"Back at the Gap" Major General Frank H. Smoker, Jr. (USAF, Retired) Chapel survives many changes at Gap 26th in a series From 1997-1998, Major Steven Dundas was assigned as post chaplain to the Headquarters, Fort Indiantown Gap, commonly called the Garrison. Together with the Garrison Commander Lt. Col. Thomas Allmon, they undertook projects with full Garrison’s support, and the main Post Chapel was repaired and renovated. This led to the Post Chapel being rededicated on Sunday, August 9, 1998, as the Fort Indiantown Gap Soldiers’ and Airmen’s Memorial Chapel to “the memory of all who have served the American Nation and for those who serve and will serve in this Nation’s Armed Forces.” A plaque depicting this event hangs on the wall of the Chapel lobby. Effective September 30, 1989, the regular Army Garrison was inactivated in accordance with Department of Defense directives. Its mission had been to provide for the physical maintenance of the Fort and its facilities, and to provide logistical and technical service support to all of the units that train at the Fort, including support of the main Post Chapel. With the inactivation of the Garrison, under the direction of the Adjutant General of Pennsylvania, the National Guard Training Center was created and assumed responsibility and control over all functions on the Post effective October 1, 1998. It is significant to note that the Gap’s Reserve Component Training Center is the only training center in the United States that maintains a military chapel on a full-time basis. That means the main Post Chapel remains in continuous use since World War II, notwithstanding that when built in 1940, now 63 years later, this structure is still in remarkably good condition. Earlier this year, it had new siding and windows installed, a worthwhile improvement. Of the original nine chapels on Fort Indiantown Gap, the main Post Chapel is the only chapel still in use for religious services. What about the other chapels that once were available for the religious services for the troops? Two years ago, Area 2 Chapel (T-2-79) was the only chapel on the Post remaining in its original World War II configuration. Unfortunately, that chapel was decommissioned and demolished in 2002 under the DOD program whereby certain World War II wooden buildings are required to be demolished. The records do not explain why, but Area 3 Chapel (T-3-104) no longer exists but we believe it was destroyed by fire. Area 4 Chapel (T-4-109) has also been decommissioned and demolished under this DOD program. Area 5 Chapel (T-5-107) was struck by lightning some years ago and suffered serious damage, so it was dismantled. On 17 April 1998, Area 6 Chapel (T-6-103) was donated to the Congregational Free Church in Orwigsburg. That congregation contracted with Amish workmen who carefully dismantled the structure piece by piece and moved it to Orwigsburg where is was reconstructed. This action actually saved the Chapel from demolition since all of the wooden buildings in that part of Area 6 were scheduled to be destroyed. Although not part of the original nine chapels, Area 9 Chapel (T-9-76) is a small, nicely furnished Catholic Chapel, called Our Lady of Victory. It is believed this chapel was originally a small one room school located not far from its present location on the Post in 1941. It is used on a regular basis by soldiers attending weekend training. Area 12 Chapel (T-12-91) has been decommissioned and is used for storage. Likewise, Area 13 Chapel (T-13-70) has been decommissioned and is now used for storage. Another Area 13 Chapel (T-13-170) was designated as the 28th Division Memorial Chapel, however, it has been decommissioned because it is termite invested and will be dismantled in the near future. And lastly, the main Post Chapel (T-0-8), located in the center of the Post, is the only remaining chapel used on a regular basis. The service schedule consists of Catholic Mass at 0700 and the Protestant Worship at 11 a.m. each Sunday. The public is welcome to attend any of these services. With the inactivation of the U. S. Army Garrison and the creation of the National Guard Training Center, it was determined essential to continue the operation of the Post Chapel. Memorandums of Agreement were completed between the National Guard Training Center and Protestant and Catholic congregations setting forth the arrangements for the Chapel’s operations, including the assignment of a contract chaplain and organist for each congregation. The Catholic congregation is served by the priest and musician from the local area. For the Protestant congregation, the contract chaplain is Chaplain (Major) Calvin Cassidy, who is retired from the Army, the organist and pianist is Mrs. Nadine Speece, and the acolyte is Miss Megan Spaulding. A Chapel Parish, consisting of regular members of the Protestant congregation, was organized to insure the continuity of the operation of the main Post Chapel. Parish Council Officers were elected and Committees were established. This arrangement has been working very satisfactorily and provides continuing facilities and services to the assigned military and civilian personnel as well as military retirees who reside in the area. In addition to the weekly religious services, the Post Chapel is available and has been used for weddings of military personnel. On 11 August 2002, on occasion of the fourth anniversary of the dedication of the Soldiers’ and Airmen’s Memorial Chapel, the flags of the Armed Forces were dedicated. Dignitaries, including the Adjutant General of Pennsylvania, Major General William Lynch, State Representative Peter Zug, and the Garrison Commander, Colonel Raymond Hulings, participated in the ceremony. I served as Master of Ceremonies. A plaque was mounted on the wall of the Chapel and it reads as follows: “Dedication of the Flags in the Post Chapel. On the occasion of the fourth anniversary of the dedication of the Soldiers’ and Airmen’s Memorial Chapel at Fort Indiantown Gap, the flags of the United States and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and the flags of our Armed Forces - the Army, Navy, Marines, Coast Guard and Air Force - and the flag of the Adjutant General of Pennsylvania, are dedicated this 11th Day of August 2002. These flags are displayed in honor of over a million soldiers and airmen who have passed through this Post over the years as they worshiped and trained for the defense of our state and nation. These flags are also presented in honor of the many who have devoted their lives in the service of our Nation and Commonwealth and in the memory of two of our devoted Chapel members, Colonel Walter D. Swank, USA (Retired) and Major J. Scott Jenckes, USAF (Retired).” Although September 30, 1998 marked the end of an era and the close relationship between the United States Army and the Pennsylvania National Guard, it is important to know that the main Post Chapel remains available for the soldiers and airmen who train at Fort Indiantown Gap, and for military retirees and civilians from the area, as they continue to worship there. An old Holy Bible from the main Post Chapel, believed to have been in use in the main Post Chapel since World War II, was presented to the Pennsylvania National Guard Military Museum recently to perpetuate the history of the military chapels at Fort Indiantown Gap. In addition, the United States flag and Chaplain’s flag, believed to have adorned the altar of the main Post Chapel since World War II, were also presented to the Museum. These items were replaced with a new Holy Bible and flags upon the occasion of the celebration of the fourth anniversary of the dedication of the Soldiers’ and Airmen’s Memorial Chapel and the presentation of the flags of the Armed Forces. This article was published in the Wednesday, November 3, 2004 edition of the Lebanon Daily News. © 2004 Frank H. Smoker, Jr. All rights reserved. Reproduced by permission of the author. Go "Back at the Gap" Index