70 Years Ago — May 24, 1944
The Office of the Chief of Army Chaplains reported, “a total of 102 casualties in the chaplaincy service, 19 killed in battle, 31 dead from sickness and accidents, 18 wounded, 33 prisoners of war and 1 missing in action. Seventy-six chaplains have been decorated for conduct ‘over and beyond the call of duty.’” Chaplains serve the troops “in all experiences and circumstances, even to death. They are among the prisoners. They are sharing the boredom and loneliness of the prison camp. We have had many stories of the activities of the chaplains among the men during the experience of training and in the camps abroad, but the fact of the casualties is perhaps the most poignant indication of the identification of the chaplains with the men through their whole experience of the war. Our
appreciation of the service of the chaplains is thus increasing; but the best way for us to show our gratitude is to support them in their work by following the members from our churches … .” From “Guest Editor, What do chaplaincy casualties mean?” Federal Council Bulletin.
