{"id":2735,"date":"2014-11-22T17:38:04","date_gmt":"2014-11-22T23:38:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/home.snc.edu\/susanallen\/?p=2735"},"modified":"2014-11-22T17:38:04","modified_gmt":"2014-11-22T23:38:04","slug":"a-soldiers-tale","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sncmagazine.knight.domains\/uncategorized\/a-soldiers-tale\/","title":{"rendered":"A Soldier\u2019s Tale"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

The <\/span>Rev. Anselm Keefe, O.Praem., \u201916<\/strong> (left)\u00a0touched thousands of lives in positive ways. Priest, teacher, biologist and dean of the college, Keefe (1895-1974) also served in the U.S. Army as colonel and chaplain.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

At the magazine, we recently received new insights into Keefe\u2019s service during World War II when we heard from\u00a0Jim Richie \u201957<\/strong> and his son Gary. The Richies attend St. Joseph\u2019s Catholic Church in Rice Lake, Wis. It was there that they met Sgt. Walt Zimmer, now 95 years old, who remembers Keefe from the time the two men spent in the service together. Jim, who worked for Keefe on campus after the war, was excited to hear Zimmer\u2019s stories about this less-known chapter of the Norbertine’s life. <\/em>Gary Richie explains that, even\u00a0off-campus, Keefe was a powerful presence. <\/em><\/em>He takes up the tale:<\/em><\/em><\/p>\n

Zimmer first met Father Keefe in 1941 at Camp Shelby, near Hattiesburg, Mississippi. They would stay together for four years. The unit was a regiment composed of enlisted men and volunteers. Later, it became the 135th Medical Group, and they trained for their mission. After completion of training, the regiment boarded a ship, not knowing their destination. \u201cIt was like a banana boat, packed like sardines in a can,\u201d Zimmer recalled. \u201cIt was difficult.\u201d After several stops, and 37 days later, the 135th Regiment ended up in Australia.<\/p>\n

During the trip, Father Keefe celebrated Mass on the ship\u2019s deck every Sunday using a box for an altar. His welcome was ecumenical, for soldiers of all denominations. Keefe sensed the pains of war were drawing near, and he wanted to prepare the soldiers mentally and spiritually. Soon they would be in combat. His message spoke of the importance of unity and bonding together. He emphasized that they would have to depend on each other at all times for their survival, and the success of the soon-to-be-assigned mission. Chaplain Keefe knew that faith would be each soldier\u2019s best friend in whatever the coming days would bring.<\/p>\n

The expected Japanese invasion of Australia was halted. The U.S. Navy and Air Force attacked and destroyed the Japanese ships that were en route. Zimmer said, \u201cWe were loaded once again on a hospital ship, destination was New Guinea, which was infected with Japanese soldiers. We landed. A hospital was built with tents on the shore. Later it was moved inland, closer to combat.\u201d According to Zimmer, \u201cChaplain Keefe\u2019s duties increased as the fighting intensified. We moved inland and reset the hospital four times.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to Zimmer, soldier ingenuity was used when they set up hospitals, built washing machines out of barrels, and dug wells for fresh drinking water 120 feet deep. The well solved a fresh drinking water problem, and served a number of units that were passing through. Chaplain Keefe was right there, supporting these survival projects. He wanted to be one of the boys. Zimmer stated, \u201che could befriend anyone. He was well-educated, but yet \u2018common.\u2019\u00a0\u201d\u00a0Soldiers carrying out their assignments earned and received his utmost respect. He received their respect. They called him \u2018Padre.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n

Being a college professor, Father Keefe took his biological acclaim with him in his military deployment. Zimmer states, \u201cHe would wear a belt with little bottles and collect specimens. One included a newly-found species of mosquito.\u201d He would send many of those specimens back to St. Norbert College.<\/span><\/p>\n

It was Father Keefe\u2019s practical application of day to day biology that helped the troops survive the jungle environment. Zimmer recalled one morning a large snake wrapped itself around a jeep motor. Keefe was called. He said not to kill it. He chloroformed it. \u201cSave it. It will eat a lot of pests,\u201d Keefe was heard to say.<\/span><\/p>\n

Being in a wet jungle was a problem. Zimmer said that more than 60 percent of the soldiers were infected by mosquitoes carrying malaria \u2013 a type of fever that could cause death. Father Keefe worked on malaria prevention. He sprayed mosquito breeding areas with kerosene. He had soldiers were long sleeve shirts and leggings, which also helped prevent snake bites, another problem to troops. Sleeping aids, such as bags, hammocks, and cots were protected with netting. Keefe recommended lizards be placed inside netting to eat mosquitoes that made their way in. Keeping feet dry in jungle conditions was also a difficult task. Especially when that geographical area could receive eight inches of rainfall in a half hour. It added misery, and it was depressing. Also, it could cause a fungus, jungle rot, that would lodge itself between the toes. Nevertheless, life for the soldiers went on.<\/span><\/p>\n

Some of the natives spoke German, which they learned from early German mission settlements. They could communicate and were a big help in supporting common survival tasks. Their knowledge would help lost soldiers or cut off units return to their base across mountains or rugged country. Father Keefe emphasized the natives\u2019 important role in the Campaign during his church services. He passed helmets during the service for collections, and gave the money to poor native church missions. Zimmer said, \u201cBecause of his generous personality, helmets overflowed.\u201d Soldiers were not supposed to gamble. Zimmer heard Father tell the troops he would keep quiet if winners gave their money to the church mission collection.<\/span><\/p>\n

One of Keefe\u2019s best friends was his sister, a postal worker. He would receive a little drink of alcohol. It was shared. It was a taste for many. It was the highlight of their work. Keefe\u2019s sister would mark the bottle of alcohol \u201cmilk of magnesia,\u201d so it would get by security. The small taste of alcohol, and the challenge of getting it by security, helped pass the time of being overseas. There was a group who were making booze. It was against orders. Zimmer said, \u201cFather Keefe walked in on them. His response was, \u2018I\u2019ll keep quiet if you give me a sample.\u2019 \u201d\u00a0He knew soldiers needed something to ease the stress of war.<\/span><\/p>\n

Keefe helped soldiers maintain their faith when dealing with the difficult moments of battle and war. He used meaningful Bible quotations and taught them a short prayer to give them strength and courage to carry on:<\/em><\/p>\n

Lord and Savior
\nMay the Cross of Jesus Christ
\n<\/span>Stand between us and all danger
\n<\/span>Both in body and soul <\/span><\/p>\n

His presence and commitment to the troops gave them a sense of security. In his sermons, he would point out to the soldiers \u201cthe good of the mission.\u201d He thanked the soldiers and their families for the sacrifice they were making, and helped them think in a positive way.<\/em><\/p>\n

Zimmer states, \u201c<\/em>It was a privilege and honor to share in Keefe\u2019s life, and volunteer to serve Mass for him. Knowing the chaplain has made my life more complete. I\u2019ll never forget him, and I think about the Padre a lot. He was a man of principle and strong beliefs. Once you met him, you wanted to know more about him. He had a mystique. It earned your respect. It all centered on his being a humanitarian. All his energy and dedication flowed from that trait. His deep spirituality brought compassion to all he served.\u201d<\/p>\n

Our thanks to publications intern Anja Marshall \u201917<\/strong> for introducing and editing this post.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Rev. Anselm Keefe, O.Praem., \u201916 (left)\u00a0touched thousands of lives in positive ways. Priest, teacher, biologist and dean of the college, Keefe (1895-1974) also served in the U.S. Army as colonel and chaplain. At the magazine, we recently received new…<\/p>\n

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