Chaplains in Bataan

From Melville Jacoby, TIME'S correspondent in beleaguered Bataan, comes this first report on how American soldiers in World War II are reacting to religion, under fire, and what the chaplains are doing at the front:

"More than one soldier, hearing bombs landing near by and not hurting him, or having a bullet nick in his helmet, admitted that he never believed in God before. Chaplains and others all agree that more people believe in God since the war has begun. The sight of a soldier sitting by a machine gun reading a Bible is not uncommon in Bataan or Corregidor. Soldiers and sailors pen brief notes to the chaplains asking for New Testaments, and several of the chaplains have passed out over 2,000 copies since Dec. 7.

"This week Methodist Chaplain Ralph D. Brown, recently awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for bravery in carrying the wounded off Clark Field during continual bombings, penciled the following words to Chaplain Perry L. Wilcox on a crumpled sheet of his field notebook: 'Dear Chaplain--I will sincerely appreciate the case of New Testaments I spoke to you about when we met in Bataan. I have hundreds of boys begging for them each week. I am now en route to the ---- corps who have suffered heavy casualties this week. They need Scriptures badly--any you don't need will find service here.'

"American and Filipino chaplains, both Protestant and Catholic, are working among the troops night and day, staying at the firing lines and not just visiting them. Of nearly 30 American chaplains, every one has been near falling bombs or whizzing bullets or found what it means when the enemy has continual air superiority. Many is the chaplain, dodging dive-bombers, who has gotten up waving his fist at the unopposed Nip flyers. Chaplains are doing everything, from holding services in the jungles right behind the lines to helping men make out wills, insurance and writing letters, from hearing confessions and giving out Bibles to carrying dead and wounded under fire. Baptist Chaplain Lieut. Robert P. Taylor of Texas gave the most recent superb example of the chaplains' courage when, during an attack and under machine-gun and rifle fire, he helped carry the wounded to the Bataan jungles.

"Mild-mannered Presbyterian U.S.A. Chaplain Major John K. Borneman, who served in World War I as an ace flyer, chats about a chaplain's typical experiences. Borneman, from Niagara Falls, carries cigarets, Bibles, toothbrushes to the front and says the men ask for all sorts of things from him, including writing their letters home and confessing about the past. On Christmas Day, Borneman, as all other chaplains, carried as many as 1,200 greetings and cablegrams from the troops at the front to Manila, having to brave bombings and strafings en route.

"Chaplains, though shorthanded, are doing tremendous service conducting Christian burial services for every casualty. When they don't know the denomination of the dead, they conduct both Protestant and Catholic services. . . .

"Heading the Protestant chaplains is a six-footer, light-haired, blue-eyed Lieut. Colonel Alfred C. Oliver Jr. from New Jersey, in service since 1917. Energetic and hardworking, Oliver had several close calls, as have all others. Once Oliver's driver, approaching a bridge, suddenly swerved off the road. A few seconds later the bridge was blown up.

"Catholic Chaplain John A. Wilson had a narrow squeak when, riding the same road, he saw men waving their arms and stopped his car, jumping out. Wilson hit a ditch, saw dive-bombers a few seconds later score nearly a direct hit, demolishing his car."

Other news of the chaplains with General MacArthur:

P:Four Filipino chaplains (three Roman Catholic, one Anglican) are now missing in action.

P:Father Duffy, World War I chaplain of the famed Fighting 69th, has a namesake in Bataan, Father John E. Duffy of Toledo, who received the decoration of the Purple Heart for "singularly meritorious action" when slightly wounded in action on New Year's Day. He celebrates Mass at the front on an altar of ammunition boxes.

P:Another Catholic chaplain, Father Matthias Zerfas of Fond du Lac, Wis., has not shaved since the war started, now sports a heavy black beard. His corps commander has cited him for valor.

In Britain two chaplains, one Catholic and one Protestant, qualified as paratroopers. They volunteered for training so that they could accompany men of their paratroop brigade when it goes into action.

The German Army has taken over for its own use the American Church (Protestant) in Berlin, Dr. Henry Smith Leiper of the World Council of Churches announced this week. In World War I the church was allowed to stay open.

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