A Chaplain Goes over the Top: Driving on Montfaucon with the 79th Division in September 1918
I n August 1918, Father James F. McNary, pastor at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Hamilton, Ohio, departed for service in France. Assigned to the 316th Infantry of the 79th Division, he took part in the opening assault of the Meuse-Argonne offensive on September 26, 1918. He wrote this remarkable letter to his friend Karl Krieger back in Hamilton two weeks after "going over the top." Chaplain James F. McNary, 316th Infantry, 79th Division Somewhere in France October 10, 1918 I wrote you on September 25 th but I fear you will never get that one since I went over the top on September 26 th and left your letter in my mass outfit in the trench and since then I have been unable to locate it. In theory, the chaplain is not supposed to go over the top, but unless you do so, you lose your regiment and consequently are unable to do the work for which you are in the army. I will endeavor to give you an outline of this terrifi...
