Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Donald J. Hodory is silhouetted by the colored light shining through his stained-glass creation in base chapel at Al Asad, Iraq, Aug. 30. Photo by: Gunnery Sgt. Chad McMeen
Posted on 08/31/2006 9:15:28 PM PDT by SandRat
AL ASAD, Iraq (Aug. 30, 2006) -- In the midst of a combat zone it may be hard for one to find beauty, but with the help of one Naval petty officer, service members deployed to Al Asad, Iraq, will get a little taste of heaven when visiting the base chapel.
Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Donald J. Hodory, builder, Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 25, 9th Naval Construction Regiment, saw a need and took the necessary steps to make the newly constructed chapel more like a religious sanctuary in the States.
"The idea for stained-glass windows came more as a dream than anything else," said Hodory. "When I heard that the new chapel was being built, it just made perfect sense to fabricate stained-glass windows for it."
The Woodstock, Ill., native has been in the stained-glass industry for roughly 12 years, and he now owns an architectural stained-glass studio.
"The planning phase of this required us to get the supplies donated from stateside companies," said Hodory. "A friend of mine owns (a stained-glass manufacturing company) in Wisconsin, where they coordinated all the donations and shipped the supplies to the Army's 67th (Air Support Group) headquarters in Nebraska."
"When Hodory first approached me about making the stained glass, I was a little skeptical," said Army Capt. Brian Kane, chaplain, 67th ASG. "The way this entire project fell into place still amazes me. So many people had a part in making this happen. I wasn't even sure that the chapel would be finished by the time our year was over, let alone that it would have stained glass."
With the help of the soldiers with the 67th ASG, Hodory was able to receive the supplies and complete the windows well before his departure from Iraq.
"The gratification I received is far greater than any other project I have worked on in my life," said Hodory. "There is no other place in the world where spiritual health is more important than in Iraq."
For his accomplishments, Hodory was awarded the Army Commendation Medal, a medal that is for service members who go above and beyond in their service to the Army.
"This project has been above and beyond from the start," said Kane. "Hodory had to continue all of his regular duties and find time to work on the windows, sometimes working late into the night. He also took time to teach others some of his skills so they could help, but also because they wanted to learn."
According to Hodory, the journey to the completion of this project was one of the main obstacles that kept him focused upon it.
"I have met so many new people because of this project, and they have all enriched my life in one way or another," said Hodory. "It was unbelievable, the outpouring of help that I received from so many people on this project."
Although many friends were made along the way, Hodory had other motivations to spur him towards the completion of this project.
"My inspiration for the stained-glass windows came from the desire to contribute my talents for something that will have tremendous longevity," concluded Hodory. "It was an opportunity for the Seabees to leave a unique legacy, along with all the other major accomplishments they have had in the history of this deployment. These windows will remain long after we have returned to our lives in the (United States).
Please take the time to click the link in reply #1 and see all of the great work to the glory of GOD.
Doing the work that needs to be done.
That is very cool! Very inspirational.
THEY BUILD THEY FIGHT!
It's beautiful. I am sure it is a spiritual oasis to many.
It's also very time consuming. I used to do stained glass. A salute to this hero.
Those were beautiful ... thanks for sharing!!!
How to Support AND Inspire the Troops!
And no playing baseball in the courtyard!
Thanks for the ping. What an uplifting, inspiring story.
Thanks for posting this, SandRat. I enjoyed reading about this sailor and his stained glass window. God bless him for his service to God and Country. God bless all who had a part in the creation of this Chapel and this window.
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Very nice indeed! Great story.
Lovely window...
click on the link for other great views at the bottom of the source.
Thanks Sandy.
I saw a Captain Kangaroo story about working in stained glass and wanted to do it ever since. While teaching in New York, I was able to take stained glass classes at the Cloisters offered by The Metropolitan Museum of Art. I've got about 100 pounds of semi and full antique glass sitting in my closet waiting for more time for me to work on other projects.
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