Religion: Chaplains Courageous

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Two years ago this month, the 8th Regiment of the U.S. 1st Cavalry Division was pressed inside a tiny perimeter on the Korean front by steady Communist attacks. The Reds pierced the lines and cut off the command post and the regiment's medical station. While the colonel organized his headquarters troops for a breakout, Chaplain Emil J. Kapaun kept up the spirits of the wounded and helped prevent panic among those left to fight. At dusk the survivors fought their way back to the U.N. lines. Kapaun stayed behind, doctoring the wounded who could not be moved, and praying with them. He has not been seen again.

Father Kapaun, 36, a Roman Catholic, was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross. This week the Defense Department counted up its chaplain casualties in Korea —seven of them killed and five (including Kapaun) missing in action. Their names:

FRANCIS X. COPPENS, 37, Roman Catholic; killed in action on May 27, 1951, while serving with the 24th Infantry Division.

LEO P. CRAIG, 37, Roman Catholic; blown up (April 5, 1951) while making his way through a minefield to attend three wounded soldiers. He was awarded the Bronze Star.

ROBERT M. CRANE, 35, Episcopalian; mortally wounded by enemy shellfire on March 11, 1952. He was awarded an Oak Leaf Cluster (in lieu of a second Bronze Star) for heroism.

HERMAN G. FELHOELTER, 36, Roman Catholic; killed in action July 16, 1950, while serving with the 19th Infantry Regiment. He, also, had stayed behind with his unit's wounded when the lines were overrun. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.

BYRON D. LEE, 33, Nazarene Church; killed in action while serving with the 25th Infantry Division on July 25, 1950.

SAMUEL R. SIMPSON, 44, Methodist; killed in action on Nov. 30, 1950, while serving with the 2nd Infantry Division.

WENDELL BYRD, 40, Church of God; killed on Oct. 27, 1951, by an anti-personnel mine.

LAWRENCE F. BRUNNERT, 35, Roman Catholic; missing in action since Dec. 2, 1950, while serving with the 32nd Infantry Regiment.

WAYNE H. BURDUE, 41, Disciples of Christ; missing in action since Nov. 30, 1950. (His wife has since received a letter from him, written in a Red prison camp.)

JAMES W. CONNER, 36, Episcopalian; serving with the 31st Infantry Regiment when declared missing in action Dec. 1, 1950.

KENNETH C. HYSLOP, 36, Northern Baptist; reported missing in action on Nov. 4, 1950. He was given the Bronze Star four months before, when he stayed with wounded men who could not be evacuated, until he was seriously wounded himself.