Historic Chaplain’s kit fresh out of the woodwork. KIA 1943 while conducting services in the PTO

[Jill trust]

Thanks everyone. Sad situation, but I'm very thankful to learn so much about my grandfather. Today you will be with me in paradise, the Lord said. I hope to meet up with the present chaplain and kit and will take pictures. Our family is spread around the country, so I dont know what happened in Spokane. I'll ask around. Good Memorial Day to you, God bless,Jill

[Doug OLoughlin]

On 5/29/2022 at 2:24 PM, Chap15 said:

To the grand-daughter who has the diary. Thank you for holding on to it. You mentioned "War in the end is a terrible thing and not for folks to glorify or "collect" things." 

There may be some people in this forum who glorify and even make money on these things. It is my experience that most seek to honor those who served and even died for our country. They display these items in an honorable way and tell the story, that their sacrifice was not in vain. And they do this out of their personal expense. 

 

For me, I tell tell the story of a chaplain who left his wife, and a daughter who was born shortly after he deployed. Thus he never saw her, He was with his soldiers in the South Pacific providing for the religious, spiritual and emotional needs for his battalion. This is what the Army Chaplaincy calls ministry of presence. Nurture the living, care for the wounded, honor the dead.   

 

The second lesson I draw from this is for all chaplains to prepared and ready to preach their last sermon. No one knows the hour nor day. Would a chaplain's preparation, the words they say and manner we they them be any different if they know it was going to be their last sermon. And a part of this, and a lesson that personally became real for me as a combat chaplain, that I must be always ready to meet my Lord and Savior. To love my neighbor. To have no hatred, bitterness but a pure heart before my creator.

Hi there - Grand-SON here, again, but I just wanted to chime in and say this work that you're doing Chap15 seems honorable & important.

 

There is another part of the story. I personally was raised by that daughter Nancy who didn't know her birth-father Keith, & wife Vi who lost him, so I was taking issue w/some of the other folks on here going WHAT A FIND, HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN etc., about the Goodwill angle. Criticizing my family for something we didn't know about and was apparently out of our control as is this kit. How can we do anything if nobody reaches out?? The Internet is interesting when you post details publicly that could probably be left private because it's relatively recent. Yes, I have the diary, Purple Heart, numerous letters. His wife Vi remarried but at one point she told me in confidence she got a bit tired of going to parades to be the "war widow" with all the PR that I think you mentioned too w/war bond sales.

 

I'm not sure what happened with the kit. I'm guessing it was with one of his brothers and fell into the donate pile when they passed away around 2015.

 

So this is not lost history at all and affects real people who remember. Just asking other folks to be a little cautious drooling over the details like it's some kind of comic-book collectible (I own a comic shop here in Portland Oregon). Thanks again and I apologize if I caused any concern. I hope everyone on this vets group had a nice Memorial Day.
Thank you so much
Doug O'Loughlin (Keith Munro's grandson)

[Chap15]

3 hours ago, Doug OLoughlin said:

Hi there - Grand-SON here, again, but I just wanted to chime in and say this work that you're doing Chap15 seems honorable & important.

 

Doug O'Loughlin (Keith Munro's grandson)

Hello Doug, 

My apologies in reading your message and now I understand you are Keith's Grand-Son.

Respectfully,

Bob

[Jill trust]

Thanks everyone. It's a hard topic around Memorial Day, but important. I like the stories of "unbroken" and "Les Mis" when I think of my grandfather and mom who died from ms and dad who had a heart attack and all who are on the other side right now. My grandfather gave my grandmother the book "a man called peter." I also have to watch "Best Years of their Lives" again about the after math of ww2. I'm finishing my quarantine project of drawing out the bible and will take out the genealogy. I'm on book 15 by jill mockingbird on amazon if anyone wants one. Just message me. Its psalms sketchbook, paul sketchbook,...maybe I can put together a book about keith. I was going to reach out to the extended family and ask about memories,etc. Someone mentioned the chaplain Corp and a chaplain museum here, so I'll reach out to them for ideas as well. Someone mentioned that he lived in a nice neighborhood. I did have a facebook friend who went out and took pictures of the family house in Oakland(during the quarantine),  so I'll have to look those up and figure out how to post picture on here. Thanks again for the research. I didnt know that about the war bonds nor that he was (and I am) related to someone from the revolutionary war. Also, I will say that Keith's brother in wash. died from alzheimers I believe. Rest in peace.

[cutiger83]

On 5/28/2022 at 9:26 PM, Doug OLoughlin said:

I couldn't find Keith's posthumous Purple Heart (it's here in my house in Portland Oregon somewhere - Does not have the ribbon with it, to my knowledge), but here are a few pages from his diary. Starts on 1/1/43. Mention of Colonel Woodbury who I believe kept in touch w/my family & they called him "Woody." Final entry 8/8. The writing is pretty scrawled as time marches on but there is no mention I can see of his daughter being born on 6/4. He does say he'll write to his wife "Vi" (my grandma) a couple of times and in fact seems to mention airshows & firework shows which I assume are the planes. Lots of toil and misery setting up his tent in terrible conditions, etc.

