Kapaun would later be awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his actions at Unsan; he dragged many wounded to safety under fire, and soldiers said he saved more lives when he persuaded the Chinese to quit shooting into a dugout where he was protecting dozens of wounded Americans.
According to Monday’s news release from the White House, “When Chinese Communist Forces viciously attacked friendly elements, Chaplain Kapaun calmly walked through withering enemy fire in order to provide comfort and medical aid to his comrades. When they found themselves surrounded by the enemy, the able-bodied men were ordered to evacuate. Chaplain Kapaun, fully aware of his certain capture, elected to stay behind with the wounded. As hand-to-hand combat ensued, he continued to make rounds. As enemy forces approached the American position, Chaplain Kapaun noticed an injured Chinese officer amongst the wounded and convinced him to negotiate the safe surrender of the American forces. Shortly after his capture, Chaplain Kapaun bravely pushed aside an enemy soldier preparing to execute a comrade … ” ‘God-fearing man’
Now a captive, along with hundreds of other wounded and hungry American soldiers, Kapaun was force-marched north, to prison compounds established in North Korea just south of the Yalu River border with Manchuria.
Soldiers held captive with him there said he saved hundreds of lives, in part by making cooking pans out of discarded roofing tin. That allowed soldiers to boil drinking water out of snow, which held off dysentery.
He also picked the lice off sick and dying soldiers, stole food from guards to share with his fellow prisoners, washed their underwear, dug latrines, and rallied starving prisoners in sub zero temperatures to hang on to hope. Hundreds died but hundreds survived.
He also defied the Chinese guards, resisting their attempts to brainwash him and other Americans. He also continued to pray and hold religious services with fellow prisoners – acts that the Communist guards had prohibited
