Stories of Faith and Courage from World War II

by Larkin Spivey

  He Knew No Enemy

  Chaplains had to keep records, and the most important were those of deaths and burials. Chaplain Wallace Hale’s files grew quite large during his service with the 88th

  Infantry Division in North Africa and Italy. His combat workbook eventually listed more than a thousand soldiers, with name, rank, serial number, denomination, and location of burial. Many years later, a colleague referred to this workbook while eulogizing Chaplain Hale:

  If you took that manual, you would find page after page after page of German soldiers: their names, their ranks, their units, their location of burial, because Wallace buried them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Wallace knew no enemy. Wallace saw people as either the sons and daughters of the Living God through Jesus Christ, or he saw them as potential sons and daughters of the Living God. No enemy. They were treated as lovingly, as tenderly, as each and every American soldier.252

  Hale himself described his role as a chaplain: “ I was a regular army Chaplain who tried to use his religious experiences and knowledge to build men up… I stood for fairness, for justice, and for forgiveness in an organization that, at times, tried to ignore these concepts.”253

  In a military organization highly focused on its combat mission and the material aspects of war, this man brought a deep concern for individual human beings, regardless of their religious condition or nationality. This is an example that Christians must follow. Jesus died for all mankind and focused his own ministry on those most in need. He was criticized for associating with prostitutes and tax collectors, but said, “The Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost” (Luke 19:10). Without Jesus we are all lost, and we share this status with every other human being. We should look at all others as “potential sons and daughters of the Living God.”

  Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.

  —1 Timothy 1:15

  June 28

  God Bless America

  Irving Berlin was a Jewish immigrant who came to the United States when he was five years old. He wrote the great patriotic song “God Bless America” during World War I while serving in the U.S. Army at Camp Upton, New York.254 Composed for a musical revue, but not used at the time, the song languished in his files for years. In 1938, as war was spreading through Europe, he reintroduced it in an Armistice Day broadcast on the Kate Smith radio show. He included an introduction that is now rarely heard, urging listeners to “swear allegiance to a land that’s free” and “be grateful for a land so fair as we raise our voices in a solemn prayer.”255

  Kate Smith sang the song in march tempo with full orchestra and trumpets. It was an immediate sensation and became her signature song. There was even an effort to make it the national anthem, since the words and tune were far more memorable than the complex and more abstract “Star-Spangled Banner.”

  The distinguishing feature of “God Bless America” is the fact that it is a prayer. It is not a statement. It is a plea to God for the protection and guidance this nation has always needed and that only he can provide. When we say it or sing it with this in mind, “God Bless America” is a powerful reminder of our need for him in our personal and national lives.

  Now, our God, hear the prayers and petitions of your servant. For your sake, O Lord, look with favor on your desolate sanctuary… We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy. O Lord, listen! O Lord, forgive!

  —Daniel 9:17–19

  June 29

  The Slapping Incident

  The conquest of Sicily almost cost the United States one of its most effective combat generals. During a visit to a field hospital in August 1943, Gen. George Patton physically abused a soldier suffering from a condition euphemistically called “combat fatigue.” After talking to a number of wounded soldiers, Patton approached Pvt. Paul Bennet and asked what was wrong with him. The soldier replied, “ It’s my nerves,” and then began to cry.256

  On hearing this, Patton exploded: “ You are just a… coward… I won’t have these brave men here who have been shot at seeing a yellow [expletive] sitting here crying.”257 He then slapped the man and went on berating him.

  When he heard of the incident General Eisenhower quietly reprimanded Patton and required that he apologize to those affected. A few months later, however, Drew Pearson broke the story publicly in a radio broadcast, creating a nationwide scandal.

  Patton was harshly condemned by many, but there were others who thought him perfectly justified in forcefully stopping soldiers from shirking their duty. It was easy to give Patton the benefit of the doubt, as he was one of the great combat leaders of the time. There were two sides to this incident that would give a modern ethics class plenty to debate.

  On balance, I believe Patton’s behavior in this affair has to be condemned. What he did was the result of a temper tantrum on his part and was clearly not a well-thought-out disciplinary action. We’re always on dangerous ground when we react to a situation out of anger. Instead of solving the first problem, we create a new one based on our own behavior, and the new problem then takes on a life of its own. There are many biblical warnings about this kind of behavior. In Proverbs we are told, “ A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control” (Proverbs 29:11).

  If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless.

  —James 1:26

  June 30

  Beat VMI

  Gen. Mark Clark was one of the most impressive men I have ever known. I was in his presence many times as a cadet and alumnus during his tenure as president of The Citadel. His reputation always preceded him. He had commanded all Allied forces in Italy during World War II and had been the “Liberator of Rome.” His distinguished combat record and imposing physical presence created an aura of greatness.

