FReeper Canteen ~ Hall of Heroes: John G. Burkhalter ~ January 30, 2012

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[Kathy in Alaska]

 

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---

~ Hall of Heroes ~

John G. Burkhalter

 Story from this website.

           

Rev. John G. Burkhalter, was a Baptist minister and highly-decorated chaplain who served in World War II and the Korean War. He was part of the D-Day invasion of Normandy at Omaha Beach.

Burkhalter was born in Thomasville, Georgia on July 23, 1909. While an adolescent, he boxed professionally under the name "Jacky Mills," and played on the 1929 Miami High School football team. In 1935, Burkhalter was named senior pastor of the West Flagler Park Baptist Church in Miami, Florida, and married his high school sweetheart, miss Mable Money, the following year.

World War II

Burkhalter enlisted in the United States Army and graduated from the Chaplain’s School at Harvard. In 1943, He was assigned to the 1st Infantry Division and landed on Omaha Beach on D-day. An account of his experiences was printed in the Miami Daily News on August 6, 1944.  Rev Burkhalter sustained multiple head injuries due to exploding shrapnel during the Battle of the Bulge. He was declared "missing in action" for several weeks before eventually turning up in a French hospital. Burkhalter received a Purple Heart for these deeds. Burkhalter was awarded the Bronze Star for valor and America’s third highest honor, The Silver Star for gallantry. His citation for the Silver Star reads as follows: "For gallantry in action in the vicinity of Haaren, Germany, 21 October 1944. Although constantly subjected to heavy artillery bombardment and several times thrown to the ground by concussion of exploding shells, Chaplain Burkhalter moved about an exposed area and directed the recovery of the bodies of American casualties. Chaplain Burkhalter’s courage and coolness under fire were of great inspiration to all who witnessed his gallant deeds."

 

Korean War

Burkhalter also spent time with the 2nd Infantry Division and would spend a total of 20 months in the European Theater of Operations. On March 22, 1946, Burkhalter was promoted to the rank of Captain and was assigned to an occupational duty in Japan. He stayed in Japan several years until the Korean War escalated. During the Korean War, he served primarily with the 51st Signal Battalion and the 73rd Tank Battalion. While serving near Kumch’on in the summer of 1950, Rev. Burkhalter gained notoriety when his name and a photograph of him conducting a funeral were published in Life Magazine. Burkhalter was promoted to Major during the Korean War and would spend thirteen months in Korea. After the war, Burkhalter would serve in several different posts and entered the US Army Reserves. On July 3, 1969, Burkhalter would officially retire from the United States Army as a Lieutenant Colonel. Some of Burkhalter’s military adventures were recorded in 2000 in the book, “Heroes to Remember” by Brandon R. Sanders

 

Burkhalter held bachelors degrees in history from the University of Miami and divinity from Crozer Theological Seminary in Pennsylvania. Burkhalter held a Masters degree in history from Stetson University and began doctoral work at American University. He pastored several churches including West Flagler Park Baptist Church in Miami, Van Buren Street Baptist Church in Eastport (1959-1963), Berkley Baptist Church in Mount Royal, N.J. (1963-1967) and Maryland City Baptist Church in Laurel (1967-1968). He founded Temple Baptist Church (renamed Riva Community Bible Church) in Riva, Md. in 1973, and served as pastor there until 1988.

Burkhalter died on September 30, 1992 at the age of 83 and was buried with full military honors on Chaplain’s Hill at Arlington National Cemetery. The burial was carried out by the 3rd US Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) and included a military band, American flag draped over the coffin, horse-drawn wagon, 21-gun salute, taps, riderless horse, etc.

Please remember the Canteen is here to honor, support and entertain our troops and their families.  This is a politics-free zone!  Thanks for helping us in our mission! 

[Old Sarge]

Hello, Ma, I’m here tonight!

