Howell Maurice Forgy was born on 18 January 1908. He played football at Muskingum College, in Ohio, and was later ordained as a Presbyterian minister. Commissioned in the Navy's Chaplain Corps as a Lieutenant (Junior Grade) in October 1940, he was serving in the heavy cruiser New Orleans during the 7 December 1941 Japanese air raid on Pearl Harbor. When men of the ship's ammunition party were growing tired from their efforts, Chaplain Forgy encouraged them with the words "Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition, boys". This phrase inspired the immensely popular wartime song "Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition", written by Frank Loesser and recorded by Kay Kyser.
Chaplain Forgy served through the remainder of the Second World War, reaching the rank of Commander in November 1945. He retired in May 1946 and returned to the civilian ministry. The Reverend Howell M. Forgy died in Glendora, California, in January 1972.
This page features our only view of Chaplain Howell M. Forgy, USN.
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Page made 7 January 2001