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Francis W. Kelly

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The Reverend Monsignor

Francis W. Kelly
Kelly in his Navy uniform
Nickname(s)"Father Foxhole"
"Foxhole Kelly"
"Bum Dope Kelly"
Born(1910-10-16)October 16, 1910
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
DiedJanuary 9, 1982(1982-01-09) (aged 71)
Oceanside, California, U.S.
Place of burial
Arlington National Cemetery[note 1]
AllegianceUnited States
Service / branchUnited States Navy
Years of service
  • 1941–1946
  • 1950–1969
Unit
Battles / wars
Awards
ChurchCatholic (Latin Church)
Orders
OrdinationMay 22, 1937 (priesthood)
by Dennis Joseph Dougherty
RankPrelate of Honour of His Holiness (1969)

Francis William Kelly (October 16, 1910 – January 9, 1982) was an American Catholic priest who served as a chaplain during World War II, embedded in the Pacific Theater with the U.S. Marines.[2] Kelly was present at Guadalcanal, Tarawa, Okinawa and Iwo Jima; his presence on front lines earned him his nicknames, including "Father Foxhole" and "Foxhole Kelly". He was featured in the wartime book Guadalcanal Diary and a fictionalized version of him appeared in the subsequent film. After a brief period in parochial assignments after World War II ended, he re-entered active duty during the Korean War and remained as an active chaplain until his retirement in 1969.

Early life

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Francis Kelly was born to Rebecca Neal in Philadelphia on October 16, 1910. He grew up in the Irish Corktown neighborhood of Philadelphia and attended St. Agatha parochial school.[3] For priestly formation, he attended St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Overbrook, Pennsylvania. Kelly was ordained to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia by Cardinal Joseph Dougherty on May 22, 1937.[4][5] He was initially assigned to St. Canicus parish in Philadelphia as the parochial vicar before being reassigned of St. Charles Borromeo Church in Upper Darby in 1939.[6][7]

Military career

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While driving back from a West Catholic High School football game on December 7, 1941, Kelly and a friend listened to the accounts of the Attack on Pearl Harbor. Kelly slammed his fist on the dashboard and vowed to enlist. In early 1942, he was commissioned as a Navy Chaplain and assigned to the 1st and 2nd Marine Divisions.[1]

Present at many of the bloodiest battles of the Pacific Theater during World War II, Kelly's time as a chaplain was marked by an insistence on being on the front lines.[1] Kelly's first major deployment was the Guadalcanal campaign. Journalist Richard Tregaskis accompanied the Marine Corps; Tregaskis' resulting book, Guadalcanal Diary, featured Kelly. In the subsequent film, the fictional character of Father Donnelly played by Preston Foster was based on Kelly.[8]

Kelly and an assistant performing burial rites at Tarawa

The night before the Marine landings at the Battle of Tarawa, Kelly said Mass on board his ship and distributed communion to the Marines. Storming the beach alongside troops the next morning, Kelly administered last rites to those grievously injured. For those already dead, he dug a cemetery with the assistance of other personnel.[9] In the course of the battle his left leg was struck by shrapnel, which earned him a Purple Heart.[1][3]

Kelly also stormed the beaches with the Marines in the battles of Okinawa and Iwo Jima. The Marines of his division became so accustomed to seeing him that they nicknamed him "Father Foxhole" or "Foxhole Kelly".[1] Kelly once remarked that perhaps the Marines noticed his "faculty for flying through the air and landing comfortably in a hole".[10] He was also known as "Bum Dope Kelly" for his habit of telling "far-fetched stories" to improve the morale among his Marines.[11]

After World War II, Kelly remained in the Navy Reserves while serving at St. Robert's Roman Catholic Church in Chester, Pennsylvania, and St. Helena's Church in Philadelphia.[5][12] At the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950, Kelly reentered active duty and was assigned to the 1st Marine Division. Kelly's assignments included Naval Station Rota in Spain and Naval Submarine Base New London in Connecticut.[13] In 1967, he expressed interest in being deployed to Vietnam prior to his retirement.[11] He remained in the service until 1969, also serving as chaplain for the 5th Marine Division and the 4th Naval District.[3]

