A Southeast Kansas Road trip – Father Emil Kapaun.
In 2016 we took a road trip for an old friend from Oregon. Chuck was researching Father Emil Kapaun and asked us to gather some information. In the process of doing so, we drove from St. Paul to both Wichita and Pilsen, Kansas and back —an easy one day excursion. Individuals, churches or groups would do well to take this pilgrimage to learn about a truly remarkable man. The purpose of this page is not to teach you about Father Kapaun. We just hope to stimulate your curiosity so you will go and learn for yourself [1].
In 2016 we took a road trip for an old friend from Oregon. Chuck was researching Father Emil Kapaun and asked us to gather some information. In the process of doing so, we drove from St. Paul to both Wichita and Pilsen, Kansas and back —an easy one day excursion. Individuals, churches or groups would do well to take this pilgrimage to learn about a truly remarkable man. The purpose of this page is not to teach you about Father Kapaun. We just hope to stimulate your curiosity so you will go and learn for yourself [1].
Father Kapaun With a Pipe That Was Shot From His Mouth in Korea.
Why Did We Go?
Chuck is a dear old friend from our Wichita days. His life has been a service to our country and he has carried his service into retirement. He is a decorated and wounded Vietnam veteran. After discharge from the U.S. Army, he went to work for the Veteran’s Administration, working in veteran’s benefits. His work took him to several locations, but we kept in touch over the years. He settled in Portland and retired there. When we visited him in 2012 he told us about his project.
During his time with the V.A., he met several Congressional Medal of Honor recipients [4] and they left a lasting impression. Chuck was gathering books and information on Medal of Honor recipients, and he was building a pretty impressive library. In about 2015 we started exchanging information about Father Kapaun. Chuck is not Catholic, but Father Emil Kapaun had his attention. During the next year or two, he helped us acquire several books. Finally, in January of 2016, the weather forecast promised a beautiful January day. We made some phone calls to make arrangements, and then took off early on Tuesday, January 20. It was a beautiful day!
Chuck is a dear old friend from our Wichita days. His life has been a service to our country and he has carried his service into retirement. He is a decorated and wounded Vietnam veteran. After discharge from the U.S. Army, he went to work for the Veteran’s Administration, working in veteran’s benefits. His work took him to several locations, but we kept in touch over the years. He settled in Portland and retired there. When we visited him in 2012 he told us about his project.
During his time with the V.A., he met several Congressional Medal of Honor recipients [4] and they left a lasting impression. Chuck was gathering books and information on Medal of Honor recipients, and he was building a pretty impressive library. In about 2015 we started exchanging information about Father Kapaun. Chuck is not Catholic, but Father Emil Kapaun had his attention. During the next year or two, he helped us acquire several books. Finally, in January of 2016, the weather forecast promised a beautiful January day. We made some phone calls to make arrangements, and then took off early on Tuesday, January 20. It was a beautiful day!
Route Overview - Arrangements.
First — Our Starting Point. We traveled from St. Paul, Kansas which is in east-central Neosho County. Travel times shown here shouldn’t vary a lot from most southeast Kansas locations. Depending on location, the route can be reversed to stop at Pilsen first and Kapaun – Mt. Carmel High School second but the school provides an important piece of the experience.
Second — Plan Ahead and Call. Let both locations know you are coming and when. Kapaun – Mt. Carmel is an active school and strangers are eyed with suspicion. Calling ahead to Pilsen will likely assure a tour guide. Otherwise, you are on your own and you might not even get into the visitor museum (Contacts below). Pilsen does handle large groups and tour buses so fitting into their schedule is important.
First — Our Starting Point. We traveled from St. Paul, Kansas which is in east-central Neosho County. Travel times shown here shouldn’t vary a lot from most southeast Kansas locations. Depending on location, the route can be reversed to stop at Pilsen first and Kapaun – Mt. Carmel High School second but the school provides an important piece of the experience.
Second — Plan Ahead and Call. Let both locations know you are coming and when. Kapaun – Mt. Carmel is an active school and strangers are eyed with suspicion. Calling ahead to Pilsen will likely assure a tour guide. Otherwise, you are on your own and you might not even get into the visitor museum (Contacts below). Pilsen does handle large groups and tour buses so fitting into their schedule is important.
Leg One – St. Paul to Kapaun Mt. Carmel, Wichita.
