Fr. Emil Kapaun’s image is well known to countless Catholics around the world, even if they are not familiar with his name.
One famous image from the war is of Fr. Kapaun celebrating Mass on a jeep in October 1950 in Korea.
A solitary soldier can be seen kneeling in front of the priest in the photograph.
He bravely performed Mass, baptisms and heard confessions even as the fighting grew more hostile in the early days of the conflict.
Along with his regiment, he was made a prisoner of war. He did his best to raise their spirits and to keep them in good spiritual health.
After contracting dysentery and pneumonia, he died in 1951.
Fr. Kapaun received the Medal of Honour amongst other decorations for his bravery.
In 1993, he was declared Servant of God by Pope John Paul II.
This past week it was ascertained that his remains had been found in Honolulu in Hawaii, buried in a graveyard for American soldiers.