United States Navy Chaplain Corps - Yearbook

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The last issue ofthe NavyChaplain News Letter, which began publication in July 1943, appeared in May-June 1946. For three years the Chaplains Division issued a mimeographed quarterly bul- letin. Beginning with July 1949 the Navy Chaplains Bulletin, prepared by the Ecclesiastical Relations Branch, has been published as a sixteen page quarterly. Three thousand copies of each issue are distributed to all chaplains, active and in- aotive, through the Fleet, Force, and District Chaplains and to all endorsing agencies. The Navy Chaplains Bulletin carries selected news items, pictures, official communication, and arti- cles of professional interest for the information and inspiration of Navy Chaplains. HISTORY OF THE HISTORY The publication of United States Navy Chaplains, 1778 - 1945 in 1948, Volume Iofthe History of the Chaplain Corps, United States Navy, in 1949, and Volume II of the History in 1950 by the Government Printing Office was made possible by an appro- priation of the Navy Department for training publi- cations. About 4,000 copies of each volume of the History were printed of which number about 2,200 were paper-bound for use as text books in the correspondence course. Since the first volume of the series to be published was not used in the correspondence course, only about 1,750 copies were printed. The Chaplains Division received about 1,000 cloth-bound copies of each volume for distribution to chaplains on active duty, for review copies to be sent to about 100 periodicals, for endorsing agencies, and for its reserve supply. By law a limited and approved number of libraries through- out the country, which have been designated as depositories, may receive upon request and with- out cost any or all of the publications of the Gov- ernment Printing Office. On 1 July 1951, the Printing Office reported that 233 of these libraries had asked for United States Navy Chaplains and 292 had requested the two volume History Q13 Chaplain Corps. The following table shows the number printed for public sale and the number sold as of 1 January 1953: No. for Public Price Sale Sold United States Navy Chap- - lains, Released May 1948 52.50 516 424 Vol. I, History if-bg Chaplain Corps, Re- leased November, 1949 2.25 500 338 Vol. II, History pf Q5 Chaplain Corps, Re- leased November, 1950 3.00 500 321 In addition to the libraries officially designated by the Government as depositories, the volumes were given to or purchased by many public, col- lege, university, and seminary libraries through- out the country. The wise distribution of these volumes through from 400 to 500 libraries makes easily available to the interested public informa- tion about the Navy's Chaplains Corps. MATERIEL AND LOGISTICS In line with the increasing emphasis the whole Navy was placing on audio-visual training pro- grams, especially for recruits, the Chaplains Division continued to promote the production and distribution of such aids designed for strengthening religion and morality as films, posters, and recorded services. Seven subjects in the Chaplain Corps morality films series, For Which We Stand , were available by l Jan- uary l953 from District Training Aids Section, Marine Corps Training Aids Libraries, and Cen- tral Aviation Film Libraries. These seven, with titles and dates of original release, are as fol- lows: MEN OF THE WORLD fConduct on Libertyl April 1949 LET'S GET IT STRAIGHT QModerationl.December 1950 TO BE HELD IN HONOR 1Continencej March 1951 PULLING YOUR WEIGHT fAdjustment to Navy life, October 1951 OF MONUMENTS AND MEN fPatriotismj August 1952 YOU THINK ITS LUCK QGamblingl August 1952 RELIGION IN THE NAVY KReligionJ December 1952 These films have been used generally throughout the Navy, and are especially utilized in the chap- lains' lectures to recruits. In addition to these seven, the Chaplains Division released in June 1952 a film entitled CLERGYMEN IN UNIFORM which was designed to recruit more chaplains for the Corps. This was the second recruiting film produced by the Division, the fi1'Sf being NAVY CHAPLAIN which was released in April 1945, and ran for 17 minutes. CLERGYMEN IN UNIFORM is a twelve minute technicolor film which has been widely used on television. The Chaplains Division in 1949 issued the first of a series of twelve morale posters for general distribution throughout the Navy and Marine Corps. This was followed by a second series of six under the title In the Service as at Home which appealed to church-related per- sonnel to continue their church relationships

