Soldiers of a Different Cloth Lib/E: Notre Dame Chaplains in World War II

by John Wukovits, Robertson Dean (Reading), John I. Jenkins (Foreword)

In Soldiers of a Different Cloth , New York Times bestselling author and military historian John Wukovits tells the inspiring story of thirty-five chaplains and missionaries who, while garnering little acclaim, performed extraordinary feats of courage and persistence during World War II. Ranging in age from twenty-two to fifty-three, these University of Notre Dame priests and nuns were counselor, friend, parent, and older sibling to the young soldiers they served. These chaplains experienced the horrors of the Death March in the Philippines and the filthy holds of the infamous Hell Ships. They dangled from a parachute while descending toward German fire at Normandy and shivered in Belgium's frigid snows during the Battle of the Bulge. They languished in German and Japanese prison camps, and stood speechless at Dachau. Based on a vast collection of letters, papers, records, and photographs in the archives of the University of Notre Dame, as well as other contemporary sources, Wukovits brings to life these nearly forgotten heroes who served wherever duty sent them and wherever the war dictated. Wukovits intertwines their stories on the battlefronts with their memories of Notre Dame. In their letters to their superior in South Bend, Indiana, they often asked about the campus, the Grotto, and the football team. Their love for Notre Dame helped buttress them during their wartime tribulations, and their return to campus was akin to a warm homecoming. Soldiers of a Different Cloth will fascinate and engage all listeners interested in the history of World War II and alumni, friends, and fans of the Fighting Irish.

Genres: History

Audio CD

Published September 18, 2018

Reviews

[Neile B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such an interesting read. I'm always amazed at just how much there is to learn when you pick up a book like this.
Wukovits covers the story of the 35 WWII Notre Dame chaplains and the group of priests and nuns who were to serve as missionaries in India, but were held captive and confined to prison camps in Los Banos. Both, the chaplains and missionaries performed great feats of courage while enduring great amounts of suffering throughout the war.
Never allowed to carry any form of weapon, they faced the horrors armed with only their bibles and mass kits. Their primary role was to offer prayer and absolution to all soldiers regardless of faith and to perform services for several denominations; making sure the men went into battle with a clear conscious and on the right side of God.

[Christopher Pokorny · Rating 4 out of 5]

As an active duty military chaplain, I find historical accounts of military chaplains to be refreshing. They offer a reminder of the transcendent truths of chaplaincy. They provide encouragement through the stories of struggle and overcoming. They also inspire picking up some old practices and dusting them off to try again with the populations we serve today.

I enjoyed the bulk of the content that Wukovitz captured in these pages. It was an honor to hear the stories of nuns, priests and missionaries. How they struggled, succeeded and died in service to our nation during the various theater campaigns in WWII.

A great read for those interested in the history of military chaplaincy.

[Diane Carter · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an amazing book. It follows priests from
Notre Dame who serve as military chaplains during WW 2 and a group of priests and nuns who were on their way to serve as missionaries in India from St Mary’s and Notre Dame . This group was captured by the Japanese and suffered years torture and starvation in military prison camp . The book is so well written that it nearly covers all the theaters of war . It goes into the bravery of these chaplains who did not bear arms but were in the thick of battle . Several were in Europe and 3 saw liberations of Jewish prisons and horrible circumstances.
This is a different perspective on historical accounts of the war .

[Ted Hinkle · Rating 5 out of 5]

SOLDIERS OF A DIFFERENT CLOTH is a magnificent tribute to the clergy from the University of Notre Dame who served as Chaplains in World War II. The author, ND alumnus, John F. Wukovits superbly pulls together stories of the priests and religious involved in both the European and Pacific campaigns.Wukovits documents with numerous archived photos, the dedication, courage, sacrifice, and commitment of these servants of God. I highly recommend this inspirational read for all who love "God, Country, and Notre Dame".

[Brittany · Rating 2 out of 5]

Two and a half.

Although the book is well-written and provides a new perspective of the war, much of the information was repetitive. I don't believe the author is completely at fault. He worked to put the pieces together from letters left behind but after a short while, I was left bored and uninterested. These accounts, although inspiring, were no different than other WW2 books I have read.

[Gophergirl58 · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought I would like this book, but, as a Protestant, I didn’t find that much interesting or great about the Catholic priests. The author even mentioned in the front that the priests who were attached as chaplains didn’t think that much of the Protestant Chaplains as they did not work the front lines. Not true; there are books written by Protestant chaplains who also were in the front lines. If one is Catholic, then this book might be of interest. It was a long read, but much of the book read the same, chapter after chapter, no matter where the fighting took them. I personally found Pastor William C. Taggart’s book, My Fighting Congregation, much more interesting.

[Sandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I and I’m sure many others have never read a comprehensive book on the chaplains who served during war time! This was such an enlightening book with details of so many who served our boys in such horrific circumstances! It was so heartwarming to read how they tirelessly worked in so many capacities and so selflessly! Great read!

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emotional, excellent! More on Bookwinked at: https://bookwinked.wordpress.com/2021...

[Johnnyc · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful book. The story of these brave men, how they became chaplains and how they endured while serving the Lord and His Church, is very inspiring.

[John W Pipes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Speechless, humbled, in awe and ever grateful.