  I once paid a courtesy call after his retirement and found him laughing over a telephone conversation that he had had that day. The Reverend Billy Graham had called to discuss the general’s funeral arrangements. General Clark was somewhat aghast at the subject since he was not contemplating that event anytime in the near future, and, when asked about his epitaph, had blurted out: “Beat VMI!” He was referring to the Virginia Military Institute, The Citadel’s archrival in sports, and was a little concerned that the great religious leader might have been offended by his inappropriate response.

  General Clark himself was serious about the religious well-being of his troops and cadets. He ensured that chapel attendance was mandatory at The Citadel, and he always dutifully set the example by being in the front row with his wife, Renie, at every service. During World War II he was quoted as saying, “ I am convinced that a soldier can find strength through prayer. All my life I have found prayer stimulating and comforting, particularly during critical periods.”258 At that time he wrote an inspirational prayer for his troops:

  On The Eve of Battle

  On the eve of battle we ask Thee, our Heavenly Father, for strength and courage. We fight, not only for our country, but for our God as well, because we battle for continuance of Christian principles among all men. Give us the strength and the courage to fight well. Help us, in our hour of need, to follow the words of the Bible: “Be of good courage, and let us behave ourselves valiantly for our people, and for the cities of our God.”259 Give us Thy guidance, Dear Lord, in the hours of crisis that lie ahead. Grant us the power to face our enemies and Thine enemies without fear. And bless, we pray Thee, our families and loved ones at home. Give them comfort and courage and grant them Thy divine protection. These things we ask in Thy name. Amen.260

  Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth.

  —Ecclesiastes 12:1 (KJV)261

  A soldier stands in a bomb-damaged Italian church. (National Archives)

  B-17 bombing Marienburg, Germany. (National Archives)
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  July

  THE AIR WAR

  The massive use of air power distinguished World War II from all previous conflicts. Aircraft had limited uses during World War I, and, even though many could foresee great potential for aviation, postwar developments were slow. In the United States, the economic depression of the 1930s caused limited defense budgets and small allocations to military aircraft production. Germany and Japan were among the few countries dedicated to building modern air forces. By 1939, the German Luftwaffe was able to deploy more than four thousand combat aircraft in the invasion of Poland. By contrast, at that time the United States had about two thousand mostly obsolete aircraft scattered around the world. In history’s greatest industrial mobilization this number would swell to eighty thousand by 1944. Almost two million men and women were inducted into the air forces to maintain and man this vast aerial armada.

  In Europe, American military commanders made an early commitment to daylight, precision bombing of German industrial targets. This task fell to the 8th Air Force under command of Maj. Gen. Carl Spaatz. Under Spaatz, Brig. Gen. Ira Eaker established 8th Bomber Command headquarters in England early in 1942. The workhorses of this campaign were two heavy bombers then starting to roll off production lines in the United States. The B-17 Flying Fortress and B-24 Liberator were both four-engine aircraft capable of flying more than two thousand miles with bomb loads ranging from four thousand to eight thousand pounds. These aircraft required crews of ten or more each, necessitating the training of hundreds of thousands of airmen.

  Fighter escorts were an integral part of the air campaign, shepherding the bombers through enemy skies to their targets. Due to the limited range of these fighters, bomber losses were horrendous early in the war. Introduction of the P-51 Mustang improved this situation, and by early 1944, fully escorted missions were flying into Germany with fewer losses.

  By the end of the war, the 8th Air Force suffered the loss of about forty thousand airmen killed in action. This was a rate greater than that of any other service. Many thousands more were wounded or went down in enemy territory to become prisoners of war. Some have questioned the effectiveness of the strategic bombing campaign due to the fact that German industrial production increased throughout most of the war. However, it is undeniable that almost the entire Luftwaffe had to be committed to the protection of German cities and millions of men and women devoted to the defense and reconstruction of Germany’s infrastructure. Later in the war, German units in the field lost practically all freedom of movement as the skies overhead were dominated by Allied aircraft.

  July 1

  We Pay You

  James Goodson was a nineteen-year-old American who went to England early in the war. He was sure that his country would eventually join the fight, and he wanted to get a head start. He was inauspiciously introduced to the war when his ocean liner, the

  Athenia, was torpedoed and sunk off the Hebrides Islands. He arrived in England with none of his possessions.

  I found a RAF recruiting station and immediately asked if any American could join. No one seemed to know at first if I could but later was told I could but would probably lose my American citizenship when I swore allegiance to the King of England. I told the recruiters that if the king needed my allegiance, he had it. The question of pay arose and I think the fellow said it was seven shillings and six pence a day (less than $2.00). I was heartbroken. I said, ‘I’ve lost everything I have. I don’t think I can afford it.’ The fellow said, ‘No, no, no. We pay you seven and six.’ I remember thinking, ‘These lovable fools. They could have had me for nothing.’ To be able to fly a Spitfire and be paid for it was just beyond my wildest dreams.262

  Goodson flew with the 43rd Squadron of the RAF and eventually with the American Eagle Squadron. He didn’t lose his enthusiasm for flying even as the war went on.