Some of these comments offended me in this thread about how could the "communion kit" end up at a Goodwill, but I promise it was beyond our control and I hope people will take it with a grain of salt as far as how much can be learned. 

 

Do not listen to the judgemental keyboard warriors.  All sorts of reasons why things happen the way they do. People with no idea of the history of the story jump to conclusions. Luckily there are few keyboard warriors on here so do not listen to them. 

 

Good luck in your quest to find out more information about your grandfather. One of my grandfathers was a minister.  My other grandfather served in the CBI.  He always spoke very highly about a priest who served with them. Sounds like your grandfather was a great man who died trying to help others to safety during that battle.

 

...Kat

[Jill trust]

Thanks! Yes, keyboard warriors is a good term. My mother in law said "good find" as well, but didnt mean anything. I'm glad the kit was found and well preserved. My grandma went on to marry a wonderful man who adopted my mom when she was 7. They then had three more kids in the 1950s: Bobby, Betsy and Jimmy:)

[Jill trust]

Thanks everyone for the tips. I'm going to try to visit the chaplain museum in South Carolina this summer and also go to a chaplain conference in July. I also want to get a picture of my family looking at the picture of my late mom and grandma looking at the picture of my late grandfather, may they rest in peace.

[Jill trust]

12 minutes ago, Jill trust said:

 

 

[manayunkman]

There is an exercise program on many forums that involves a lot of jumping….

to conclusions 

[Jill trust]

On 7/22/2015 at 4:52 PM, tarheeltim said:

Awesome find! I wonder if his daughter is still living. Would tying to track her down be something you would pursue?

Hi! Thanks. My grandma vi munro went on to marry and have 3 more kids.  My mom Nancy died from ms at age 53:(  She had two kids, my brother and I . We never really talked about Keith, so this is a fascinating forum.

[Jill trust]

On 5/31/2022 at 4:16 PM, Doug OLoughlin said:

Hi there - Grand-SON here, again, but I just wanted to chime in and say this work that you're doing Chap15 seems honorable & important.

 

There is another part of the story. I personally was raised by that daughter Nancy who didn't know her birth-father Keith, & wife Vi who lost him, so I was taking issue w/some of the other folks on here going WHAT A FIND, HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN etc., about the Goodwill angle. Criticizing my family for something we didn't know about and was apparently out of our control as is this kit. How can we do anything if nobody reaches out?? The Internet is interesting when you post details publicly that could probably be left private because it's relatively recent. Yes, I have the diary, Purple Heart, numerous letters. His wife Vi remarried but at one point she told me in confidence she got a bit tired of going to parades to be the "war widow" with all the PR that I think you mentioned too w/war bond sales.

 

I'm not sure what happened with the kit. I'm guessing it was with one of his brothers and fell into the donate pile when they passed away around 2015.

 

So this is not lost history at all and affects real people who remember. Just asking other folks to be a little cautious drooling over the details like it's some kind of comic-book collectible (I own a comic shop here in Portland Oregon). Thanks again and I apologize if I caused any concern. I hope everyone on this vets group had a nice Memorial Day.
Thank you so much
Doug O'Loughlin (Keith Munro's grandson)

He, Neil Munro, passed in 2012. He was Keith Munro's much younger brother(an accidental blessing if you get my point). Then it looks like Keith's chaplain kit surfaced at the Goodwill in 2015.  I met Neil once in Washington. He was a Presbyterian pastor as well and joked that there was only one church: Presbyterian. He died of Altzheimers.  I wrote to his widow, but haven't heard back. Rest in peace.

[Jill trust]

This is a picture of Keith Munro's great grandson holding a photo of my mom as a baby and my grandma Vi Munro when she was a recent widow, looking at a photo of Keith Munro .

[Jill trust]

On 5/23/2022 at 2:15 PM, Mitch Dutton said:

Here’s a few pictures my family found in a box. As of today 23MAY22 I haven’t been able to get ahold of anyone who might have Keith’s Chaplian kit, so if anyone on here can help my family and I would be very grateful. Thanks. 

This is great! I'm going to email you and see if your family and see if they can make a copy for me. Thanks! Keith's granddaughter Jill

[Jill trust]

20 minutes ago, Jill trust said:

This is great! I'm going to email you and see if your family and see if they can make a copy for me. Thanks! Keith's granddaughter Jill

On 5/28/2022 at 7:26 PM, Doug OLoughlin said:

I couldn't find Keith's posthumous Purple Heart (it's here in my house in Portland Oregon somewhere - Does not have the ribbon with it, to my knowledge), but here are a few pages from his diary. Starts on 1/1/43. Mention of Colonel Woodbury who I believe kept in touch w/my family & they called him "Woody." Final entry 8/8. The writing is pretty scrawled as time marches on but there is no mention I can see of his daughter being born on 6/4. He does say he'll write to his wife "Vi" (my grandma) a couple of times and in fact seems to mention airshows & firework shows which I assume are the planes. Lots of toil and misery setting up his tent in terrible conditions, etc.

