Chaplain Assistant – My Experience

One question I get asked is how/why I became a Chaplain Assistant in the Army.

First, my draft notice was lost in the mail – I ended up with 1 week to move home to Wisconsin from Cincinnati and report for induction. Then I went to my grandfather’s funeral the day before I was inducted. It turned out to be a whirlwind week.

During basic training, the Chaplain talked to us about being Chaplain Assistant – the only MOS the Army would not assign unless requested. The catch, it was almost a certain ticket to Vietnam – trained Chaplain Assistants were scarce. Sounded like a deal to me – much better than taking chance with ending up in the Infantry. I figured it would be better to help my fellow soldier than kill the enemy.

Now, being a Chaplain Assistant has its advantages. When changing duty stations, the first thing we would do on arrival is advise that we were Chaplain Assistant and that we had duty with the Chaplain. No more KP or other duties while waiting for assignment – we spent our time in the Chaplain’s Office.

It’s a common misconception that Chaplain Assistants are conscientious objectors. The opposite is the case – Chaplain Assistants are the Chaplain’s bodyguard – so required to carry a weapon. We were also jeep drivers, projectionists, acolytes, clerk typists, organists, supply clerks – you name it. Whatever the Chaplain needed – we handled.

Once our training was complete – we were off to duty stations. I was headed right for Vietnam after a 19-day leave. Arrived in Vietnam on December 13^th, 1969. In Vietnam our experiences varied greatly. I have one friend that ran the Chapel Coffee House at Long Binh Post. Others were in offices at the larger bases. I ended up with the 199^th Infantry Brigade.

Most of my time was spent out at forward firebases – battalion HQ bases. First, there was Chaplain (CPT) Williams and the 4^th/12^th Infantry at FSB Nancy. CH Williams was great to work for – though the assignment was temporary while his Assistant was on R&R or something. He taught me to play cribbage in the evenings. On our weekly trips to Brigade Main Base (BMB) we would watch the movie together from the jeep – I’d pick him up at the Officer’s Club where he would come out with a drink for himself and one for me.

My permanent assignment was with Chaplain (CPT) Gould and the 2^nd/3^rd Infantry. We started at FSB Blackhorse. My quarters were with Echo Company Special Ops (Rat Patrol & Snipers). Later we moved with the battalion to FSB Mace.

We were paired off with the 3^rd/7^th Infantry. Chaplain Gould and I were Protestant, the 3^rd/7^th Chaplain and Assistant were Catholic. So, we were responsible to Protestant chapel services for our unit as well as the 3^rd/7^th.

Most of the time I drove us where we had to go. Every week we drove back to Brigade Main Base (BMB) on Tuesday, returning to the firebase on Thursday. Chaplain Gould was Duty Chaplain on Wednesdays. This meant that Wednesday was my day to visit the sick and wounded from our units at the Evac Hospitals. I would spend much of the day at 24^th and 93^rd Evac on Long Binh Post. These weekly visits had a lasting effect on me. To this day, it takes a lot to get me to a hospital to visit someone. I think I have visited a friend or relative in the hospital 5 times or less in the ensuing 34 years.

Speaking of driving – when I think back on it, we had to be crazy. We drove by our selves most of the time (no escort). I had asked my Chaplain for at least a radio to put under the back seat in case we had problems. He had visions of a big antenna on the back corner of the jeep – all I wanted was a PRC 25 under the seat. We were not authorized – so no chance. My friends with Echo DID supply me with fragmentation and smoke grenades. I don’t think the Chaplain ever knew I had them with us – he probably would not have approved.

One day we were heading to a remote firebase to hold services. We were supposed to wait on the blacktop highway for the Rat Patrol to escort us down the dirt road to the base. After waiting for a while, Chaplain Gould decided “If the Lord looks over me on the freeways of Seattle – He’ll look over me here. Lets Go.” Now this road was known to have occasional enemy sniper fire, but we went in anyway. Sure glad I had a lot of experience driving a Jeep growing up. When we had completed service, the Rat Patrol was busy and Chaplain was not about to wait – so back out we went. I cut a minute off the drive time on the way out (I knew the road now!). Chaplain Gould didn’t say a word – just hung on!

