Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1919-03-15
CHAPLAIN
TO Go to Europe Was Father
John j. Brady, of the
Marines.
s3
Awarded Distinguished Service Cross
For Bravery and Devo-
ton to Duty.
Returns Home and Applies for Per-
manent appointment as
Navy Chaplain
SAYS MARINES ARE FEARLESS

Father John ]. Brady, the
Fighting Chaplain of the, Fifth
Marines came home Monday on
the steamer Niagara. He wore the
Distinguished Service Cross award
ed him for bravery and devotion
to duty, but he would not talk
about it. But some of the Marines
on board were not so backward and
gave a brief record of the chap
lain's work in France.
On one occasion In August last
year, just before the launching OF
big offensive, he climbed over the
top and administered absolution to
thirty Germans in the trenches. He
was under fire constantly and
braved death scores of times while
he sought his men in "No Mans
Land" After administering the
last rites he would carry the fallen
soldiers back of the lines for speedy
medical attention.
On st. Patrick's day, 1918, he
was riding along the front in an
auto with three Frenchmen. A she'll
hit the car. demolishing it and kill
ing the Frenchmen almost in
stantly. Father Brady, with the
exception of being shaken up, was
unhurt and regained his regiment.
He was lost three times at the
battle front while searching for lost
Marines. He crawled across the
battle-swept areas late one night to
a listening post to hear the confess
sion of a man who was stationed
there. Machine gun bullets were
falling about him, but he reached
his destination. After hearing the
confession he administered COM
munion and crawled back through
the flying shells to the trenches.
The citation, dated December 6,
1919, reads:
Recommended for the Dis
tinguished Service Cross, Chaplain
John ]. Brady, of the United States
Navy, for his devotion to duty and
utmost disregard of personal safety
during the attack of June 6, 1918,
in the Bots de Belleau. Father
Brady exposed himself fearlessly
throughout the. attack, passing up
and down the front lines, cheering
the men and caring for those who
were wounded. His presence on
the front lines did much to keep
the men in good spirits during such
trying attack"
The chaplain said that while he
aided the Germans spiritually ne
could not be prevailed on to carry
any of them of the field. He said:
"The shells fell about me, but
somehow or other they never hit
me. Talk about your grill Why,
IL was the fearlessness of the brave
American soldiers that played the
major part in bringing the enemy
countries to terms. Take for ex-
ample the case of a young marine
in our regiment who walked to a
well at 2 o'clock in the morning
with canteens tied to a stick which
he carried carelessly over his shout
der. The cans made an awful
racket and soon the Germans nearby
were awakened and opened fire.
Shells were flying all around him,
but he filled his canteens and came
back 1 asked him why he went,
and added that he might have been
flattened out. oh, shucksl Father
he said, what's the use OF being
scared of those fellows: they can't
hit anything That's the spirit OF
the average American lad who went
across the water to take part in the
great war for righteousness"
While in France Father Brady
was senior army chaplain in the
district of and surrounding Paris.
Had he not been a naval officer on
detached duty he would have been
promoted to the rank of Major.
He had been chaplain In the navy
three years when we entered the
war and Immediately made appli-
cation for a transfer to the Marine
Corps and was the first chaplain
overseas. Before entering the navy
Father Brady was assistant rector
to ST, Veronica's church, No. 1853
Christopher street, New York
Father Brady went to Washing
ton to make application for perma-
nent duty as chaplain in the navy.