National Civil War Chaplains Museum

In 1917, President Woodrow Wilson advised Congress to “formally accept the status of belligerent which has thus been thrust upon it” by the German Empire. With this address, the United States joined the Great War with a firm resolve to end the conflict. Upon involvement, the US armed forces swelled from 127,000 to 1.3 million men within a year of President Wilson’s address. The Chaplaincy, by 1918, grew from 300 to 1,200 servicemen but was undermanned and frankly undersupplied as the US focused on manufacturing munitions rather than religious paraphernalia. The lack of spiritual support created a void in morale, and recognizing this, the Red Cross recognized the need to enhance the capabilities of American Chaplaincy.

The Red Cross’s most significant contribution to the Chaplaincy during the war was its supply of religious items. By sending prayer books, hymnals, rosaries, field organs, and more to the Western Front, soldiers could exercise their faith amid the chaos of battle, giving them a sense of peace that only home could offer. Moreover, the supply of religious tokens heightened the community within the American Expeditionary Force as troops in the trenches began to sing group songs of worship from Red Cross hymnals and bonded through communal prayer.

By the conclusion of the First World War, the Red Cross awarded the Chaplaincy over $20 million, as the organization helped equip the thousands of chaplains who served their nation and their troops in the field. This investment not only enhanced the individual soldier’s spiritual resolve but also contributed significantly to strengthening the spiritual infrastructure of the US armed forces for future conflict.

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This photo was taken on January 26th, 1969 by PFC C. E. Sickler, Jr. It displays soldiers from both the 9th infantry & the 12th artillery Marines attending a field service at Fire Support Base Razor, A Shau Valley, Vietnam. The picture is featured in numerous Navy publications and is prominently displayed on the Chaplains section in the National Museum of the Marine Corps. The Chaplain in the photo was identified as retired Navy Chaplain Salvatore Rubino, of the 2nd Battalion of the 12th Marines. He served in the Italian Army in the 1950s, and later went on to become a Southern Baptist Navy Chaplain during Vietnam.

In his own words: “My mission was to provide spiritual ministry to the men of four batteries, located on various firebases. I could reach those bases only by helicopter, an arduous task since not every helicopter would be going to the firebase of my choice…This fire base, as all the others, was created by an initial bombing from the air… There was the utter desolation and destruction all around, there was the noise. Often, even during the worship services fire power was called in and guns would roar…Just before I served communion, a helicopter approached to deliver ammunition. The wind generated by the rotor was so strong that I had to cover the chalice with my hands to keep it from flying away. I was even afraid that the altar, made up of five C-ration boxes and four ammo boxes, would bite the dust…That day, the men seated on those C-ration boxes with their heads bowed, transformed that place into hallowed ground—a cathedral in the middle of nowhere. Chaplain Rubino received the Navy Commendation Medal for his service.

To learn more about Chaplains and their service in armed conflicts, come see our “Service on the Battlefield” exhibit.

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Of the thousands of men and women who have served as United States military chaplains, only nine have won the Congressional Medal of Honor; Chaplain Charles Joseph Watters is one such man. Watters began his service as an Army Chaplain in 1964 after serving as a priest in parishes across New Jersey. In 1966, Chaplain Watters was assigned to the Republic of Vietnam 173rd Support Battalion, but Watters would frequently accompany the line units into the field.

On November 19, 1967, at the Battle of Dak To, Chaplain Watters established himself as one of the greatest American chaplains. The battle began with an intense firefight with many men being wounded or killed. During the fighting, Chaplain Watters would rush onto the battlefield with the first lines, exposing himself to enemy fire, to carry back the wounded or perform last rites for the dead. He carried a paratrooper, who could not move from shock, out of harm’s way, and offered care to the wounded. Many tried to restrain Watters from running between friendly and enemy lines, but his heroic actions could not be stopped. That day Chaplain Watters was responsible for saving many lives. Unfortunately, Watters was mortally wounded while attending to the injured. For his heroism in the face of mortal danger, Chaplain Joseph Watters was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor and is recognized as one of the greatest chaplains in history.

Visit the Chaplains Museum to learn more about the service and sacrifice of brave chaplains throughout American history.

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Happy Veterans Day to all who served!

The Chaplains Museum is grateful for each servicemembers’ sacrifice and service. We extend our blessings to you and your family.

Visit the Chaplains Museum today to learn more about those who have served in the armed forces.

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On November 11th, 1918, better known as Armistice Day, or the last day of World War 1, Army Chaplain William F. Davitt was killed 1 hour before the war ended. His death marked the last American Officer and Chaplain killed in the Great War.

Chaplain Davitt was born on December 8th, 1886, in Holyoke, MA. He attended College of the Holy Cross and was the captain of the football team. Upon graduating in 1907, he went to seminary in Montreal. When the war broke out, he volunteered as a Knights of Columbus Chaplain to the 32nd division of the 125th regiment.

Chaplain Davitt’s service showed selflessness and bravery on many occasions. He led a group of volunteers to rescue 40 pinned down soldiers, which succeeded without any casualties. He also single-handedly collected and buried 125 fallen men while under “violent fire.” For these actions, and numerous others, he would be awarded the Croix de Guerre with palm and citations for bravery from the French Army, and the Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star, and citations for bravery from the U.S. Army.