During my weekly visit to the Evac hospitals, I took the opportunity to go shopping at the Long Binh Post PX. Most weeks I filled up the back of the jeep with supplies for the guys back at the firebase. I had a little bit over everything in there from film to munchies to condoms. (Good thing the Chaplain didn’t know I was carrying condoms!). Much has been written about those that made a lot of money on their “supply” services. I felt I was fortunate to be able to get back to BMB every week, so charged whatever the goods cost me at the PX – no profit or handling charges. Figured it was the least I could do for the guys.

In Vietnam, it was said that the Chaplain had the “pull” equivalent to about 2 ranks above his collar. It certainly seemed to be the case. At times, ice and coffee could be prized commodities on a firebase. When the mess hall was the only place that had ice, I could always get some for the Chaplain – he liked to have his cooler full of cold soda. Of course, I also got a little extra for my cooler and we always had cold beer in my hooch.

When Chaplain Spencer found out I played accordion and could play AT an organ, he procured a small field pump organ for our use. Now being chapel organist was NOT on our list of duties – I did it because I could (much of the time). We were in good shape as long as he chose hymns that I knew. But, if they were ones that I was not familiar with – they got kind of butchered. (Which meant I got chewed out for now practicing enough.)

For being out in the “boonies” at forward firebases, we ran a pretty sophisticated operation. We had a chapel organ. Each week I typed and mimeographed the weekly chapel bulletin and service schedule. At FSB Blackhorse we had a chapel building. At FSB Mace we built a chapel.

Since my Chaplain was on 24 hour call, so was I. This meant that most of my time with the 199^th I was exempt for guard duty, etc. When Brigade forward HQ moved into FSB Mace, my status changed. Suddenly I found myself out on a corner bunker one night with another clerk – pulling guard duty. Besides our M16s, we have a 50-caliber machine gun in front of us. Now, being clerks, neither one of us had ever fired a 50-caliber. We decided it might be a good idea to figure out how to load the belt of ammo. This got us a good chewing out from the Sgt of the Guard. Seems that our bunker was facing the local village so we could NOT have be ammo belt in the weapon, much less a round chambered. Now, as for our M16s, we could have the magazine in the weapon, but not a round chambered. We were told that in order to fire a flare or discharge any of the weapons we either had to 1) be fired upon or 2) get clearance from TOC (Tactical Operations Center). What a way to run a war!

Being out at forward bases was not without its REMF moments. In addition to jeep driver, I was also the mechanic for my jeep. One day, I had the jeep up on the service ramp at FSB Blackhorse. I had been under the jeep doing the regular lubrication. I crawled out from under the jeep and got yelled at because I wasn’t wearing my hat!

In September 1970, the 199^th LIB was getting ready to retire colors so I was transferred to II Field Force Vietnam Artillery. There were 2 of us Assistants working for Chaplain (Maj) Spencer. This was easy duty compared to the 199^th.

HHB IIFFV Atry was in many cases a REMF unit. I remember one morning formation when we were getting a lecture on our uniforms. Baseball caps were regulation, boonie hats were not allowed (in general). There I was wearing my boonie hat, which another soldier commented on. The response: “See that patch on his right shoulder? He came from an infantry unit. He can wear a boonie hat.” I wore my boonie hat with pride from then on!

The work at IIFFV Arty was much more administrative. I actually had a real desk and indoor office! Every Friday the other Assistant and I alternated driving Chaplain Spencer to Saigon to visit with a missionary there. We also visited and hosted Australian Chaplains, traveled out to conduct field chapel services, and ministered to the troops of Headquarters Battery.

Regardless of the unit, the most difficult of my duties was assisting the Chaplain with a Memorial Service. A service was held for each member of our unit killed in action. It was my job to set up the Field Cross for the service. The image of the Field Cross still causes strong emotions as does hearing Taps played at the end of a service.