ORAL HISTORY TRANSCRIPT CAPTAIN JOHN HAROLD CRAVEN Chaplain Corps, U. S. Navy (Retired) Corrmander H. Lawrence Martin Chaplain Corps, U. S. Navy Interviewer ORAL HISTORY PROGRAM Chaplain Corps United States Navy 1980 2 in Series FOREWORD Chaplain John H. Craven experienced a long and rich association with the Navy and the Marine Corps--forty years with the exception of the three years he spent in his basic theological training. Coming from a rural community in the Midwest and lacking funds for college, he entered the Marine Corps as a recruit in 1933. In 1935, with a sense of calling to the Christian ministry, he requested separation from the Marine Corps in order to further his education. During his college years, Chaplain Craven was affiliated with the Marine Corps Reserve; but since there was at that time no Theological Student Program, it was necessary for him to discontinue association with the military during his seminary years. When his training was completed, however, he returned to the military he loved so well, with the conviction that his call to preach the gospel was also a call to the military chaplaincy. Chaplain Craven was anxious for an assignment with the Marines, which came with his second tour. He was soon off to the Pacific theatre during World War II, in time for action at Kwajalein in the Marshall Islands and at Saipan, Tinian, and Iwo Jima. He was awarded the Bronze Star Medal with Combat "V" ii "for meritorious achievement as a Chaplain attached to the Fourth Marine Division, during action against enemy Japanese forces on Saipan, Marianas Islands, on June 16, 1944. " Chaplain Craven also served with the Marines during the Korean War as he took part in the Inchon Invasion and later ministered in the Chosin Reservoir area in extreme cold during heavy combat conditions. He was awarded the Legion of Merit and a gold star in lieu of a second Bronze Star Medal. Following other outstanding tours with the Marines and with the Navy both at sea and ashore, including a tour as Director of Ecclesiastical Relations in the Bureau of Naval Personnel, Chaplain Craven experienced a third war with the l1arines as he served as Staff Chaplain for Fleet Marine Force, Pacific during the height of the Vietnam War. During the last five years of his career of more than thirty years as a naval chaplain, he served with distinction as The Chaplain, U. S. Marine Corps. It has been said that John Craven has experienced more danger under intense enemy fire than any other living Navy chaplain. The contributions of Chaplain Craven as a Navy chaplain are numerous. He was instrumental in the initiation and imple­ mentation of the Personal Response Program in Vietnam. He improved the channels for providing equipment and supplies in a expeditious manner for Navy chaplains serving with Marine units. He did much to improve relations between the Chaplain Corps and the civilian religious community. At the National Naval Medical Center and elsewhere he encouraged and pioneered iii in the training 0:1; younger chaplains. His own interest in continuing education is evidenced by his graduate studies at Harvard and by his successful completion of the Doctor of Ministry degree program at McCormick Theological Seminary following his retirement. While performing a truly ecumenical ministry, Chaplain Craven through the years has been noted for his denominational loyalty. He did much while at the ecclesiastical relations desk to make churches and faith groups aware of their constant c responsibility for their members who were serving in the armed forces. Following his retirement in 1973, he served for a year as pastor of a church in Okinawa under the auspices of the Foreign Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention. Since 1974, he has served as Director of Social Ministries on the staff of the Norfolk (Virginia) Baptist Association. In John Craven the Navy had the service of one of its truly great chaplains--a person of indefatigible energy, in­ curable optimism, undaunted faith, and fierce loyalty. While the naval chaplaincy is now experiencing its greatest peace­ time growth in history, may his tribe increase. ~i.~ ROSS H. TROWER Rear Admiral, CHC, USN Chief of Chaplains iv P~F~E This volume contains the reminiscences of John Harold Craven, reflecting his personal recollection at the time of the interview. No attempt has been made to confirm the historical accuracy of the statements made. The reader is reminded that he is reading a transcript of the spoken word. The interviewee has had the opportunity to make slight additions, deletions, and changes as desired, prin­ cipallyin the interest of accuracy; and the editor has made minimal, although important, revision, largely in the interest of clarity; but no attempt has been made to arrive at a polished literary style. Editorial notes are made in brackets. In this way also, when feasible, the first names and middle initials have been supplied in first or sole instances where persons are mentioned by their last names