The trip from our home in St. Paul to Kapaun Mt Carmel High School was 120 miles, about two hours. MapQuest will probably take you to Webb Road or K-96 in east Wichita, then a mile north to Central. Kapaun-Mt. Carmel is about six blocks west of Webb and Central on the North side of the street. There is a circle drive and small parking area at the front of the building (south) and more parking behind the school. The double glass doors near the southeast face of the building will take you into the Commons area.
The trip from our home in St. Paul to Kapaun Mt Carmel High School was 120 miles, about two hours. MapQuest will probably take you to Webb Road or K-96 in east Wichita, then a mile north to Central. Kapaun-Mt. Carmel is about six blocks west of Webb and Central on the North side of the street. There is a circle drive and small parking area at the front of the building (south) and more parking behind the school. The double glass doors near the southeast face of the building will take you into the Commons area.
Father Kapaun Display Wall.
When you walk into the Commons, the Father Kapaun displays are on a curved brick wall to your right. The left wall has office entrances and reception windows — Go There First and announce yourself!
The array of display cases on the curved wall includes several items including his vestments, a funeral flag (his body was not recovered), photos and his chalice. But the center case contains the remarkable Pyoktong carved crucifix. That alone is worth the stop in Wichita.
The array of display cases on the curved wall includes several items including his vestments, a funeral flag (his body was not recovered), photos and his chalice. But the center case contains the remarkable Pyoktong carved crucifix. That alone is worth the stop in Wichita.
Pyoktong Carved Crucifix. "Christ in Barbed Wire."
Christ in Barbed Wire
One thing that makes the crucifix extraordinary is that the man who carved it, at great risk, didn’t even know Chaplain Kapaun. Major Gerald Fink, a Marine fighter pilot, arrived at Pyoktong, Camp 5, shortly after Father Kapaun was carried from his hut to a Communist death hospital [2]. Major Fink was impressed with the esteem the prisoners held for Father Kapaun; and he, a Jew, was easily persuaded to create a tribute to the priest.
But the major was an artist without tools and materials. He fabricated a wood carving knife from the steel arch of a discarded boot. He fashioned a chisel from a drain pipe support and then made himself a mallet. Finally he salvaged some scrub oak from a pile of firewood.
As Fink carved the crucifix, guards asked questions. At first, he told them it was Abraham Lincoln but as it took shape they knew better. When suspended from the hut ceiling for services, which most of the Communists didn’t condone, several guards reacted with fear or anger. They knew it represented the God of the priest they still hated because of problems he caused. However, a few guards showed respect.
When it was completed the crucifix measured 40” from top to bottom. As a final detail, Fink crafted a crown of thorns from old scraps of radio wire. The prisoners entitled the work “Christ in Barbed Wire.” When the war ended, three newly released prisoners triumphantly carried the crucifix from the camp [3]. In the end, they and Father Kapaun had won their war of wills! (We didn’t understand the story of the Pyoktong crucifix until we got to Pilsen. Then we experienced a delayed shiver knowing we stood across the glass from it.)
One thing that makes the crucifix extraordinary is that the man who carved it, at great risk, didn’t even know Chaplain Kapaun. Major Gerald Fink, a Marine fighter pilot, arrived at Pyoktong, Camp 5, shortly after Father Kapaun was carried from his hut to a Communist death hospital [2]. Major Fink was impressed with the esteem the prisoners held for Father Kapaun; and he, a Jew, was easily persuaded to create a tribute to the priest.
But the major was an artist without tools and materials. He fabricated a wood carving knife from the steel arch of a discarded boot. He fashioned a chisel from a drain pipe support and then made himself a mallet. Finally he salvaged some scrub oak from a pile of firewood.
As Fink carved the crucifix, guards asked questions. At first, he told them it was Abraham Lincoln but as it took shape they knew better. When suspended from the hut ceiling for services, which most of the Communists didn’t condone, several guards reacted with fear or anger. They knew it represented the God of the priest they still hated because of problems he caused. However, a few guards showed respect.
When it was completed the crucifix measured 40” from top to bottom. As a final detail, Fink crafted a crown of thorns from old scraps of radio wire. The prisoners entitled the work “Christ in Barbed Wire.” When the war ended, three newly released prisoners triumphantly carried the crucifix from the camp [3]. In the end, they and Father Kapaun had won their war of wills! (We didn’t understand the story of the Pyoktong crucifix until we got to Pilsen. Then we experienced a delayed shiver knowing we stood across the glass from it.)
Leg Two – Wichita to St. John Nepomucene Catholic Church, Pilsen.
