Francis L. Sampson

Francis Leon Sampson (29 February 1912 – 28 January 1996) was an American Catholic priest and military officer who served as the 12th Chief of Chaplains of the United States Army from 1967 to 1971. A World War II paratrooper chaplain who participated in the D-Day landings and the Battle of the Bulge, Sampson was captured during both engagements and spent time in prisoner-of-war camps. He also served in the Korean War. A decorated war hero, he received the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, and Distinguished Service Cross and was nominated for the Medal of Honor.

Early life Francis L. Sampson was born on 29 February 1912 in Cherokee, Iowa, to Mr. and Mrs. Harvey Sampson. His father was a hotel manager; his mother helped with the food service. He attended Cathedral High School in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and Franklin High School in Portland, Oregon. He was ordained to the Roman Catholic priesthood for the Diocese of Des Moines, Iowa, on 1 June 1941.

Battle of the Bulge After briefly returning to England, Sampson jumped into Holland on 19 December 1944, landing in a moat around a castle. Participating in the Battle of the Bulge, he ended up being captured by German forces in Belgium, near Bastogne. He received the Bronze Star for his work among the prisoners. As the camp was being bombed by Allied forces, Sampson tended to the wounded and dying.

Sampson was briefly in Japan after the end of the war.

Post–World War II In October 1945, Sampson returned to the United States and briefly served again at Dowling Catholic High School in Des Moines. He returned to active duty in July 1946, as a regimental chaplain with the 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division. In the midst of the Vietnam War, the appointment of a decorated war hero as the Chief of Chaplains was seen as a way to rehabilitate the image of the military; however, he faced a great uphill battle. Prior to his retirement, he approved a five-year plan for the chaplaincy, focusing on ministry, training, and administration. He wrote two books about his experiences, The Paratrooper Padre in 1948 and Look Out Below! in 1958. During the course of the D-Day attacks, Fritz learned his brothers William and Roland had died on 6 and 7 June, and a third brother, Edward, had gone missing over Burma in the Pacific Theater. After learning this, Sampson insisted to Fritz that arrangements be made for his return to the United States, and filed the paperwork to do so. Edward was later found in a prisoner-of-war camp and returned home after the war.

Sampson is one of four alumni of the Saint Paul Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota, to become the Chief of Chaplains of the United States Army, the other three being Patrick J. Ryan, Patrick J. Hessian, and Donald W. Shea.

Awards and decorations

Sampson's military achievements include:

Distinguished Service CrossBronze Star (with valor device)Army Commendation Medal (with one bronze oak leaf cluster)Purple HeartPresidential Unit Citation (with two bronze oak leaf clusters)Prisoner of War MedalAmerican Defense Service MedalAmerican Campaign MedalEuropean-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal (with arrowhead device and two bronze service stars)World War II Victory MedalArmy of Occupation MedalNational Defense Service MedalKorean Service Medal (with four bronze service stars)French Croix de Guerre with PalmRepublic of Korea Presidential Unit CitationUnited Nations Service Medal for Korea