On February 18, 1969, Kelly was named a monsignor by Pope Paul VI, with the rank Prelate of Honour of His Holiness.[14] After briefly serving at St. Patrick's in Philadelphia, he returned to chaplaincy in service at Camp Pendleton in 1971.[1]

Later life

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Kelly holding a commemorative shovel with "Foxhole Kelly" written on it

Kelly was well-known in the Philadelphia sports community, and was a lifelong fan of the Eagles and Phillies. He blessed Veterans Stadium before it opened in 1971.[1] He was named "Citizen of the Year" by Oceanside, California, in 1976. In his later years, he also assisted at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Encinitas.[15]

Kelly died on January 9, 1982, at Tri-City Hospital in Oceanside.[2][6] His body was flown back to Philadelphia, where Cardinal Krol presided at his funeral on January 15 at the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul. He was buried in Arlington National Cemetery.[1]

Awards and decorations

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Kelly was awarded the following medals and citations:[6][4]

Purple Heart
Legion of Merit
Bronze star
Bronze star
 Presidential Unit Citation (United States)
Presidential Unit Citation (South Korea)
Asiatic–Pacific Campaign Medal
American Campaign Medal
Korean Service Medal
China Service Medal
United Nations Medal

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Fitzpatrick, Frank (April 15, 2018). "Saga of Philly's 'Father Foxhole'". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved September 21, 2024.
  2. ^ a b "Msgr. Francis Kelly, 'Father Foxhole' of World War II". The Morning Call. AP. January 13, 1982. Retrieved September 21, 2024.
  3. ^ a b c Nelson, Nels (September 13, 1967). "'The Blast of War Blows' and Padre Imitates the Tiger". Philadelphia Daily News. Retrieved September 21, 2024.
  4. ^ a b Chaplains Division of the Bureau of Naval Personnel (1953). Drury, Clifford (ed.). A History of the Chaplain Corps, United States Navy. Vol. IV. Washington: United States Government Printing Office. p. 117.
  5. ^ a b Monsignor Francis W. Kelly (Museum Exhibit). Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania Veterans Museum.
  6. ^ a b c "Monsignor Francis W. Kelly, 71; landed with Marines in WWII". The Philadelphia Inquirer. January 13, 1982. Retrieved September 21, 2024.
  7. ^ "Chaplain Kelly Shown in Film At The Victoria". The Record American. April 8, 1944. Retrieved September 23, 2024.
  8. ^ King, David (May 1, 2023). "'Guadalcanal Diary' and Father Francis W. Kelly - Georgia Bulletin". georgiabulletin.org. Archived from the original on September 20, 2024. Retrieved September 21, 2024.
  9. ^ Zurlinden, Peter; Lucas, Jim (December 7, 1943). "Bit of Tarawa is American: There Lie the Marine Dead". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. 2. Retrieved September 21, 2024.
  10. ^ Lane, Clarence (May 15, 1963). "He Delivered Sermon on Gunmount". The Virginian-Pilot. Retrieved September 23, 2024.
  11. ^ a b Copley News Service (November 26, 1967). "Return of 'Foxhole Kelly'". The Daily Breeze. Retrieved September 23, 2024.
  12. ^ "Marine's 'Fighting Padre'". The News and Observer. No. February 3, 1951. p. 7. Retrieved September 23, 2024.
  13. ^ "One Father Kelly Going And Another One Coming". The New London, Conn. Evening Day. September 11, 1959. p. 10. Retrieved September 23, 2024.
  14. ^ "Annuario Pontificio per l'anno 1980" [Pontifical Yearbook for the Year 1980]. Annuario Pontificio (in Italian). 1980. Libreria Editrice Vaticana: 1811. ISSN 0390-7252. OCLC 4371310.
  15. ^ "Msgr. Francis Kelly, 'Father Foxhole' of WWII". Daily Times-Advocate. January 12, 1982. Retrieved September 21, 2024.

Notes

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  1. ^ Site E-226-B1[1]
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