MapQuest says the distance is 70 miles, 1 hour and 20 minutes. After we left Wichita, we added about an hour by driving into Newton for lunch. That stop put us into Pilsen around 1:30 in plenty of time for our appointment with Harriet Bina. Harriet is a long-time volunteer and you will do well to connect with her or someone like her. When we called and explained we wanted to collect information for a veteran, she cleared her afternoon schedule.
Wikipedia says the population of Pilsen is less than 100. Some tourism sources put it at about 40 or 50. You should arrive prepared to feed yourself because, when we visited, there appeared to be no restaurants. Finding St. John Nepomucene Catholic Church is not a problem because the steeple of the lovely red brick building will guide you to the parking lot.
MapQuest says the distance is 70 miles, 1 hour and 20 minutes. After we left Wichita, we added about an hour by driving into Newton for lunch. That stop put us into Pilsen around 1:30 in plenty of time for our appointment with Harriet Bina. Harriet is a long-time volunteer and you will do well to connect with her or someone like her. When we called and explained we wanted to collect information for a veteran, she cleared her afternoon schedule.
Wikipedia says the population of Pilsen is less than 100. Some tourism sources put it at about 40 or 50. You should arrive prepared to feed yourself because, when we visited, there appeared to be no restaurants. Finding St. John Nepomucene Catholic Church is not a problem because the steeple of the lovely red brick building will guide you to the parking lot.
St. John Nepomucene Catholic Church, Pilsen.
There are four main sites related to Chaplain Kapaun:
The church grounds include a now-famous statue of Father Kapaun helping a wounded soldier, a grotto to the blessed mother and attractive landscaping consistent with a lot of rural Kansas churches.
Plan to spend one to two hours in the rectory /museum. Unlike Kapaun – Mt. Carmel, it is difficult to point out one feature that stands out among all others. This is a museum that will appeal to a lot of interests:
Leave about 15-20 minutes for the cemetery, which is within walking distance behind the church. Here you will find the graves of Father Kapaun’s parents, Enos and Elizabeth Kapaun; and Monsignor Arthur Tonne who was a St. John Nepomucene pastor and author of The Story of Chaplain Kapaun. The center of the cemetery features a tall concrete and stainless steel memorial to Father Kapaun (His body was not recovered from Korea).
- St. John Nepomucene Catholic Church – it was his parish.
- The church grounds
- The former rectory which is now the museum
- St. John Nepomucene Catholic Cemetery
The church grounds include a now-famous statue of Father Kapaun helping a wounded soldier, a grotto to the blessed mother and attractive landscaping consistent with a lot of rural Kansas churches.
Plan to spend one to two hours in the rectory /museum. Unlike Kapaun – Mt. Carmel, it is difficult to point out one feature that stands out among all others. This is a museum that will appeal to a lot of interests:
- One room is devoted to items owned or used by Father Kapaun. It includes vestments, a confessional, showcases with personal items including some of the medals he earned during his service and other items.
- A simple stairway display included the photos of the three young people whose miraculous stories make up the heart of Father Kapaun’s sainthood validation. During our tour, Harriet Bina teared up a bit when she described a routine tour that became personal when one of the pictured subjects came into the museum and helped her with her presentation.
- A large corner room is dedicated to Korea and the brutality of the Pyoktong prison camp. This is where Harriet’s knowledge of the Kapaun story became sobering and graphic. When Father Kapaun’s 1st Cavalry was captured in November of 1950 his battlefield ministry ended. It was then that he began to persistently defy the authority of his Chinese & Korean captors for the sake of his fellow POW’s.
Leave about 15-20 minutes for the cemetery, which is within walking distance behind the church. Here you will find the graves of Father Kapaun’s parents, Enos and Elizabeth Kapaun; and Monsignor Arthur Tonne who was a St. John Nepomucene pastor and author of The Story of Chaplain Kapaun. The center of the cemetery features a tall concrete and stainless steel memorial to Father Kapaun (His body was not recovered from Korea).
Fr. Kapaun's Medal of Honor.
The Congressional Medal of Honor.
As said earlier, the museum appeals to a lot of interests. But I suspect many will be attracted to the medal that President Barack Obama presented Father Kapaun’s nephew, Ray Kapaun, on April 10, 2013. There is a link here to the U.S. Army Medal of Honor page and more links below regarding the medal below [4]. These pages provide information about the Medal of Honor and citations that summarize much of Father Kapaun’s service and extraordinary valor.
