Category Archives: History
First Jewish Chaplains
Non-Protestant Christian chaplains were not commissioned into the Army until the Civil War. The first of these were Jewish and the first Jewish chaplain to be assigned to a regiment was Ferdinand Sarner, on this day 1863. To learn more about Chaplain Sarner and the other “first” Jewish Chaplains, watch this video:
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Remembering Chaplain Leo P. Craig
On This Day in Chaplain Corps History, 5 April 1951, Chaplain Leo P. Craig was vesting to perform Mass for his unit when a nearby explosion beckoned him. After kneeling down to provide religious support to a Soldier wounded by a landmine, another mine was detonated taking the life of Chaplain Craig and the others around him.
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Remembering Reverend-Captain John Steel
On this day in Chaplain Corps history, 25 March 1756, Rev. John Steel was commissioned in the Provincial Army, to fight during the French and Indian War, while continuing to minister to his flock. He again took up arms during the Revolutionary War, becoming known as Reverend Captain Steel as he provided religious support while also commanding his unit.
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The Last Chaplain Killed in Action in the Korean War
On This Day in Chaplain Corps History, 11 March 1952, Chaplain Robert Crane was killed by North Korean artillery while leaving the front after providing worship for his troops. Chaplain Crane was the last U.S. Chaplain to be killed in action in the Korean War.
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Remembering the 1st Chaplain Captured by the Germans in WW2
On this day in Chaplain Corps history, 16 February 1943, Chaplain Eugene Daniel was the first US chaplain to be captured by the Germans. Caring for wounded American -and German- soldiers, Chaplain Daniel was taken prisoner when the Afrika Korps overtook their position.
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You may find interesting the extended version of this video which includes video clips of Chaplain Daniel telling his story from a presentation he made to a high school class in the ’90s:
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Remembering the Five Chaplains of the Mallory
Just four days after The Four Chaplains were lost with the sinking of the Dorchester, five more chaplains died when a German sub sunk the Mallory, on this day in Chaplain Corps History, 7 February 1943.
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If you’d like more information on the Mallory’s last voyage, the five chaplains who perished as well as the two chaplains who survived, and other details not included in the shorter version above, this 15-minute video is for you!
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Remember the Four Chaplains
3 February 1943: On This Day in Chaplain Corps History, Chaplains Goode, Fox, Poling and Washington were on the U.S.A.T. Dorchester in the North Atlantic when a German submarine torpedoed and sent it to the bottom of a watery grave. These four chaplains exemplified nurturing the living, caring for the wounded and honoring the dead as they sacrificed their own safety and lives to minister to the needs of others as they served God and country.
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Remembering the Attack on Pearl Harbor
There were many Chaplains and Chaplain Assistants who not only did their jobs but went far above and beyond to serve during and immediately following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and surrounding bases. In this 10-minute video, I explore the stories of some of them.
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Centennial of the Dedication of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
One hundred years ago on 11 November 1921, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was dedicated when the remains of an unknown Soldier from World War One was interred while four chaplains participated in the ceremony.
Three years after the end of World War 1, an unidentified Soldier who had been killed in fighting in France during the war was brought to Washington D.C. and lay in state in the Capitol Rotunda until 11 November 1921. On this Armistice day, the body of the unknown Soldier was committed and interred outside the Memorial Amphitheater at Arlington National Cemetery, along with the dedication of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
Continuing reading this story and see more pictures here.
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The Chaplain Kit 