  During my early years as a Marine officer I often had the identical thought articulated by this young pilot. I couldn’t believe that someone was paying me to do what I was doing. Jumping from airplanes and swimming from submarines, I seemed to be living an adventure that most people would pay to experience. I never seemed to lose this enthusiasm for working with other Marines on any kind of mission. After leaving the Marine Corps and working many years for a paycheck, I was blessed to find this feeling again at age fifty-three. When Jesus Christ came into my heart, all the activities in my life became focused on a new mission: living in a way to be worthy of and to advance his kingdom. Every part of my life since then has had a new excitement that transcends any other imaginable adventure.

  Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

  —Colossians 3:23–24

  July 2

  We Won’t Do Much Talking

  The strategic bombing campaign of the 8th Air Force played a major part in the eventual Allied victory in Europe. The campaign grew in effectiveness after France was invaded and air superiority gained over the Luftwaffe. Thousands of American bombers swept over northern Europe, penetrating deeper and deeper into German territory.

  The beginning of this great buildup was slow and painful. In January 1942 Brig. Gen. Ira Eaker arrived in England to evaluate British bomber operations and to organize the American 8th Bomber Command. In May a small contingent of personnel arrived to set up command headquarters as the actual aircraft were slowly being ferried across the Atlantic. During this time the British continued to fight and bleed almost alone, as no American bombers had yet gone into action against the enemy. In June General Eaker spoke to a group of British dignitaries at High Wycombe, the site of his new headquarters. His words were brief: “We won’t do much talking until we’ve done more fighting. We hope that when we leave you’ll be glad we came.”263

  This American officer’s remarks were simple and appropriate. They were appreciated by his audience and received wide publicity at that time. His humility brought great credit to himself and to his nation. We find numerous biblical reminders of the importance of being careful in our speech:

  “He who holds his tongue is wise” (Proverbs 10:19).

  “The heart of the righteous weighs its answers” (Proverbs 15:28).

  “A man of knowledge uses words with restraint” (Proverbs 17:27).

  “Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent” (Proverbs 17:28).

  “Do you see a man who speaks in haste? There is more hope for a fool than for him” (Proverbs 29:20).

  Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.

  —James 1:19

  July 3

  A View from a New Angle

  Willard Richards was a B-17 waist-gunner on many missions over Europe. He had been in love with airplanes since he was a boy and had a clear recollection from age eleven of his first flight:

  Taxiing for takeoff was really bumpy, but as we lifted off the ground it became unbelievably smooth. There I was, getting a view of my whole world from a new angle. The big shale pile by the abandoned coal mine, the outline of an old racetrack, the ponds where we skated and fished all came into view. There was the local cemetery and the steel mill where Father worked. The sandstone quarry and the new hospital on the edge of town all looked like blocks on a Monopoly board. My grandfather’s farm looked like a postage stamp and our house on the edge of the farm was so small. We descended over the high-tension wires and came in for a really rough landing. The whole flight took about ten minutes, but it changed my outlook on life.264

  It is amazing to consider an experience that gives you an entirely new perspective. The birth of our first child was this kind of event, suddenly creating whole new priorities for my wife and myself. There is no change more dramatic, however, than our spiritual awakening. Jesus Christ came into my heart at the end of a long process. But in that one moment of acceptance, my life changed suddenly and completely. I saw other people wit
h new eyes that held no judgment. The Bible came to life as a meaningful source of truth. My church changed from a building into the living body of Christ. It was truly life-changing to experience the perfection of God’s love as revealed by his Son. There is no greater change in perspective than the one that comes with a new heart.

  This we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us.

  —1 John 1:12

  July 4

  A Fifty-Cent Item

  Enemy fighters came in waves as copilot Vince Mazza wrestled with the controls of his B-24 bomber. The pilot had been killed moments before and the aircraft damaged by an attacking Messerschmitt-109. Crewmen were still trying to remove the dead pilot from the controls as Mazza fought to avoid colliding with other ships nearby. Somehow he kept the battered B-24 in formation, lumbering toward the target: Misburg, Germany.

  Suddenly, a 20mm cannon shell exploded in the forward section of the aircraft, destroying the nose turret and blowing out the plexiglass around it. Through this gaping hole a 200 mile-per-hour wind whipped through the interior of the B-24 at minus sixty-seven degrees. Wounded and frostbitten crewmen moved back in the ship to get out of the blast. The pilot stayed at the controls but had increasing difficulty seeing. He felt like his eyes were freezing. He couldn’t go down to a warmer altitude because that would further expose his aircraft to fighter attack. Groping around the cockpit, his hand touched a pair of plastic goggles, which he put on over his eyes. He could finally see again to fly the airplane. Vince Mazza forever felt that this fifty-cent item saved his life and the lives of his crew.265