The Story of Chaplain Kapaun, Patriot Priest of the Korean Conflict


Book Description

"His unparalleled courage and leadership inspired all those present, including those who might have otherwise fled in panic, to remain and fight the enemy until captured." Medal of Honor Citation Captain Emil Kapaun, Chaplain of the 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, was one of the heroes of the Korean War. In the face of overwhelming odds he aided his fellow soldiers, spiritually and emotionally, through their darkest days. Indeed, such was his impact on his comrades that they described him as "More than a man -- a Saint." Published only three years after his death, Arthur Tonne's fascinating biography captures the spirit of this wonderful man who endured unspeakable horrors and faced them all defiantly. Drawing upon the accounts of his friends, colleagues and family, along with numerous letters written to and from Kapaun, Tonne gives a vivid depiction of his life from his childhood, through to the moment he joined the Catholic Church, his travels across the world, his first days in the army and his final days in a prison camp in Korea. Arthur Tonne, demonstrates how deeply religious Father Kapaun was, but also how understanding and compassionate he was towards his fellow soldiers and prisoners who did not hold his faith. The testimonies of those who knew Father Kapaun in the battlefields of Korea are particularly moving. Pfc. Ernest J. Ritter "I'm sure there are hundreds of G. I.'s who will never forget what Father Kapaun has done for them. In their hearts they will always remember how he kept up the G. I.'s morale". The Story of Chaplain Kapaun, Patriot Priest of the Korean Conflict is a remarkable account of one Catholic's personal heroism that constantly gave hope to the soldier's around him. Arthur Tonne was an author and Catholic priest. He wrote numerous books during his lifetime and served the community of Pilsen for forty-nine years. This book was first published in 1954 and he died in 2003.




The Story of Chaplain Kapaun, Patriot Priest of the Korean Conflict


Book Description

Daring and devoted, Father Kapaun (pronounced Cape'n) gave his all for the men who were imprisoned with him in North Korea. "He saved my life," was the statement of hundreds who were dragged from the battlefield by him, who were nursed back to health, fed with the food he had "stolen," who were given the will to live and the hope of freedom by this kindly priest. All creeds, colors and classes shared in the kindness and inspiration of this man of God. "100% man," "An inspiration," "A saint." No praise is too great from the men who were with him. Reading the story of Chaplain Kapaun will inspire you. At the time this book was originally published in 1954, The author, Father Arthur Tonne, had authored 22 books, mostly volumes of sermons and collections of stories for preaching and teaching. After five years of teaching, he organized and directed for thirteen years the Newman Club att Kansas State Teachers College, Emporia, where he gave more than 300 talks over radio station KTSW. He had preached missions and retreats in 22 states, and had spoken to numerous university, civic, and fraternal groups. As pastor of St. John Nepomucene, the Pilsen Catholic Church, the home parish of Chaplain Kapaun, he was in an ideal position to secure the material and background for this account of an outstanding patriot.







The Miracle of Father Kapaun


Book Description

Presents the life of the American Catholic priest who served as a chaplain in the Korean War, describing his heroic behavior as a prisoner of war which resulted in his being awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously in 2013.




A Shepherd in Combat Boots


Book Description

Early in the Korean War Chinese forces surrounded troops of the 1st Cavalry Division. Try to escape, the American soldiers warned catholic Chaplain Emil Kapaun. However, he refused to leave his wounded comrades and became a POW. His decision marked a turning point in the inspiring life of this young priest. Kapaun's faith and courage on the battlefield and in prison set an example for hundreds of young American captives. When they were starving, he stole food for them. If the men needed encouragement, he defied prison rules and prayed with them. When the communist guards mocked his faith in God, the chaplain publicly defended his heliefs. When Kapaun became sick, the communists denied him medicine and watched him die in their vermin-infested hospital. However, they could not extinguish the memories of how he served other prisoners. The Army awarded the chaplain the Distinguished Service Cross and the Vatican named him Servant of God. This book is a well-documented biography of an extraordinary person.




