Evening star., 1952-12-25
Cardinal Spe|Iman
Celebrates Mass for
u. n. Troops in Korea
BY the Associated Press

WITH THE U. S. I'd DIVISION
KOREA. Dec. 25.-Francis Cardi.
nal Spellman celebrated mass fol
800 soldiers and administered the
sacrament of confirmation to the
I'd Division commander this Christ.
mas Day.
Gen. James A. Van Fleet, u. S.
Bth Army commander, flew to this
division command post to attend
the mass.
Before mass. Cardinal Spellman
confirmed Maj. Gen. James c. Fry,
Washington. D. c., a recent con-
vert to the Roman Catholic
church. Capt. j. Segda, Olyphant
Pa, commanding officer of the I'd
Medical Battalion, was the gen.
erals sponsor.
(The generals wife lives at 617
Juniper lane, Ravenwood. Falls
Church, Va. A son, James C.
Fry, jr., lives at 119 Leesburg
pike, Falls church,
Second Christmas in Korea.
Cardinal Spellman is spending
his second consecutive Christmas
In this war-torn land.
Soldiers from the French, Dutch
and Thailand battalions, from the
South Korean army and from
every American company in the
I'd Division jammed into the
chapel tent to attend his Christ
mas mass.
The silver-haired Archbishop of
New York told the soldiers he was
very happy Ito live over again the
inspiring experiences of last
Christmas in Korea"
Gen. Fry said, I'm very happy
to be confirmed and to be con-
firmed by the cardinal on Christ
mas Day, my birthday" Gen Fry
is SIS today. He attended midnight
mass last night, celebrated by
Father (CaptD John j. Morrison,
New York City, Catholic chaplain
OF the division. The general re-
ceived holy communion with his
officers and enlisted men.
After mass, Cardinal Spellman
and Gen. Van Fleet were photo
graphed with representatives OF
the five nations at the service.
The mass was served by Father
(Capt0 Francis c. Biel, chaplain
Of the 18th Field Artillery Bat
talon and a Franciscan priest
from Baltimore, and Father
(CaptD Connor Smith of Jamaica,
Long Island. N. Y, chaplain of
the 23d Regiment.
Mass for $500 Marines.
Earlier, Cardinal Spellman cele-
brated Christmas mass for $500
Leathernecks of the 1st Marine
Division.
After the mass, the Cardinal
met and talked with Marines in
dividually.
Father (Comdr.) Edward Slat-
terry, Newark, N. j., division chap
lain, and five other Marine chap
lains gave holy communion to 750
men.
An all-Marine choir Of 20 sang
Christmas carols and liturgical
music under the direction of
Father UtD Matthew Strumski,
Providence, r. I.
Maj. Gen. Edwin Pollock, Alex
andria, Va. division commander.
and Brig. Gen. Robert Bare. La
Jolla, Calf, assistant division
commander, attended the mass.
Guns Provide Background.
At 1St Corps Chapel last night,
Cardinal Spellman delivered a
midnight sermon and told United
State fighting men they were en-
gagged in "a crusade to defend our
country and sustain the rights of
God and the rights Of man from
assaults of the enemies Of God
and man."
A crowd Of more than 600 SOL
diers overf1owed the chapel, many
OF them wearing battle dress and
parkas with white fur hood liners.
About 300 of them received holy
communion.
The thud of artillery could be
heard in the distance as the Card
inal spoke.
Under Gods providence" he
said, you are in the vanguard
Of this crusade; you are the fore
front and the spearhead of the
resistance to Goddess leaders and
tyranny-driven foes who know
and care nothing of truth, nothing
of honor, nothing of mercy, moth
ing of love-"