May the Vessels of our Navy be Guarded
O Eternal God, may the vessels of our Navy be guarded by Thy gracious Providence and care. May they not bear the sword in vain, but as the defense to those who do well. Graciously bless the officers and men of our Navy. May love of country be engraven on their hearts and may their adventurous spirits and severe toils be duly appreciated by a grateful nation. May their lives be precious in Thy sight, and if ever our ships of war should be engaged in battle, grant that their struggles may be only under an enforced necessity for the defense of what is right. Bless all nations and kindreds on the face of the earth and hasten the time when the principles of holy religion shall so prevail that none shall wage war any more for the purpose of aggression, and none shall need it as a means of defense. All of which blessings we ask through the merits of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Prayer Book 1944
Philadelphia Navy Yard (1843)
This prayer is offered at the launching of battleships of the United States Navy. It is an adaptation of a prayer first offered at the Philadelphia Navy Yard in 1843.
1917 – For the Army
O God, Who art a Shield and Buckler to all those that trust in Thee: Stretch forth Thy mighty hand over us Thy servants and the Army in which we serve; lead us and guide us by Thy good Spirit, strengthen and defend us by Thy might, that we may by our Land a sure defense against every enemy and may enter finally into Thine eternal kingdom; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord. Amen.
A Prayer for Her
Lord, give her strength when she is weak
And peace when troubled is her heart;
Lord, send her hope when hope is gone,
And courage when her battles start.
There’s only one thing more I ask—
You’ll understand I know, so please,
Lord bless her while she waits alone,
And give her faith for times like these… Amen
Dorothy M. Ballenger, Wife of Earl L. Ballenger,
Boatswain’s Mate First Class, United States Navy
From Our Navy Magazine
Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Prayer Book 1944
Justice Among the Nations
Almighty God, who hast created man in Thine own image; grant us grace fearlessly to contend against evil, and to make no peace with oppression; and, that we may reverently use our freedom, help us to employ it in the maintenance of justice among men and nations, to the glory of Thy holy Name; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Dean Acheson (1893-1971)
Secretary of State, Truman Administration
From: The Armed Forces Prayer Book, 1951
None to Make Them Afraid
Our Father. Whose glory filleth the Universe, we reflect upon the great achievements of those who have made the extreme sacrifice for our country in order that our blessed land may continue to be a beacon of light and a source of hope for the entire civilized world.
Deliver us, O Heavenly Father, from our present impending evils and frustrate the designs of our enemies. Restore us to the bosom of peace.
We pray to Thee to hasten the day when humanity shall be delivered from oppressors and oppression and hate and violence shall never again flourish on the face of Thy earth, and may we realize in our day the fulfillment of the prophetic vision “that they shall dwell every man under his own vine and fig tree with none to make them afraid.” Amen.
Brig. General Julius Klein (1894 – 1976)
Julius Klein served as spy in Germany in WWI and was a hero during WWII, when he saved many lives during an explosion at New Caledonia in the South Pacific. In 1941, he formulated an important military plan called “Combat Public Relations”, which encompassed such topics as psychological warfare and propaganda. He also helped improved both German-American and German-Israel relations after World War II.
Simply Because People Prayed
World War II has numerous examples of a nation at prayer. Perhaps the most famous instance of prayer in the troops was a circulated prayer by General George Patton in December, 1942. In the interview with Chaplain Brigadier General James H. O’Neill, General Patton confided,
Chaplain, I am a strong believer in prayer…We were lucky in Africa, in Sicily, and in Italy, simply because people prayed. But we have to pray for ourselves, too. A good soldier is not made merely by making him think and work. There is something in every soldier that goes deeper than thinking or working.—it’s his ‘guts.’ It is something that he has built in there: it is a world of truth and power that is higher than himself. Great living is not all output of thought and work. A man has to have intake as well. I don’t know what you call it, but I call it Religion, Prayer, or God…We’ve got to get not only the chaplains but every man in the Third Army to pray. We must ask God to stop these rains. These rains are the margin that holds defeat or victory…I believe that prayer completes the circuit. It is power.*
*Chaplain James H. O’Neill. 1948. The True Story of the Patton Prayer. The Military Chaplain. Vol. 19, No. 2, p. 2.