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ORA L HIS TOR Y T RAN S C RIP T CAPTAIN ROBERT WOOD COE Chaplain Corps, U.S. Navy (Retired) Commander H. Lawrence Martin Chaplain Corps, U.S. Navy Interviewer ORAL HISTORY PROGRAM Chaplain Corps United States Navy 1985 17 in Series Captain Robert Wood Coe, Jr., CHC, USN ii FOREWORD Chaplain Robert W. Coe, Jr. entered the naval chaplaincy a few. days prior to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and ~er\ied throughout the next twenty:-nine years in a wide variefy of assignments.•... He began his career wi th a brief period of indoctrination at Naval Station, Newport, Rhode Island, after wh{~hheserved with Mari.ne Aircraft Group 24, at first on the . WestCoastancl then on Bougainville in the Pacific theater. His careei. involved ministry both to Navy and Marine Corps commands •. Chaplain Coe was one of the first chaplains to benefit from the Navy Postgraduate Program. This provided him the opportu·nity to study at Harvard Divinity School, from which he earned the Master of Sacred Theology degree in 1948. Throughout much his career, Chaplain Coe was able to minister administratively and pastorally to many of his fellow chaplains. Especially was this true as he served as detailer in the Chaplains Division, Bureau of Naval Personnel; as Force Chaplain, Fleet Marine Force, Pacific; as Force Chaplain, Commander Cruiser-Destroyer Force, Pacific; and as Fleet Chaplain, u. S. Pacific Fleet. Perhaps Chaplain Coe's principal contribution to the Navy was in the training of chaplains. His tour as officer in charge at the Naval Chaplains School at Newport, Rhode Island, iii which extended from September of 1965 to August of 1967, was at the height of the vietnarr. War. During these two years he and two other staff persons, one a chaplain and the other a line officer, taught the indoctrination course to approximately 225 chaplains. Chaplain Coe's leadership in chaplaincy training was continued at his next and final assignment, that of senior chaplain at Marine Corps Base, Camp Pendleton, California. There he provided special training for chaplains preparing to serve with Marines in vietnam. In this task, he wisely used as resource persons those who had recently returned from tours of duty there. Readers of this work will gain helpful insights into the Navy and Marine Corps, and the Chaplain Corps in particular, for those years of Chaplain Coe's service. They will also receive an account of the colorful life and ministry of a faithful chaplain. USN iv PREFACE This volume contains the reminiscences of Robert Wood Coe, Jr.;~'refIecting 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, princip~lly i~theinterestof ac~uracy: and the editor has made minimal but 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 research locations: Naval Historical Center Operational Archives Branch Building 57 Washington Navy Yard Washington, DC 20374 v Marine Corps Historical Center Attn: Oral History Building 58 Washington Navy Yard Washington, DC 20374 Chaplain Resource Board 6500 Hampton Boulevard ,Norfolk, Virginia 23508 Librarian Chaplains School Naval Education and Training Center Newport, RI 02841 - -~ - <; -. --.. - • -. - •• Head, Special Collections Nimi tz. Library U.S. Naval Academy. Anhapolis,MD 21402 Dire~t~r of Oral Hi~~ory U. S. Naval Institute A~riapolis, MD21402 The 'Congregational Christian Historical Society, Inc. 14 Beacon Street Boston, Massachusetts 02108 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 of America. While oral history will never supplant written history, it .does have its advantages: (1) it presents the human element; (2) it enlists the contributions 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 additional research; and (5) it supplements other collection methods. vi It is hoped that this oral history transcript will be a worthwhile contribution in several ~. H. L WRENCE MARTIN Commander, CHC, USN Head, Chaplain Corps History Branch Office of the Chief of Chaplains vii TABLE OF CONTENTS FOREWORD . Rear Admiral Neil M. Stevenson Chaplain Corps, U. S. Navy Chief of Chaplains PREFACE. • • • • • • • . LIST OF PHOTOGRAPHS. SUMMARY OF THE LIFE AND MILITARY CAREER OF ROBERT WOOD COE, JR.. