Wednesday, July 29, 2015

This day in history


Happy Birthday Army Chaplain Corps!

With the recent hostility against military chaplainsit is worth recalling the distinguished history of the chaplain corps as it celebrates its 240th birthday.
On July 29, 1775, the Army Chaplain Corps was organized by the Continental Congress. Numerous famous leaders have served as military chaplains, including Robert Treat Paine, a signer of the Declaration of Independence. 
WallBuilders has numerous original sermons preached by those who served as Revolutionary War chaplains, including Manasseh Cutler (chaplain to four different units), Benjamin Trumbull (also a noted historian), and Timothy Dwight (who later became President of Yale).
The rich legacy of the service and sacrifice of chaplains continued long after the American Revolution. For example, Hiram Rhodes RevelsAmerica's first black U.S. Senator, was a chaplain during the Civil War. James Naismith, who invented the game of basketball, was a chaplain in WWI. During WWII, the"Four Chaplains" gave their lives to save hundreds of soldiers during the sinking of the Dorchester.
Although Chaplains are now under direct assault from Progressives and Secularists, their work is indispensable to the spiritual, mental, and emotional well-being of America soldiers, sailors, and airmen.
So, Happy Birthday to the military chaplain corps!
(We have posted many interesting original documents and artifacts related to military chaplains.)

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