Kapaun's Battle


Book Description

Kapaun's Battle is a powerful testament to the heroism of US Army Chaplain Emil Kapaun (Medal of Honor). The story follows him, from the start of the Korean War until his death as a Prisoner of War in a Communist Chinese Prison Camp in 1951, following the destruction of the 3rd Battalion, 8th Regiment of the US 1st Cavalry Division in November 1950. Written by Screenplay Writer Jess Gress, this is the story of a true American hero. This is the story of a young man, from a humble Kansas farming family, whose Catholic faith led him to the priesthood. Kapaun became an Army Chaplain in Southeast Asia during World War II and then a parish priest. He volunteered to return to the Army as tensions rose on the Korean Peninsula. It is the story of Father Emil Kapaun's selfless bravery and dedication to the men he ministered to during the Forgotten War. In 1993, Pope John Paul II declared Father Kapaun a Servant of God, the first stage on the path to canonization. In 2013, Kapaun posthumously received the Medal of Honor from President Obama for his actions in Korea. He was the ninth American military chaplain Medal of Honor recipient. Although this book is relevant to every freedom-loving American and indeed people worldwide, it is especially intended for the enlightenment of students in schools and universities, along with members of religious congregations and military personnel, to the incredible impacts that one humble, pious American can have on the lives of so many by sacrificing his for them.




The Grunt Padre


Book Description

"Previously distributed as a masters thesis by the same title"--T.p. verso. Includes index. Chaplains, Military -- Biography.




The Saint Makers


Book Description

Part biography of a wartime adventurer, part detective story, and part faith journey, this intriguing book from a New York Times journalist and bestselling author takes us inside the modern-day making of a saint. The Saint Makers chronicles the unlikely alliance between Father Hotze and Dr. Andrea Ambrosi, a country priest and a cosmopolitan Italian canon lawyer, as the two piece together the life of a long dead Korean War hero and military chaplain and fashion it into a case for eternal divinity. Joe Drape offers a front row seat to the Catholic Church's saint-making machinery—which, in many ways, has changed little in two thousand years-and examines how, or if, faith and science can co-exist. This rich and unique narrative leads from the plains of Kansas to the opulent halls of the Vatican, through brutal Korean War prison camps, and into the stories of two individuals, Avery Gerleman and Chase Kear, whose lives were threatened by illness and injury and whose family and friends prayed to Father Kapaun, sparking miraculous recoveries in the heart of America. Gerleman is now a nurse, and Kear works as a mechanic in the aerospace industry. Both remain devoted to Father Kapaun, whose opportunity for sainthood relies in their belief and medical charts. At a time when the church has faced severe scandal and damage, and the world is at the mercy of a pandemic, this is an uplifting story about a priest who continues to an example of goodness and faith. Ultimately, The Saint Makers is the story of a journey of faith—for two priests separated by seventy years, for the two young athletes who were miraculously brought back to life with (or without) the intercession of the divine, as well as for readers—and the author—trying to understand and accept what makes a person truly worthy of the Congregation of Saints in the eyes of the Catholic Church.




A Saint Among Us


Book Description




The Shepherd Who Didn't Run


Book Description

"The shepherd cannot run at the first sign of danger." -FATHER STANLEY FRANCIS ROTHER Father Stanley Rother was true to his word. He did not run. And he was martyred at the age of 46. Father Stanley arrived in Guatemala in 1968, and he immediately identified with his parishioners' simple, farming lifestyle. He learned their languages, prepared them for the sacraments, and cared for their needs. Father Stanley - or "Padre Francisco", as he was called by his beloved Tz'utujil Indians - had found his heart's calling. After nearly a decade, the violence of the Guatemalan civil war found its way into the peaceful village of Santiago Atitlán. Disappearances, killings, and danger became daily occurrences, but despite this unrest Father Stanley remained hard at work, building a farmers' co-op, a school, a hospital, and the first Catholic radio station, used for catechesis. In early 1981, his name was on a death list, so he returned to Oklahoma and was warned not to go back to Guatemala. But he could not abandon his people, so he went back, and made the ultimate sacrifice for his faith. "Pray for us that we may be a sign of the love of Christ for our people," said Father Stanley, "that our presence among them will fortify them to endure these su fferings in preparation for the coming of the Kingdom." Includes 16 pages of photos.