A Great Day Yesterday; This Will Never Occur Again In Human History!!!!!

[Hork]

Yesterday, Father Emil Kapaun was finally awarded our Nation's highest award for valor. After his fellow former POW's pushed for 60 YEARS, our country finally did the right thing and awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor to Father Kapaun, posthumously. I had personally written my entire congressional delegation regarding this and they all unanimously agreed that he deserved the medal.

 

As a career military officer, Kansan, and Catholic, I am so proud of this award and of the amazing human being that received it.

 

Perhaps one of you computer guys can post the citation, story, and some pics for me? This man died at the hands of the North Koreans in a POW camp under conditions you and I can not fathom. Despite these conditions, the survival rate in Kapaun's camp was 87% higher than all the other camps. He gave the men the will to survive. He gave them hope. He gave them his meager rations, nursed their wounds, taught them to steal, etc, etc, etc. His remains have never been found; it is believed that he is buried in a mass grave.

 

Father Kapaun resisted the attempts to brain wash him and urged fellow POWs to do the same. He became a thorn because the men respected him and the guards feared him. He could not be broken due to his complete faith in God. At one point under torture, the guards asked "Where is your God now?" Father Kapaun's reply: "I can assure you that my God is alive as the air that you breath but can not see"! Soon after, he was remove to the camp's "hospital" from which no one returns.

 

The Catholic Church is looking at his cause for Sainthood. I attended the Mass last summer where over 16,000 pages of documents regarding Kapaun were sealed by the Bishop and sent to the Vatican. Father Kapaun will probably be the only human being to ever receive the Medal of Honor AND be canonized as a Saint. May he rest in peace, may God bless America, and may God watch over all our military.

 

Hork

[Airpirate]

Well Done Father, may you have eternal peace and know the gratitude of Americans then and now

[Dr. Mark]

Medal of honor citation

Chaplain Emil J. Kapaun, while assigned to Headquarters Company, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism, patriotism, and selfless service between Nov. 1-2, 1950. During the Battle of Unsan, Kapaun was serving with the 3rd Battalion of the 8th Cavalry Regiment. As Chinese Communist forces encircled the battalion, Kapaun moved fearlessly from foxhole to foxhole under direct enemy fire in order to provide comfort and reassurance to the outnumbered Soldiers. He repeatedly exposed himself to enemy fire to recover wounded men, dragging them to safety. When he couldn't drag them, he dug shallow trenches to shield them from enemy fire. As Chinese forces closed in, Kapaun rejected several chances to escape, instead volunteering to stay behind and care for the wounded. He was taken as a prisoner of war by Chinese forces on Nov. 2, 1950.

After he was captured, Kapaun and other prisoners were marched for several days northward toward prisoner-of-war camps. During the march Kapaun led by example in caring for injured Soldiers, refusing to take a break from carrying the stretchers of the wounded while encouraging others to do their part.

Once inside the dismal prison camps, Kapaun risked his life by sneaking around the camp after dark, foraging for food, caring for the sick, and encouraging his fellow Soldiers to sustain their faith and their humanity. On at least one occasion, he was brutally punished for his disobedience, being forced to sit outside in subzero weather without any garments. When the Chinese instituted a mandatory re-education program, Kapaun patiently and politely rejected every theory put forth by the instructors. Later, Kapaun openly flouted his captors by conducting a sunrise service on Easter morning, 1951.

When Kapaun began to suffer from the physical toll of his captivity, the Chinese transferred him to a filthy, unheated hospital where he died alone. As he was being carried to the hospital, he asked God's forgiveness for his captors, and made his fellow prisoners promise to keep their faith. Chaplain Kapaun died in captivity on May 23, 1951.

Chaplain Emil J. Kapaun repeatedly risked his own life to save the lives of hundreds of fellow Americans. His extraordinary courage, faith and leadership inspired thousands of prisoners to survive hellish conditions, resist enemy indoctrination, and retain their faith in God and country. His actions reflect the utmost credit upon him, the 1st Cavalry Division, and the United States Army.

[19]

[Hork]

Thanks Doc!!!!! That is probably the most famous photo of him. It was taken by an Army Colonel about one month before the siege at Unsan. There is another iconic photo of him carrying a wounded guy in combat; if you can find that one it's cool too.

 

Incidentally, this is not just a "Catholic thing". There was a Jewish doctor in the camp with Fr. Kapaun that was so moved by the man that was Fr. Kapaun that he seriously considered converting to the Catholic faith. His wife threatened to leave him if he did so he did not. The point is that Fr. Kapaun was that inspirational. Another POW who was a Muslim told the Saturday Evening Post after the war: "He is not of my faith but he is clearly a man of God".

 

Hork

[335]

I saw that GOD has a special place for a man like that!!!!!!!!!!!!

[BONMYI]

I had received info about Fr. Kapaun from a friend;

extraordinary doesn't begin to describe Army

Chaplain Kapaun, who died in service in the Korean War.

Thank God for men like this !

 

Thanks for postin,

 

 

Dave

[beebop]

 

Chaplain Kapaun is on the right.

[Hork]

[img=http://ifiwereonfacebook.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/534-1mr4rc-st-91.jpeg]

 

Chaplain Kapaun is on the right.

That's the picture, again, thanks! Note the soldier standing point and the soldier on the wounded man's right carrying a sidearm.

 

Hork

[SlvrStrk]

All honor to his name!