Some of these comments offended me in this thread about how could the "communion kit" end up at a Goodwill, but I promise it was beyond our control and I hope people will take it with a grain of salt as far as how much can be learned. War in the end is a terrible thing and not for folks to glorify or "collect" things. Again, I am assuming one of the brothers really wanted to keep the 'communion kit' and my grandmother Vi was OK with that (she passed away around 1998), and at some point it got donated after they passed on around 2015.

Thanks all - I'll keep trying to dig up info.

 

[Jill trust]

Just now, Jill trust said:

 

Grandma Vi died at age 83

[Jill trust]

On 7/21/2015 at 7:52 PM, USMC-RECON0321 said:

 

 

 

Thanks! I like his quotes "The men who have the power of prayer can gave no fear..." and "emphasize the power of prayer-."

[Jill trust]

On 5/28/2022 at 7:26 PM, Doug OLoughlin said:

I couldn't find Keith's posthumous Purple Heart (it's here in my house in Portland Oregon somewhere - Does not have the ribbon with it, to my knowledge), but here are a few pages from his diary. Starts on 1/1/43. Mention of Colonel Woodbury who I believe kept in touch w/my family & they called him "Woody." Final entry 8/8. The writing is pretty scrawled as time marches on but there is no mention I can see of his daughter being born on 6/4. He does say he'll write to his wife "Vi" (my grandma) a couple of times and in fact seems to mention airshows & firework shows which I assume are the planes. Lots of toil and misery setting up his tent in terrible conditions, etc.

Some of these comments offended me in this thread about how could the "communion kit" end up at a Goodwill, but I promise it was beyond our control and I hope people will take it with a grain of salt as far as how much can be learned. War in the end is a terrible thing and not for folks to glorify or "collect" things. Again, I am assuming one of the brothers really wanted to keep the 'communion kit' and my grandmother Vi was OK with that (she passed away around 1998), and at some point it got donated after they passed on around 2015.

Thanks all - I'll keep trying to dig up info.

He, Keith's brother Neil, died in 2012 from Altzheimers,  I believe. His widow has been in a dementia facility in Washington for the last two years. I recently talked with her son. Thanks, Jill, Keith's granddaughter

[Jill trust]

On 5/30/2022 at 8:31 AM, Chap15 said:

Attached is a link to a public domain book I wrote about the Army Chaplaincy during WWII. On page 89, I mention Chaplain Keith Munro.

 

https://api.army.mil/e2/c/downloads/2020/07/13/82e94458/leadership-and-transformation-of-the-army-chaplaincy-during-wwii-occh-15-july-2020.pdf

 

It looks like a fascinating book! Great visuals!

[Jill trust]

On 6/4/2022 at 5:31 AM, Jill trust said:

Thanks everyone. It's a hard topic around Memorial Day, but important. I like the stories of "unbroken" and "Les Mis" when I think of my grandfather and mom who died from ms and dad who had a heart attack and all who are on the other side right now. My grandfather gave my grandmother the book "a man called peter." I also have to watch "Best Years of their Lives" again about the after math of ww2. I'm finishing my quarantine project of drawing out the bible and will take out the genealogy. I'm on book 15 by jill mockingbird on amazon if anyone wants one. Just message me. Its psalms sketchbook, paul sketchbook,...maybe I can put together a book about keith. I was going to reach out to the extended family and ask about memories,etc. Someone mentioned the chaplain Corp and a chaplain museum here, so I'll reach out to them for ideas as well. Someone mentioned that he lived in a nice neighborhood. I did have a facebook friend who went out and took pictures of the family house in Oakland(during the quarantine),  so I'll have to look those up and figure out how to post picture on here. Thanks again for the research. I didnt know that about the war bonds nor that he was (and I am) related to someone from the revolutionary war. Also, I will say that Keith's brother in wash. died from alzheimers I believe. Rest in peace.

 

[Jill trust]

Just now, Jill trust said:

 

Catching up on reading and looked at the book on chaplaincy. Thanks!

[Jill trust]

On 7/8/2022 at 10:42 AM, Jill trust said:

Grandma Vi died at age 83

Sadly  Keith's daughter Nancy died from ms at age 53, then her mother Vi died two years later, and Vi's second husband died 6 months later. They were married around 47 years.

[Jill trust]

Last note and I'll  stop. I would like to get this book. We grew up at Mount Hermon Christian  conference center and I know grandfather Keith's  name is on the memorial wall in the youth building. 

[Jill trust]

1 minute ago, Jill trust said:

Last note and I'll  stop. I would like to get this book. We grew up at Mount Hermon Christian  conference center and I know grandfather Keith's  name is on the memorial wall in the youth building. 

 

[Jill trust]

Just now, Jill trust said:

 

A quote from the book. 

[Jill trust]

Hi! Just a note to anyone following this. As Keith's granddaughter, I did visit the Warhawk air museum in Idaho when I was traveling. It was excellent and the curator in his 80s was awesome( we were both born in San Francisco on a side note)