Thank you so much for posting this! I am transcribing my father's letters from Italy during World War II, and he attended services led by Chaplain Coddington in Gardone Riviera. He wrote: "This chaplain we have now, a man named Coddington, a Presbyterian from Trenton, N. J. is really a whiz. He has the whole congregation with him, and the church houses more people every Sunday. I certainly enjoy hearing a man of God in the pulpit instead of a soldier wearing the cross." I was trying to find out more about this man, and your post was just what I needed!
Also, rereading your comment on the clipping, I should offer this correction: the photo was not taken "in postwar Trenton" but "with the Fifth Army," which at that time was headquartered in Gardone Riviera, on Lake Garda, near Verona, Italy. In that location he had the advantage of using a real church. Dad wrote: "Today is Sunday. I went to church this morning in a real church--first time since leaving Wilmington, and it really makes a difference. The whole atmosphere is better. There was an organ, a pulpit, real pews, a stained glass window, etc. Nothing was GI except the chaplain and he was much better than mos--had a fine singing voice which improved the quality of the hymns. I really enjoyed the service and plan to go back again next Sunday."
Here's another of our "Greatest Generation," Rev. Coddington leading a prayer service in post war Trenton.
Thank you so much for posting this! I am transcribing my father's letters from Italy during World War II, and he attended services led by Chaplain Coddington in Gardone Riviera. He wrote: "This chaplain we have now, a man named Coddington, a Presbyterian from Trenton, N. J. is really a whiz. He has the whole congregation with him, and the church houses more people every Sunday. I certainly enjoy hearing a man of God in the pulpit instead of a soldier wearing the cross." I was trying to find out more about this man, and your post was just what I needed!
ReplyDeleteI neglected to say that my husband, K4MQM, has been a ham since 1959.
ReplyDeleteAlso, rereading your comment on the clipping, I should offer this correction: the photo was not taken "in postwar Trenton" but "with the Fifth Army," which at that time was headquartered in Gardone Riviera, on Lake Garda, near Verona, Italy. In that location he had the advantage of using a real church. Dad wrote: "Today is Sunday. I went to church this morning in a real church--first time since leaving Wilmington, and it really makes a difference. The whole atmosphere is better. There was an organ, a pulpit, real pews, a stained glass window, etc. Nothing was GI except the chaplain and he was much better than mos--had a fine singing voice which improved the quality of the hymns. I really enjoyed the service and plan to go back again next Sunday."
ReplyDelete