My personal summary of his Medal of Honor citation includes valor on the battlefield and as a POW. As a chaplain, he experienced the same horrors and pain as his infantrymen, but he wasn’t armed. Chaplains are called on to comfort and administer last rights to scores of men who are mutilated and dying. Having his favorite pipe shot out of his mouth was only one of the close calls he had on the field. But once captured he dedicated his life to fellow prisoners, often by actively rejecting the authority of his captors. From his citation:
As said earlier, the museum appeals to a lot of interests. But I suspect many will be attracted to the medal that President Barack Obama presented Father Kapaun’s nephew, Ray Kapaun, on April 10, 2013. There is a link here to the U.S. Army Medal of Honor page and more links below regarding the medal below [4]. These pages provide information about the Medal of Honor and citations that summarize much of Father Kapaun’s service and extraordinary valor.
My personal summary of his Medal of Honor citation includes valor on the battlefield and as a POW. As a chaplain, he experienced the same horrors and pain as his infantrymen, but he wasn’t armed. Chaplains are called on to comfort and administer last rights to scores of men who are mutilated and dying. Having his favorite pipe shot out of his mouth was only one of the close calls he had on the field. But once captured he dedicated his life to fellow prisoners, often by actively rejecting the authority of his captors. From his citation:
“Once inside the dismal prison camps, Kapaun risked his life by sneaking around the camp after dark, foraging for food, caring for the sick, and encouraging his fellow Soldiers to sustain their faith and their humanity. On at least one occasion, he was brutally punished for his disobedience, being forced to sit outside in subzero weather without any garments. When the Chinese instituted a mandatory re-education program, Kapaun patiently and politely rejected every theory put forth by the instructors. Later, Kapaun openly flouted his captors by conducting a sunrise service on Easter morning, 1951.”
Father Kapaun presented the Communists with a conundrum. Continued harsh punishment or execution would result in rebellion. Allowing him to continue increased his authority. Finally, in the spring of 1951, his physical condition deteriorated to a point where his captors transferred him to the camp “death hospital”. There he was left unattended and untreated until he died.
NOTE: The Medal of Honor is only in the museum during business hours. It is removed at night.
NOTE: The Medal of Honor is only in the museum during business hours. It is removed at night.
Leg Three – Getting Home.
Here, we'll leave you on your own. As the header map shows, we drove south from Pilsen to Highway 56, then took 50 east to Emporia where we headed south on 99 and picked up Highway 400 at Severy. We took that route for the Flint Hills scenery and it took us near the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve and Strong City and Cottonwood Falls. With our late departure from Pilsen, scenery disappeared into darkness before we got to Emporia.
A quicker route to the southeast corner of Kansas would be Highway 77, about three miles east of Marion, and head south. This gives you the option to take Highway 54 east at El Dorado, to the Iola, Fort Scott area; or continue south from El Dorado to U.S. Highway 400.
Gallery of Wichita and Pilsen Photos:
Here, we'll leave you on your own. As the header map shows, we drove south from Pilsen to Highway 56, then took 50 east to Emporia where we headed south on 99 and picked up Highway 400 at Severy. We took that route for the Flint Hills scenery and it took us near the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve and Strong City and Cottonwood Falls. With our late departure from Pilsen, scenery disappeared into darkness before we got to Emporia.
A quicker route to the southeast corner of Kansas would be Highway 77, about three miles east of Marion, and head south. This gives you the option to take Highway 54 east at El Dorado, to the Iola, Fort Scott area; or continue south from El Dorado to U.S. Highway 400.
Gallery of Wichita and Pilsen Photos:
Some Reference Information:
I said above that this page was not intended to educate you about the life of Chaplain Kapaun. But if you want to research further, here is some information to get you started. Item 5, below includes contact and information regarding a visit to Pilsen.
1. There is a lot of information about Father Kapaun on the internet and in printed materials. Here are some books and a video that can be purchased from Amazon or other sources:
3. The three men who carried the crucifix were Warrant Officer Felix McCool, Captain Joseph O'Connor, and Lieutenant Ralph Nardella. Nardella, not a clergyman, assumed some of Father Kapaun’s work in leading services after the priest’s death.
4. The Medal of Honor is the United States of America's highest and most prestigious personal military decoration that may be awarded to recognize U.S. military service members who distinguished themselves by acts of valor. (Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation website.)
Father Kapaun’s U.S. Army Medal of Honor Page is at https://www.army.mil/medalofhonor/kapaun/
White House news article about the medal of honor presentation in April of 2013: https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/blog/2013/04/11/president-obama-awards-medal-honor-father-emil-kapaun-0
5. Contact and Visit Information:
6. Photos. All photos used here were taken by us with the exception of:
Some will wonder what this has to do with the Catholic Mission story. It is not a stretch to compare military chaplains, regardless of faith, with missionaries who preserved the faith in remote areas. Also, much of the Father Kapaun story is a Kansas story.
