A gift with a legacy...

A few weeks ago I received a stole in church from Chaplain Van Vanderlan:

Here is what Chaplain Vanderlan said about the gift,"This stole was with the first Army Chaplain's Kit I received in 1964.  It was the old, heavy metal kit and it once fell out of a helicopter flying back from a hospital ship stationed in the waters outside of Viet Nam.  I had the stole on, so it was not in the kit.  It had 20+ years of service an was retired in 1984 with me.

This stole was used for services held at such places as the DMZ, Rock Pile, Hamburger Hill, The A Shau valley and Khe Sahn.  It was used to deliver Holy Communion along the highway from the Rock Pile to Quan Tri, where armored vehicles were situated about every 100 yards, protecting the highway.  Numerous memorial services were held with this stole in RVN (Republic of Vietnam). About 25 to 30 services for men of all branches of our military were held for victims of RVN while I was stationed near Pittsburgh, PA.  The service were conducted in western PA, eastern WV, and southwestern NY State.  One service was held in GA while I was stationed at Fort Jackson.  These were just a few of many services this stole was a part of.

It was also used to cover the Marines near the DMZ as they were leaving and for weekly service for the Naval detachment on the bay.

One baptism was conducted with this stole in RVN at the bay near Phan Rang.  I pray that it will continue to serve the men and women of the US Army as your career as a Army Chaplain progresses.  God bless you as you begin a great journey as an ordained elder in the UMC and the CHurch of Jesus Christ.

Chaplain (LTC) E.C. Vanderlan ret.  Or, as I was known, Chaplain Van."

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