[HopeandGlory]

Good morning Troops, Veterans and Canteeners.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Our Flag Flying Proudly One Nation Under God

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Lord, Please Bless Our Troops, They're fighting for our Freedom.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

God Bless Our Republic

I pledge allegiance to the Flag
of the United States of America,
and to the Republic, for which it stands;
one nation UNDER GOD,
indivisible,
with liberty and justice for all.

Prayers going up

[SandRat]

Back home from seeing Nate.

[Old Sarge]

Hello there, Nana!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Please note: The author of the Hall of Heroes is StarCMC.

Please thank StarCMC for today’s thread.

~ Hall of Heroes: John G Burkhalter ~

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[BIGLOOK]

Aloha Night Owl!

[HopeandGlory]

Hello Grandpa . . . What’s for dinner?. . . Smile!!!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, Sarge...((HUGS))...did ya get your new glasses yet? It is always such a surprise to see everything clear again.

BBQing tonight?

[Kathy in Alaska]

Hello Veterans, wherever you are!!

[Old Sarge]

{{MA}}

We’re ordering out for Chinese tonight. Demented Sis is wiped out from work, and I’ve been puttering around the house.

Still waiting for the glasses to come, I’m afraid...

[Kathy in Alaska]

Honoring Our Heroes

1LT Carol USA, Nurse Corp (Vineyard)
2LT Rebecca USA (Daughter of U S Army EOD)
3 sons (armymarinemom and amdad)
86th Fighter Weapons Squadron "Combat Hammer" (saminfl)
AbnSarge USA
Adam USAF (Grumpybutt)
Allegra
Anoreth USCG (daughter of Tax-chick)
aviator USAF
BIGLOOK USN
Brett USN (CindyDawg)
Brother and Son-in-Law (kalee)
Cannoneer No. 4
CAPT Bryan USA (Diver Dave)
CAPT Future Snake Eater USA (RightOnline)
CAPT Jason Clendenin (friend of Frou)
Chris USA (amom)
Chuck USA (RightOnline)
COL Mike (gpapa)
CMS USA
ConorMacNessa USN USMC
David USAF (LUV W)
Defender2
Deven USA (Shimmer)
Diver Dave USN
Drumbo USN
Ethan USMC (georgiabelle)
forgotenknight13 USA (grandson of Monkey Face)
Fred (DocRock)
GulfWar1Vet USA
HiJinx USA
IS2 Brianne USN (My Hearts in London - Everett)
IS2 Heather USN (My Hearts in London - Everett)
Jade Falcon USN
James USA (Grumpybutt)
JemiansTerror USA (Jemian)
Jet Jaguar USAF
Joel (NEMDF)
Jonathan USMC (AZbushgal)
Josh USN (doug from upland)
Karen USA (fatima's granddaughter)
Kenneth (Sweetbaby/LadyPilgrim)
Kevin USMC (skimask)
Kevin and David USA (vigilante2)
KJD USAF (SuzyQue)
Laurita USA
LCpl Carter USMC
LCpl Joe USMC (Don’tMessWithTexas)
Lindsay (Sweetbaby/LadyPilgrim)
LT David (Coldwater Creek)
LTjg Gerald USN (Vineyard)
M1911A1 USMC (M0sby)
M1Tanker
Major Jennifer USA (Diver Dave)
Major joma89 USAF
MEG33's Navy Grandson
Michael USAR (RightOnline)
Mike1Sg USA (mystery-ak)
Milo828 USA (mystery-ak)
MSgt Eddie USAF ( Son of ThomasPaine2000, CMSgt USAF, Ret)
MSGT Glen Ignasiak USAF (nephew of AirForceMom)
Nate USN (sneakers)
Navy Chaplain, Lt Nathan Rice (ColdwaterCreek)
Old Sarge USA
OneLoyalAmerican USCG
PFC Jake USMC (son of Enough_Deceit)
Philetus USA
PROCON USA
Publius USA
Pvt Alex USA (son of Enough_Deceit)
Rick USAF (Doogle)
Robert, Jeremy, Daynnis USA (SoldierDad)
SandRat USA
Sat-Com Chris USA (son of KC Burke)
SGT Chris USA (son of Vineyard)
SGT Ev USA (Mozie)
SGT Gray USA (colorcountry’s son)
SGT Matt USMC (SuzyQue)
SGT Robert USMC (MarineMom613)
SGT Sean Reed (preed)
Son USCG (GodBlessUSA)
SPC Drew USA (brother-in-law Stonewall Jackson)
SPC Mike USA (AbnSarge)
SPC Ted USA (nephew of hoagy62)
SPC William Akin USA (Step-son of BlueLancer)
SPC4 Adam USA (nephew of Repeal The 17th)
SPC4 Dan USA (son of swmobuffalo)
SSG Brian USA (repubmom)
SSG Dustin USA (SIL of U S Army EOD)
SSG Dusty USA (MountainDad)
SSG Mitchel USA (tina07)
SSG Spencer USA (grame)
SSGT Adam USA (Diver Dave)
SSGT Don May Jr USMC (debm29palms)
SSGT John Linde USA (JFoxbear)
SSGT The Black Knight USAF
Stevan USA (Grumpybutt)
Terrence USN (Sweetbaby/LadyPilgrim)
The Sailor
TMSuchman USMC
tongue-tied USN/USA
Tonkin USN/USCG
TSGT Jason M Kibler USAF (son of AirForceMom)
SFC txradioguy USA
USAFSecurityForces (son of visualops & TheStickman)
Valerie USAF (Shimmer)
Victor and Tony D USMC (weldgophardline)
Vineyard USN
William USA (jackv)
WOs Bob and Michelle USA (nephew, and his wife, of BnBlFlag)

