Francis W. Kelly

Military career

While driving back from a West Catholic High School football game on 7 December 1941, Kelly and a friend listened to the accounts of the Attack on Pearl Harbor. Kelly slammed his fist on the dashboard and vowed to enlist. In early 1942, he was commissioned as a Navy Chaplain and assigned to the 1st and 2nd Marine Divisions.

Present at many of the bloodiest battles of the Pacific Theater during World War II, Kelly's time as a chaplain was marked by an insistence on being on the front lines.

The night before the Marine landings at the Battle of Tarawa, Kelly said Mass on board his ship and distributed communion to the Marines. Storming the beach alongside troops the next morning, Kelly administered last rites to those grievously injured. For those already dead, he dug a cemetery with the assistance of other personnel. In the course of the battle his left leg was struck by shrapnel, which earned him a Purple Heart.

Kelly also stormed the beaches with the Marines in the battles of Okinawa and Iwo Jima. The Marines of his division became so accustomed to seeing him that they nicknamed him "Father Foxhole" or "Foxhole Kelly". He was also known as "Bum Dope Kelly" for his habit of telling "far-fetched stories" to improve the morale among his Marines. At the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950, Kelly reentered active duty and was assigned to the 1st Marine Division. Kelly's assignments included Naval Station Rota in Spain and Naval Submarine Base New London in Connecticut. In 1967, he expressed interest in being deployed to Vietnam prior to his retirement. He remained in the service until 1969, also serving as chaplain for the 5th Marine Division and the 4th Naval District. After briefly serving at St. Patrick's in Philadelphia, he returned to chaplaincy in service at Camp Pendleton in 1971.

Kelly died on 9 January 1982, at Tri-City Hospital in Oceanside. His body was flown back to Philadelphia, where Cardinal Krol presided at his funeral on 15 January at the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul. He was buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

Awards and decorations Kelly was awarded the following medals and citations:

Purple HeartLegion of MeritPresidential Unit CitationPresidential Unit Citation (South Korea)Asiatic–Pacific Campaign MedalAmerican Campaign MedalKorean Service MedalChina Service MedalUnited Nations Medal