[This article was submitted by Stella Naulo]
The morning of Dec. 7, 1941, dawned quietly over the Hawaiian island of Oahu.
The sun touched the waters of Pearl Harbor with gold, the streets were calm, and the air carried the gentle tolling of church bells. Soldiers at Hickam Field gathered for breakfast. Chaplains prepared for worship, and the island seemed at peace.
At exactly 7:55 HST, the sky roared.
Aircraft appeared over the horizon. Explosions shattered the calm, smoke filled the air, and in a matter of hours, the world changed forever.
The attack on Pearl Harbor was meant as a strategic military strike, part of a wider global conflict that had already engulfed much of the world. It was a day that revealed the terrible reach of war but also the extraordinary strength of the human spirit. Amid the destruction, countless acts of courage and compassion unfolded. Soldiers rushed to rescue the wounded, medics turned dining halls into makeshift hospitals, and chaplains moved through the chaos offering prayers, comfort, and calm where there was none. In these moments, the strength of faith and the resilience of the human spirit became a beacon.
At Hickam Field, two young chaplain assistants, now called religious affairs specialists, became symbols of that faith and courage. They were known affectionately as “the two Joes.”
Catholic chaplain assistant, Private First Class Joseph “Big Joe” Nelles, had attended First Mass and was preparing the altar for a second service when a bomb destroyed Hickam Chapel. The base chaplain later wrote to his parents: “The poor lad was ready to meet his Maker and receive his reward for his death, though indeed most sudden, was not an unproved one ... Joe was a splendid boy who did much for the Holy Mother church while here, being untiring in his efforts to lead his fellow Soldiers to God." Today, Nelles Chapel on Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam stands in his honor, a sacred space built upon his legacy of faith and service.
Protestant Chaplain Assistant, Private Joseph “Little Joe” Jedrysik, was leaving breakfast on his way to the base chapel when the bombing began. Without hesitation, he ran toward the sound of battle, manning a machine gun in an open field near the base flagpole. He fired at incoming Japanese aircraft until he was killed by a bomb. In his final moments, Little Joe embodied the Chaplain Corps motto: Pro Deo et Patria - For God and Country.
Other Army chaplains met the attack with courage and resolve.
At Hickam Field, Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Edmund C. Sliney led Chaplain (1st Lt.) Mullan and Chaplain (1st Lt.) James Patrick through smoke and debris to minister to the injured. Chaplain (1st Lt.) Elmer Tiedt assisted Sliney in ensuring every Soldier received care.
At Schofield Barracks, Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Harry P. Richmond, a Jewish Rabbi, rushed to the hospital, offering prayers and comfort to the wounded. Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Terence P. Finnegan guided Soldiers through the terror, providing calm and reassurance. Chaplain (1st Lt.) Daniel J. McCarthy moved from ward to ward, praying over the fallen and comforting the living.
At Wheeler Field, Chaplain (1st Lt.) Alvin Katt heard the blasts on the flight line and saw P-40s destroyed in the attack. Men were dying around him, including two from his chapel choir. Without hesitation, he rushed to the hospital and joined Chaplains Finnegan and Richmond, ministering to the wounded and dying, offering prayers and comfort amid the chaos.
Every step they took reinforced the courage and devotion that define the Army Chaplain Corps.
When the smoke cleared, the true cost of freedom stood before them. Shoulder to shoulder, Soldiers and chaplains stood with grieving Families, their hearts heavy yet resolute, bound by the unbreakable spirit of American resolve.
On this Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, 84 years later, we remember those who gave their lives in service. Their courage and faith continue to inspire a Nation that stands united and vigilant, with Americans patriots defending freedom around the world today.
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