Focus on History
Number 21 Is KIA
- Details
- November 08, 2011
- Written by Lawrence P. Grayson
At 2:45 p.m., two platoons came under heavy fire on one side of a hill. The chaplain, left his relatively safe position on the other side, and raced across an open area raked by fire to be near the men.
The Chaplain Was a Sky Soldier
- Details
- October 11, 2011
- Written by Lawrence P. Grayson
As the enemy assault intensified, U.S. air strikes and artillery were called in, but they had little effect because of the dense foliage. Then, just after dark, at 6:58 pm, a Marine Corps fighter-bomber released two 500-pound bombs destined for the edge of the American perimeter. One of them struck the upper part of a tree located near the center of the American position and exploded...A Padre in Jump Boots
- Details
- September 14, 2011
- Written by Lawrence P. Grayson
At 1:15 am, on June 6, 1944, most people in German-occupied Normandy were asleep. Then, from the west, came the increasing drone of aircraft engines and of anti-aircraft fire. The largest air armada ever assembled was passing over and now began to drop thirteen thousand paratroopers of the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions, while offshore, five thousand ships carrying 200,000 men lay waiting. Operation Overlord had begun. It was D-Day!
Fr. Joseph O'Callahan: The Bravest Man
- Details
- August 17, 2011
- Written by Lawrence P. Grayson
“Mrs. O’Callahan, your son is the bravest man I ever saw.”What went through this mother’s mind as she listened to Capt. Leslie Gehres, commander of the USS Franklin? Her son did not fit the stereotypical image of a hero. He was more scholarly than athletic, more likely pictured in front of a classroom than in the midst of a combat zone. But, a hero he was.
Fr. Emil Kapaun: The Good Thief
- Details
- August 09, 2011
- Written by Lawrence P. Grayson
Held captive by Chinese troops in a North Korean prison camp, Fr. Emil Kapaun’s faith never wavered. While he was willing to forgive the failings of prisoners toward their captors, he allowed no leeway in regard to the doctrines of the Church. He continually reminded prisoners to pray, assuring them that in spite of their difficulties, Our Lord would take care of them.