transportation was at the disposal of the chaplains to meet all in-coming and out-going trains and boats both on Mother,s Day and the following day, for some relatives ar- rived late and many stayed at the Hostess House over night. Before we close, one word of sincere appreciation and thanks to the members of the regular garrison, both ladies and gentlemen, who so cheerfully contributed their time and talents to enhance and enrich the religious services. A SUNDAY MORNING Siskvrcn UNDER ri-nz Tnnizs Page 0715 Hundred Three . JJ-V. .1.vN.v.v.v.v.w'N.y.U.lN.1v.1.v.v.v.vN.' I ' Y.'NNN-1.!NN.14VN.VAWVN.Y-1-VNNNNNN-V.V.v4h -