May 23, 1951
Chaplain Emil Kapaun
Father Emil Kapaun was born on April 20, 1916 in Pilsen, Kansas. He attended grade school and his first two years of high school at St. John’s Parish School in Pilsen. His last two years of high school and his college courses were completed at Conception College, Conception, MO. Following his theological studies at Kenrick Seminary, St. Louis, MO, Bishop Winkelmann ordained him on June 9, 1940 at Sacred Heart College, Wichita. His first assignment as assistant and later as pastor was to his home parish in Pilsen along with serving as auxiliary chaplain at the Herrington Military Camp. From 1944 to 1946 he served as an army chaplain in India and Burma. After his discharge from the military service, Father Kapaun studied at Catholic University in Washington, D.C. and then was made pastor of Timkin on April 9, 1948. On November 15, 1948 he re-enlisted in the army and was sent to Fort Bliss, TX and then to Kyoto, Japan. On July 10, 1950 he was with an invasion force that landed in Korea. He was constantly serving on the front lines and twice had his pipe shot out of his mouth. On November 2, 1950 he was captured near Unsan and performed many heroic acts of service for his fellow prisoners before he died in a Red “hospital” at Pyoktong on May 23, 1951. He wrote before his capture, “War is terrible…we are close to heaven but really we are more in hell.” (The Advance Register, May, 10, 1957) He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, the Legion of Merit, and the Bronze Star.