On the final day of the war, Davitt was preparing a flag to be raised on the official hour of the armistice, 11am. 1 hour before the cease-fire, a German artillery shell landed nearby releasing shrapnel that killed Chaplain Davitt instantly. He was buried in a quiet churchyard near their camp, and his coffin was draped with the same flag he was carrying when he died. In 1919, his body was moved from Ecurey, to the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery, both in France. In 1921, his body was finally brought home to Holyoke, MA. His sacrifice is honored in various ways, such as his former college, Holy Cross, giving awards of his namesake to outstanding players on the football team. His Croix de Guerre medal and name are featured in the local Veterans of Foreign Wars post. His name is also featured on a plaque at St. Joseph Memorial, and a bronze tablet at the Knights of Columbus chapter at St. Ann’s Church. He’s also honored at a memorial square at Pleasant Street, and the Father William F. Davitt Memorial Bridge. Lastly, he was added to Chaplain’s Hill at Arlington National Cemetery.

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Rabbi David Max Eichhorn joined the United States Army as a chaplain in 1941 following the attack at Pearl Harbor. From there, his career as the “GI’s Rabbi” would prove quite exciting.

In early 1944, he was assigned to the U.S. Army’s XV Corp in France, becoming the first Jewish chaplain to be assigned to serve at the corps level. While in France, he discovered a man responsible for hiding 140 Jews from the Nazis and coordinated the contribution of over 5,000 francs to purchasing supplies for them.

In September 1944, he was ordered to hold a Yom Kippur service at the synagogue in Lunéville, France. However, while the Germans had evacuated the town, it was still ahead of the Allied front line. Precariously situated between the Allied and German front lines, Eichhorn and some local townspeople cleaned and decorated the trashed synagogue, saving pieces from sacred texts in remembrance of the town’s Jewish people’s taken to Auschwitz. The Yom Kippur service was performed for 350 Jewish soldiers. However, the battle raged on, and less than a month later, he held services at the graves of 38 of those soldiers.

In April 1945, Eichhorn arrived at Dachau the day after its liberation and bore witness to the atrocities of Nazi Germany. While there he assisted in funerals, resolving disputes between prisoners, and food distribution. Most notably, he performed the first Sabbath service at Dachau following the liberation. To learn more about the bravery of Jewish chaplains in the U.S. Military, visit our “Diversity in Service” exhibit at the Chaplains Museum.

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One of the lesser-known duties of chaplains is to minister to prisoners of war. While most chaplains will only minister to prisoners from one side of a conflict, there was one chaplain who ministered in POW camps on both sides of the lines.

Born in County Wexford, Ireland, Father Peter Whelan was ordained as a priest in South Carolina in 1830 at the age of 28. He became the head of the first Catholic parish in Georgia, before climbing the ranks to become the coordinator of the Georgia diocese just before the Civil War. Whelan was a proud supporter of secession and volunteered to be the part-time chaplain of the Montgomery Guards stationed at Fort Pulaski near Savannah. He was taken prisoner with them when the fort fell. Whelan and the other officers were offered decent quarters on Govenor’s Island, but the enlisted men were kept in “Castle William”, where they were deprived of proper food or clothing. Whelan chose to transfer to Castle William and ministered to the men there as he shared in their misery for over a year. He contacted the Bishop of New York and was able to get clothes donated to help the men survive the harsh winter. When the prisoners were exchanged after 16 months, Whelan waited at the point of exchange for a week until all the enlisted POWs made it back.

In 1864, he and several others answered the call to minister Union POWs in Andersonville. Between the Union’s refusal to conduct more prisoner exchanges and hyperinflation making Confederate money worthless, the camp was overcrowded and there was barely enough food to feed even the guards. The other chaplains lasted less than a week. Whelan, now in his 60s, stayed for 4 months at the height of summer, working in the camp from 9 am to sundown, giving last rites and comforting those still clinging to life. He only left after a lung disease forced him to leave. Even then he didn’t forget the prisoners, borrowing the modern equivalent of $8,000 to buy flour for bread for them. The prisoners who survived would forever remember him as the Angel of Andersonville.

To learn more about chaplains serving in POW camps, come visit our “Service to the Suffering” exhibit.

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Today marks the 41st anniversary of the Marine barracks bombing in Beirut, Lebanon. As a result of two suicide bombers set of truck bombs at the barracks of the 1st Battalion 8th Marines and the nearby Drakkar Building. As a result of the bombing, 241 American servicemembers, 58 French servicemembers, and 24 Lebanese civilians lost their lives. The terrorist attack left a lasting impact on many servicemembers stationed there, including three chaplains.

Jewish Chaplain Resnicoff and Catholic Chaplain Pucciarelli were some of the first to respond to the scene. Chaplain Resnicoff recalls rushing to the site of the collapsed building and being faced with the tremendous loss of life. Regardless, the chaplains, with help from others, were able to recover people from the rubble despite the horrific circumstances. One such individual was Protestant Chaplain Lieutenant Wheeler, who was buried but identified by his stole sitting nearby. The chaplains continued to provide relief to those at the site, reassuring those that were found injured, but alive. At one point, Chaplain Resnicoff lost his kippah after wiping someone’s brow, and Chaplain Pucciarelli quickly cut out a circular piece from his camouflage cap to give to him.

Four days following the bombing, then Vice President George H. W. Bush visited the site, and asked Chaplain Resnicoff to write a report of the event from the perspective of a chaplain. It was read by President Ronald Reagan as his keynote address to the April 1984 Baptist Fundamentalist convention, chaired by the Rev. Jerry Falwell. His report, “Seeking God’s Prescence,” details in his eyes both the loss of the servicemembers, but also the humanity of all those in the rescue efforts. For this, we will always remember their bravery.

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