The picture is of a communion service officiated by RC Father John McGovern of Boston, Massachusetts, on the French beachhead on June 12, 1944. On the right is a Estey field organ, issued to chaplains during WWII. It had four octaves, weighed 50-60 lbs, and folded into its own case, 30"x12"x22."
Here's a picture of the field organ being played by Lutheran Chaplain (Cpt.) Paul C. Lutz (1905-1983), somewhere in southern Germany in the spring of 1945. Lutz was a Lutheran pastor of St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Lime Spring, Iowa, who became a chaplain in WWII, serving U.S. troops through Italy, southern France, and eventually into Germany’s Bavaria.
Here is a picture of a chaplain conducting a service at the108th Evacuation Hospital grounds in Normandy. Note the Army Nurse Corps member playing the portable field organ in the background.
Here's another picture of a chaplain conducting a service in WWII with hymns accompanied on a Estey field organ. The knee paddles adjusted the volumne, since the feet were used to pump the air pedals.
6 comments:
Hallowed ground, indeed!
God bless our priests!
I wonder if that is a Lutheran chaplain? Does the photo identify the pastor?
The picture is of a communion service officiated by RC Father John McGovern of Boston, Massachusetts, on the French beachhead on June 12, 1944. On the right is a Estey field organ, issued to chaplains during WWII. It had four octaves, weighed 50-60 lbs, and folded into its own case, 30"x12"x22."
Here's a picture of the field organ being played by Lutheran Chaplain (Cpt.) Paul C. Lutz (1905-1983), somewhere in southern Germany in the spring of 1945. Lutz was a Lutheran pastor of St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Lime Spring, Iowa, who became a chaplain in WWII, serving U.S. troops through Italy, southern France, and eventually into Germany’s Bavaria.
Here is a picture of a chaplain conducting a service at the108th Evacuation Hospital grounds in Normandy. Note the Army Nurse Corps member playing the portable field organ in the background.
Here's another picture of a chaplain conducting a service in WWII with hymns accompanied on a Estey field organ. The knee paddles adjusted the volumne, since the feet were used to pump the air pedals.
Thanks for all that info, Carl. Pretty interesting and amazing stuff.
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