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as a clergyman, and his work in religious educa- tion. One of the most significant developments within the Navy Chaplain Corps in 1952 was the advancement of the Character Guidance Program beyond the Recruit Level. The entire second day of the conference was taken up with apresentation of this material to the Supervisory Chaplains, the Training Division of the Bureau of Personnel, and representatives of the Marine Corps and Coast Guard. At the meeting of the Fleet, Force, and Dis- trict Chaplains, 'held in Washington in the latter part of January 1953, the following report was made regarding the seminars held under the di- rection of the District Chaplains. Naval District Chaplains have completed a series of nine seminars in their respec- tive districts on the subject of what the Navy is doing to aid the moral, religious, and edu- cational progress of its young men and women. ARMED FORCES By a directive dated 18 July 1949 the Secretary of Defense established an Armed Forces Chap- lains Board, within the Office of the Secretary of Defense, consisting of the three Chief of Chaplains and an additional chaplain member from each of the three services. Chaplain Joseph P. Mannion, as Assistant Director ofthe Division,is at present the second official member of the Board fromthe Navy. In addition, Chaplain Joshua Goldberg, Dis- trict Chaplain of the 3rd Naval District, serves as special consultant on Jewish matters. The Chairmanship of the Board rotates among the three Chiefs. Commander Francis L. McGann, ChC, USNR, was ordered to Washington, D. C., in December 1952, to be the first Executive Director of the Armed Forces Chaplains Board. He prepares agenda for meeting of the Board and coordinates the work of all its committees. All incoming and outgoing correspondence for the Board passes through his office. He will serve for a two-year term. The Board has the responsibility of making recommendations to the Secretary of Defense on These seminars were conducted at naval in- stallations as a result of a plan inaugurated by the Chief of Navy Chaplains in March 1952, and were designed to acquaint religious leaders and educators with the Navy's pro- gram of welfare, moral guidance, and char- acter improvement. Seminars have been held in Boston. Mass., New York City, Norfolk, Va., Asheville, N.C., Pensacola and Jacksonville, Fla., Chicago, Ill., San Diego, Calif., and Washington, D. C, Over 7000 in- vitations were sent out by the commandants of the districts concerned, and 1253 religious leaders and educators attended these con- ferences. Indoctrination talks by District Chaplains to Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps units were authorized in April 1952. District, Fleet, and Force Chaplains now .receive the monthly reports from the chaplains under their supervision from which a condensed report is forwarded quarterly to the Chief of Chaplains. CHAPLAINS BOARD all matters relating to a unified policy on pro- curement, qualifications and training ,of chaplains, and on standards of equipment and supply. One of the projects of the Board was the promotion of the Armed Forces Chaplains Character Guidance Program. The first series of sixlectures together with visual aids were ready for use in November 1950. In April 1951, Chaplain Roy Marken, District Chaplain of the 12th Naval District, conducted an Orientation Conference for distinguished religious and educational leaders. These leaders were taken to Treasure Island where Chaplains and other Naval Officers explained what the Navy was doing to conserve and develop spiritual and moral values amongst naval personnel. This project was so successful that the Armed Forces Board adopted the plan on a national scale. Six such conferences were held under the sponsorship of the Board in 1952. The Armed Services Board sponsored the preparation of a standard religious education curriculum for Service Sunday Schools, working with educational representatives of Protestant Churches. ECCLESIAS TICAL RELATIONS With a keen appreciation of the value of public relations, the Chaplains Division has demanded more in the last two years from this Branch than ever before. During 1952 some 800 press releases and 2,000 pictures were sent out to the religious press and to endorsing agencies of the churches. The result has been that more publicity has been given through the religious press to the activities of the Navy Chaplains than ever before. This in turn has been of great value in the procurement program of the Division. Personnel of the Chap- lains Division appeared on or assisted in prepar- ing over 20 radio and television programs in 1952 and tape recorded many prayers by Navy Chap- lains to be used over NBC and ABC networks. The work done in the field of orientation for religious leaders and educators is indicated under the section on Supervisory Chaplains.

