Archbishop Philip M. Hannan, a US Army Chaplain in World War II and the oldest former military Chaplain, has died.

In 1942 the Catholic pastor volunteered to become a Chaplain, specifically requesting assignment to a combat unit.  He became known as the “jumping padre” after being assigned to the 505th Parachute Infantry of the 82nd Airborne and getting 5 practice parachute jumps.

Like many paratroopers, he was ultimately driven to combat to join his unit, where he was largely expected to care for the wounded and dying.  He was allowed to go to the front lines, where the only advice he was given was to crawl — since the combat troops would be overjoyed to see him, but wouldn’t want to be highlighted to the enemy by his presence.

So he did.  The troops’ response as he crawled out was to tell him to get lower.

US military Chaplains faithfully served troops on the front lines in prior conflicts, as did Chaplain Hannan, and they have continued to do so in every decade since.

After serving the airborne all the way into Germany, he would eventually help pastor the Cathedral in occupied Cologne.  He also became a confidant of the man who would become the first Catholic US President, John F. Kennedy.  He ultimately gave a eulogy at Kennedy’s funeral.

An interview Chaplain Hannan gave for the National World War II museum is available online.