only. The Table of Contents and the Index are calculated to make the work more readily available to researchers whose interests may be limited. Copies of this interview will be deposited in several re­ search locations: Naval Historical Center Operational Archives Branch Building 210 Washington Navy Yard Washington, DC 20374 v Marine Corps Historical Center Attn: Oral History Building 58 Washington Navy Yard Washington, DC 20374 . Director .. Chaplain Resources Board ·Building Z-357 . Naval Station Norfolk, VA 23511 "Director Chaplains School Naval Education and Training Center Newport, RI 02840 . Head, Special Collections Nimitz Library U. S. Naval Academy Annapolis, MD 21402 Director of Oral History . U. S. Naval Institute Annapolis, MD 21402 Historical Commission Southern Baptist Convention 127 Ninth Avenue North _Nashville, TN 37234 All existing rights in copyrights have been assigned to the Chaplain Corps of the Department of the Navy, acting on behalf of the United States. While oral history will never supplant written history, it does have its advantages: (1) it presents the human element; (2) it enlists the contribution of many who would never write; (3) it gets behind the scenes, telling the why and the how as well as the when and the where; (4) it provides clues for addi­ tional research; and (6) it supplements other collection methods. vi It is hoped that this oral history transcript will be a worthwhile contribution in one or more ~~ these ways. L ~. V{~Ll1>,; fj. H. LAWRENCE MARTIN vii TABLE OF CONTENTS FOREWORD . ii Rear Admiral Ross H. Trower Chief of Chaplains U. S. Navy PREFACE. • . .. • v LIST OF PHOTOGRAPHS •. xiii SUMMARY OF THE LIFE AND CAREER OF JOHN H. CRAVEN xv SESSION ONE: 21 July 1980 PREPARATION FOR MINISTRY 1 Enlistment in the Marine Corps--Call to the Ministry--Separation to Study for the Ministry-­ Conviction of Call to the Chaplaincy--Southwest Baptist College and Central Baptist Theological Seminary--Chaplains School at Norfolk, Virginia FIRST DUTY: SAMPSON NAVAL TRAINING CENTER, NEW YORK 8 A Continued Training Experience--Influence of W. W. Edell--Ministry to Recruits--Cooperation of the Churches ACTION IN THE MARSHALL ISLANDS . 11 The 4th Marine Division, 14th Regiment--Training and Preparation at Camp Lejeune--Intensive Training at Camp Pendleton--Counseling Men in the Unit--Hitting Kwajalein Atoll at Midnight (January 1944)--A Quiet Landing, With Action Later--To Maui in the Hawaiian Islands to Prepare for Further Combat ACTION AT SAIPAN AND TINIAN... 17 viii D-Day at Saipan--A Scorpion Bite--In Danger of Snipers--Visiting the Units--Caring for Casualties--Correspondence With Relatives--the Bronze Star Medal--A Model Landing at Tinian-­ Fellow Chaplains Wounded--"Mental Damage" of the Japanese--Back to Hawaii THE INVASION OF IWO JIMA . 21 Training and Preparation at Maui--The Kahalui Baptist Church--Morale Problems--Response to Ministry--The Landing (February 1945)--Foxhole . Experience--Ministry to the Wounded--The Raising of the Flag--Return to Maui--Detachment THE AFTERMATH OF WAR . 30 . To the Marine Corps Base, Camp Pendleton, Cali­ fornia--Giving Advice to Young Chaplains-­ Deactivation--The Attitude of Chaplains Regarding Their Service--The Morale of Chaplains Due to Demobilization--"The Point is I Don't Plan to . Get Out"--The USS OKALOOGA, A Difficult Situa­ tion--Other Amphibious Duty--The Temptation of the Pastorate MINISTERING TO MARINE RECRUITS . 38 To Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, South Carolina--Getting Acquainted With Recruits-­ Religious Instructions--Baptisrns--Brother Allen a Recruit, Later Chaplain--Chaplain Craven's Recollection of Life as a Recruit--A Ministry of Presence--Pastoral Care of the Staff Personnel-­ Marine Corps Birthday Celebration THE KOREAN WAR . 43 To the Second Marine Division at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina--Emphasis on Character Guidance-­ Deployment to the Mediterranean With the Third Battalion, Sixth Marines--War in June 1950--to Japan--Inchon Invasion in August 1950--0verseeing Coverage as Regimental Chaplain of Seventh Marines, SESSION TWO: 22 July 1980 THE KOREAN WAR (CONTINUED) 47 Personal Views on the War--"Nightmare Alley"-­ Helping Those Who Were "Shook Up"--The Church ix Bell Incident--Heavy Casualties at Udamni-­ Suffering From Extreme Cold--Evacuating Casualties at Hagaru-ri--Toward Koto-ri and Ambushment--To Hamhung and Aboard Ship (December 1950)--Awards--Baptismal Service at Masan--More About Awards THE BUREAU OF NAVAL PERSONNEL, WASHINGTON, D. C•• 62 To Head Ecclesiastical Relations--Editing the ~ Chaplains Bulletin--Recommendation Re­ garding Organizational Position of the Chief of Chaplains--Recommendation for a Chaplain on the Staff of Headquarters U. S. Marine Corps--Issue of Uniform to be Worn by Chaplains Serving With Marines--Association With Chaplain Clifford Drury--More About the ~ Chaplains Bulletin--Travel and Speaking Engagements-­ Dialogue With Endorsing Bodies--First Navy Chaplain Corps Anniversary Observance .