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while in the service. On l August l952, a third series of posters, twelve in number, was re- leased on the subject Why Religion . This series was directed to personnel who were not connected with a church in the hope that these visual appeals would help make religion more meaningful to them. A fourth series on Why Worship , was in the course of preparation on 1 January 1953 and was due to be ready for re- lease by 1 July. Requests for copies of these posters have been received from many churches and other civilian agencies. A Chaplains Film Service Manual was pub- lished in July 1950 and a revised edition has appeared annually thereafter. The Chaplains' Film Service is designed to assist Navy Chap- lains in their religious and morality programs with service personnel. Several prints of about 70 civilian-produced motion pictures were se- lected and secured by the Chaplains Division for free distribution to Navy Chaplains through- out the Naval Establishment. The Manual gives a brief description of the contents of each film available, length of running time, and a classi- fication in terms of the objectives in religious education. The demand for these films on the part of the chaplains, throughout the various Naval Districts, is evidence that these modern techniques and tools are being increasingly ap- preciated and used by Navy Chaplains. The Chaplains Division will continue to stress the importance of visual aids in carrying out the religious and Character Guidance program of the Navy. The Chaplains Division has worked through the Armed Forces Chaplains Board in the prep- aration of a series of six visual presentations for Character Guidance lectures in recruit train- ing centers. These six subjects presented are: Religion, Basic Moral Principles, Marriage and Family Life, Sex Education, Citizenship,, and Individual Responsibility. The lectures designed especially for recruits, are presented in a series of scenes, which are adaptations of the flannel- board technique, with professionally prepared symbols. Thus the spoken word was re- enforced by an attractive visual presentation. Another joint project of the Chaplain Corps of the three branches of the Armed Services is a series of character guidance pamphlets under the title, Duty, Honor, Country. Each pam- phlet contains ten lectures. During the fiscal years 1945 to 1950 inclusive, the Congress of the United States appropriated 525,000 annually for the Chaplains Division. This was increased to Sl56,700 for the fiscal year beginning l July 1951, and to S426,700 for the fiscal year beginning 1 July 1952. These figures include the cost of all ecclesiastical equipment and supplies made available to chap- lains or chapels by the Navy. The Chaplains Division is being called upon to originate, pre- pare, and furnish to the chaplains in the field fresh and effective audio-visual aids in order to carry on a vital program of religious and morality training. Two hymn books were available for Navy Chaplains during World War II - Hymnal, Army 5151 Navy, and an abridgment of this book called the Song and Service Book for Ship and Field. Each volume contained a section for Catholic, Jewish, and Protestant worship. Under the spon- sorship of the Armed Forces Chaplains Board a new hymnal was being prepared on 1 January 1953. It will be an all purpose hymnal some- what smaller than the Army .3415 Navy Hymnal. Dr. John Finley Williamson of the Westminster Choir College of Princeton, New Jersey, is assisting in the preparation of the new hymnal as music consultant. Ritualistic sections in the former books which were rarely used are to be eliminated. The hymns will be written for men's voices with a soprano line added. The new book, which is to be available for all three branches of the Armed Services, is to be ready before the close of 1953. Mindful of the need to provide aids for the .con- ducting of religious services by unordained per- sonnel on ships and stations without chaplains, the Chaplains Division through its Special Proj- ects Branch has provided Worship Kits for Lay Leaders. Each kit contains materials for Catho- lic or Protestant services and the Jewish Scrip- tures. A manual is included to help layrnen conduct services together with several brief devotional meditations which may be read. Dur- ing July, August, and September of 1952, en- listed men and officers of the destroyer forces, representing all faiths conducted 1058 services in the absence of a chaplain. More than 17,000 naval personnel attended these lay-conducted services. The Division received about 300 re- quests for these Worship Kits from 1 October 1952 to 1 January 1953. The Protestant mate- rial of the Worship Kit also contains recorded church music for twelve services produced by the Westminster Choir under the direction of Dr. John T. Williamson. The recorded music for each service contains the following: prelude, responses, hymns, anthem, choral benediction and postlude. The Catholic Section of the kit contains copies of a booklet for Rosary Services entitled 'Pray Together prepared by Father Patrick Peyton, the Director ofthe Family Rosary Crusade. Combat Qaltarl Kits were developed in co- operation with the other branches of the Armed Forces. Catholic, Protestant, and Jewish kits were prepared to be carried in a canvas con- tainer similar to a haversack. These kits have been distributed to chaplains serving with Fleet Marine Force units.