I recently had the incredible opportunity to view a collection of extraordinary historical artifacts associated with the Catholic US Army Field Service. The experience left me in awe, and I am eager to share it with others to ignite their curiosity about the profound history of these Catholic Chaplains. These individuals played a pivotal role in serving both God and country, and their stories are truly inspiring.
Here is the first known photo of the US Army Field Service. It is a Catholic mass for New York soldiers. Today, the unit is partially based on Long Island in Farmingdale.
Father Duffy, a WWI Catholic Chaplain, has a statue of himself in Times Square. Pictured below are his vestments.
Pictured below are the vestments of Servant of God Father Emil Kapaun, a Medal of Honor recipient and hopefully a future Saint – he was a POW in Korea. He refused to leave his men, tending to them in the camps and refuting the communist propaganda the North Koreans and Chinese tried to push on POWs. He was singled out, especially tortured, and died due to neglect in the camps.
Lastly, Chaplain Charles J. Watters‘ Mass set. He was a Vietnam Chaplain in the United States Army and a Roman Catholic priest. He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for bravery exhibited while rescuing wounded men in the Vietnam War’s Battle of Dak To.
