A “Church on Wheels”: US Military Chaplains and Their Equipment in the World Wars

Beginning in World War I, US Army chaplains needed proper equipment to perform religious services in the field. Sourcing and transporting this equipment proved a unique challenge that depended on collaborations between the American public, religious organizations, and the War Department. By 1942, the Army chaplain was defined by the objects he used, specifically the chaplain’s “kit.” The expansion of chaplain gear in World War II reflected the increasingly pluralistic nature of the Army chaplaincy. This emphasis on the material culture of religion in the Army is seen through contemporary exhibitions and publications that centered on the chaplain’s equipment, which highlighted its portability and importance.