 

[Kathy in Alaska]

Thanks, Nana Hope, for today's Pledge…((HUGS)). Thanks, AfghanMan and Penguin Girl, for your service to America.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Welcome home, Proud GrandPa...((HUGS))...what a fun time you must have had.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Aloha, Hawaii...((HUGS))...visitors today? Sunshine?

Still below zero today, but it is supposed to start warming so it can snow.

[Diver Dave]

Salute to LCol Burkhalter.

Salute to my fellow Vets and Active Duty personnel.

[Kathy in Alaska]

And in first....Sarge grabs the gold!!

[The Mayor]

Freep mail me to be on or off the Daily Bread ping list

When The Wind Blows
January 30, 2012

Harold and Cathy and their two sons were in a wooded area in Minnesota when a tornado touched down. Cathy described her experience to me several years later:

“My husband and older son were some distance away, but my younger son and I took cover in a cabin. We heard a sound like a hundred railroad cars and instinctively dropped to the floor in a tucked position. The cabin began to break apart, and I shut my eyes because of all the flying debris. It felt like I was going up in an elevator and then was shot into the air. I landed in a lake and clung to debris to stay afloat.”

Tragically, however, their younger son did not survive. Harold said of their loss: “We cried every day for 6 weeks. But we believe that God’s loving sovereignty allowed that tornado to come down where we were. And we also took comfort in the fact that our son knew the Lord.”

When a loved one is taken and we are left behind, it can create all kinds of questions. In times like these, Romans 8:28 can be of great encouragement: “We know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” This couple’s trust in God’s loving sovereignty brought them comfort in the midst of their grief (2 Cor. 1:3-4).

When we sustain a heartbreaking loss,
When grief overwhelms our soul,
The Savior who gave Himself on the cross
Reminds us that He’s in control. —D. De Haan

Our greatest comfort in sorrow is to know that God is in control.

Read: Romans 8:26-30

Blessed be the . . . God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation. —2 Corinthians 1:3-4

Bible in a year:
Leviticus 8-10

[Kathy in Alaska]

And a close second....Nana Hope snags the silver!!

[SandRat]

((HUGS)) Kathy,... lots of fun. Giggles, smiles, and even laughs from him all weekend.