continued
ST.
MICHAEL’S AND THE WAR
Saint Michael’s first association with the armed services of World
War II was in the person of Father Charles J.
Hacherl, who served as an assistant to Father James learns from
June of 1936 to August of 1937. At this time Father Hacherl joined the
United States Navy as a chaplain. He served in that capacity during
peace time, throughout the entire war period, and after the war until
May, 1947. Severing his relationship with the armed services, he
returned to the diocese of Erie in July, 1947 and was appointed pastor
of Saint Nicholas’ Parish, Crates, Pa.  As recently as September of this year he was promoted to a larger parish, that of Saint Elizabeth’s in Smethport, Pa.
Father
Charles J. Hacherl, Assistant
1936
- 1937
The war was brought still closer to our parish when, because of a good
water supply and excellent railroad facilities, Greenville was chosen as a
site for an army camp. Named Camp Shenango and later Camp Reynolds, the
local Army installation was located three miles out of Greenville on the
Greenville-Sharon road. Camp Shenango received its first cadre of soldiers
in the late fall of 1942. Before Father James
Campbell of Pittsburgh arrived, about February, 1943, to take over
his duties as the first Catholic Chaplain, Father
John Cronin, of Saint Michael’s and Father
Robert Goodill of Saint Brigid’s, Meadville, took care of the
spiritual needs of the Catholic soldiers on Saturdays and Sundays. About
May of 1943, and after Father Campbell had
been released for foreign service, Father Francis X. Cronin of
the New York diocese, arrived to take over the chaplain’s duties. Father
Francis J. Gorham of the Raleigh diocese, who came a month or two
later, filled the quota of Catholic chaplains assigned to Camp Shenango.
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Field
Mass, Camp Reynolds, August 15, 1943
The most important event of these days from a religious viewpoint was
the Solemn Field Mass celebrated on the Feast of the Assumption, 1943. The
attendance for this ran to several thousand. Bishop
John Mark Gannon, who presided at the Mass, also delivered a
stirring address on the religious foundations of our Democracy. Father
James learns was celebrant of the Mass, while the chaplains, Fathers
Cronin and Gorham were deacon and subdeacon respectively.
Father John C. Cronin, Assistant, 1936
- 1944,
1946
-
Saint Michael’s lost its second priest to the armed services when in
March, 1944, Father John C. Cronin enlisted
in the Army, a position he filled until his return to St. Michael’s in
May, 1946. About July-August, 1944, when both Father
F. X. Cronin and Father Gorham
received overseas orders, Father Johnston of
Saint Michael’s was appointed as an auxiliary chaplain to serve the
Catholic soldiers of the local camp. He acted in this capacity until the
dismantling of the camp at the end of the war, caring for the spiritual
needs first of our American troops, and later of the Prisoners of War sent
to Camp Reynolds.
continued
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