I said above that this page was not intended to educate you about the life of Chaplain Kapaun. But if you want to research further, here is some information to get you started. Item 5, below includes contact and information regarding a visit to Pilsen.
1. There is a lot of information about Father Kapaun on the internet and in printed materials. Here are some books and a video that can be purchased from Amazon or other sources:
- The Story of Chaplain Kapaun – Patriot Priest of the Korean Conflict, by Father Arthur Tonne, Didde Publishers of Emporia, Kansas. With a copyright of 1954, it is one of the earlier books about Father Kapaun and it was written well ahead of his Congressional Medal of Honor and the movement to have him canonized. Appropriately, the author was a pastor of Father Kapaun’s home parish in Pilsen, but he has also written several other books. When this page was published the book was available from Amazon.
- A Shepherd in Combat Boots – Father Emil Kapaun of the 1st Cavalry Division, by William L. Maher, Burd Street Press, Copyright 1997. This book goes into the details of Father Kapaun’s service and captivity, as well as his early life. Available from Amazon.
- A Saint Among Us, Published by the Father Kapaun Guild and Printed by Print Source Direct of Hillsboro, Kansas. Copyright 2005. This book is unique in the fact that much of the information was gathered by people who know the Kapaun family and are familiar with the Pilsen area and the finer details from a rural Kansas perspective. This book proved to be a little harder to find. We recently bought it at the Catholic Bookstore in Wichita.
- The Miracle of Father Kapaun- Priest, Soldier, and Korean War Hero, by Roy Wenzel & Travis Heying, Ignatius Press of San Francisco. With a 2009 copyright, this is the newest book we have found. Wenzel and Heying are both Wichita Eagle Journalists and this book was written shortly after Bishop Michael Jackels presented documents to The Vatican in support of Father Kapaun’s Sainthood. Available from Amazon and it was recently seen in the Catholic Bookstore in Wichita.
- (Video) The Miracle of Father Kapaun. This movie was produced via Ignatius Press by Roy Wenzel & Travis Heying as part of the book project above. It focuses on one of the three miracles presented to the Vatican as well as the rest of the Fr. Kapaun story. It is available through Amazon and other sources.
3. The three men who carried the crucifix were Warrant Officer Felix McCool, Captain Joseph O'Connor, and Lieutenant Ralph Nardella. Nardella, not a clergyman, assumed some of Father Kapaun’s work in leading services after the priest’s death.
4. The Medal of Honor is the United States of America's highest and most prestigious personal military decoration that may be awarded to recognize U.S. military service members who distinguished themselves by acts of valor. (Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation website.)
Father Kapaun’s U.S. Army Medal of Honor Page is at https://www.army.mil/medalofhonor/kapaun/
White House news article about the medal of honor presentation in April of 2013: https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/blog/2013/04/11/president-obama-awards-medal-honor-father-emil-kapaun-0
5. Contact and Visit Information:
- Diocese of Wichita, Father Kapaun Page — Contains a lot of information regarding Father Kapaun, the canonization process, visits to Pilsen, etc. http://fatherkapaun.org/father-kapaun
- Diocese of Wichita, St. John Nepomucene Church Page — http://fatherkapaun.org/pilgrimages/st-john-nepomucene-church
- Diocese of Wichita, Visiting Pilsen Page — http://catholicdioceseofwichita.org/pilgrimages/visiting-pilsen
- Holy Family Parish, Marion, Kansas, Schedule a Visit Page — http://hfpmc.org/fr-kapaun/schedule-a-visit
6. Photos. All photos used here were taken by us with the exception of:
- The photo of Father Kapaun holding his damaged pipe was scanned from "The Story of Chaplain Kapaun" by Father Arthur Tonne, pg 150.
- The Kenrick - Glennon Seminary painting, in the gallery, was copied from their website. Prints are displayed at both Kapaun - Mt. Carmel High School and Pilsen. (Used with permission: Kenrick-Glennon Seminary, St. Louis, Missouri - Painting by Cynthia Hitschler of Fr. Emil Kapaun, Class of 1940, commissioned by the Class of 2012. Photo by Lisa Johnston.)
- The background image for the maps is from MapQuest.
Some will wonder what this has to do with the Catholic Mission story. It is not a stretch to compare military chaplains, regardless of faith, with missionaries who preserved the faith in remote areas. Also, much of the Father Kapaun story is a Kansas story.