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • . THE SERIES THUS FAR. SESSION ONE: 30 NOVEMBER 1982 INTRODUCTION: THE EARLY YEARS . Birth and Parentage--A Family of Ministers-­ Influences Toward the Ministry--Educational Prep­ aration--ordination and Student Parish in Charlton, Massachusetts--Church Fire--Decision on Naval Chaplaincy--Commissioned in December 1941 SESSION TWO: 30 NOVEMBER 1982 BEGINNING ACTIVE DUTY: NAVAL TRAINING STATION, NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND (1941-42) • • • . • • • • • • •• . •• Reaction to Pearl Harbor Attack--Reporting to Newport, Rhode Island--Guidance from Chaplains Francis T. O'Leary and Bart D. Stephens--G. I. Insurance Lectures--The Newport Community--First Impressions as a Chaplain--Obtaining a Portable Communion and Altar Set--Encouraging Others into the Chaplaincy FIRST DUTY WITH THE MARINE CORPS: MAG-24 (1942--44). Marriage to Elizabeth Adelaide Miner--Children and Grandchildren--Meeting General Ross Rowell-­ Assigned to MAG-24--at Santa Barbara, California-­ The Appeal of Marine Duty--Combat Experience on vi ii Bougainville--A Chapel Built by Seabees--Acquain­ tance with Richard Nixon and Joseph McCarthy-­ Rapid Promotions During the war--uniqueness of Marine Aviation--Deep Feelings of a Marine General NAVAL TRAINING CENTER AT CAMP PEARY, VIRGINIA (1944-45) •• working with prisoners--Confronting a Marine Guard and the Repercussions--sitting on Review Boards-­ Serving with Chaplain Wendell "A" Phillips--Attemp­ ted Manipulations by prisoners--Compulsory worship Attendance--A Heavy Work Load--Augmentation into the Regular Navy SHORE DUTY AGAIN: NAVAL MINE DE~OT, YORKTOWN, VIRGINIA (1945-46). • • . Serving on a Naval Examining Board--Yorktown, liThe Navy's Best-Kept Secret"--A Visit by Chaplains Ackiss and Salisbury--Catholic Coverage--A Chapel-Centered Ministry--Collateral Duties SESSION THREE: 1 DECEMBER 1982 A SERIES OF SHIPS (1946-47) •• . USS AUBURN--Discussions with Admiral Carl Holden-­ A Period of Deactivation--Rewriting an Engineering Log~-Temptation to Leave the Navy--USS ALBEMARLE--worship in the Hangar Bay--Involvement in the Recreation program--USS WYANDOT--A Cruise in the Arctic Circle--"Captain Queeg"--Visiting an Eskimo Chapel in Greenland--Ice Bound POSTGRADUATE TRAINING AT HARVARD DIVINITY SCHOOL (1947-48) ••••••••••••••••••• . Selection for a Full Academic Year--A Small Post­ War Corps--Studying Church History--preference for Latitude in SUbject Matter--Book Allowance --A Helpful and Satisfying Year--Reason for Choos­ ing Harvard--Benefits of the Graduate Program-­ Better Graduate Students at Harvard were Returnees, Despite Their Apprehensions ANOTHER TRAINING CENTER: GREAT LAKES, ILLINOIS (1948-.50) ••••••••' ••••••••••• . Brig Chaplain--Ninth Naval District--working for Chaplain Frederick W. Meehling--A Program ix for Reserve Chaplains--Recalling Reservists for the Korean War--Family Adjustments--Selection for Promotion SECOND MARINE DIVISION, CAMP LEJEUNE, NORTH CAROLINA (1950-52) ••••••••••••••••••••• Depleted Numbers--working with Recalled Reservists --Resurgence of Interest in Religion--Administra­ tive Responsibilities--Implementing the Naval Leadership Program--Duty Preferences--Navy and Marine Corps Compared--Counseling Marines-­ Ministering to Staff NCOs--Relationships with ~Commanding Generals WASHINGTON, D. C. YEARS: THE CHAPLAINS DIVISION 1952-55) ••••••••••••••••• . Environment--Recruiting Chaplains--The Herman Wouk Letter--Careful Screening of Applicants--Work with Endorsing Agents--Quotas and the Increase of Chap­ lains During the Korean War--Jewish Chaplains-­ Working as a Detailer--Procedure for Establishing a Billet--Billet Eliminations--MSTS Reductions-­ Congressional Inquiries--Use of Officer Preference Cards and Billet Assignments--Early Concepts of Career Patterns--Detailing senior Officers-­ Detailing Procedure--Changing Orders--Requests from Individual Chaplains--popularity of the Detailer--Job Satisfaction--Imbalance in Rota­ tion--Cuts in Officer Personnel BACK TO SEA IN A BATTLESHIP: THE USS WISCONSIN (1955-57). The Detailer's Choice--Problem Concerning an Ineffective Chaplain--A Good Atmosphere and Ex­ perience--In Charge of the Boxing Team--Making the Rounds--Family Cruises--Gun Barrel Filled with Balloons--Leadership and Loyalty Aboard Ship--Opportunities for Ministry--Coordinated Ministry with USS BOSTON A THIRD MARINE TOUR: FLEET MARINE FORCE PACIFIC (1957-58) ••••• . serving as Assistant Force Chaplain--working with Old Friends--A Command Encouraging
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