A Prayer Book for Soldiers and Sailors
A Prayer Book for Soldiers and Sailors
A Prayer Book for Soldiers and Sailors

A Prayer Book for Soldiers and Sailors

Object number2018.132.10 a,b
Publisher
Date1942
OriginNY
MediumPaperboard; Linen; Paper; Ink; Graphite; Adhesive
Credit LineGift of Steven W. Hays
DescriptionThin, rectangular brown prayer book with linen hardcover featuring black title on front. Interior has tan endpapers and white pages with black printed religious text. Front right endpaper has adhered dedication sheet with printed and typed black text and ink signature at bottom. Back right endpaper has brown linen accordion pocket. 91 numbered pages. Light brown (discolored) paper mailing envelope. Front has black typed, stamped, and handwritten text and red and white postage stamp in the viewer's top right corner. Reverse has flap along proper right side with metal clasp closure. Reverse has black postage cancellation stamps.DimensionsHeight x Width x Depth (a): 5.438 x 3.375 x 0.375 in. (13.8 x 8.6 x 1 cm)
Height x Width x Depth (b): 4 x 6.5 x 0.375 in. (10.2 x 16.5 x 1 cm)
Inscriptions(a)
Front right end paper has applied sheet of white paper with black printed text including "Diocese of Pittsburgh / Office of the Bishop / Trinity House / 325 Oliver Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pa. / To Walter J. G. Hays, Jr. / Lo, here a little volume / But Great Book! / Its use will yield / Both sword and shield / To "a good soldier of Jesus Christ." / Faithfully your Friend and Bishop, / Alexander Mann".

(b)
Front of envelope has stamped black text in the viewer's top left corner "THE... REV. ALEXANDER MANN, D.D., / TRINITY HOUSE / 325 OLIVER AVENUE / PITTSBURGH, PA." and typed black text in the viewer's bottom right quadrant "Pvt. Walter J. G. Hays, Jr. / Co. L, 12th Q.M.R.T.C. / T320, Camp Lee, Va."

Front has stamped black postage mark in viewer's top left corner that is illegible and in the viewer's top right corner, inverted "PGH. PA. (110) PITTSB".

Front has handwritten text in the viewer's top right quadrant "407 W. Wash. St / Bloomington / Ill / M-12... / Co. A- 8th Regt."

Front has postage stamp in the viewer's top right corner with white printed text "UNITED / STATES / POSTAGE / JOHN / ADAMS / 1797-1801 / 2 CENTS 2".

Red text on front includes "K", "So 168...", and illegible text.

Some text on the front is crossed out.

Reverse has two black cancellation stamps, top one has text "CAMP ELLIS, ILL. / SEP 5 / 11-AM / 1943" and bottom one has text "CAMP LEE / SEP 2 / 330PM / 1943 / VA."
Marks(a)
Front cover has black text at top "A PRAYER BOOK / FOR / SOLDIERS AND SAILORS".

Front left endpaper has black printed text "The Lord's Prayer / ... / The Apostles' Creed / ..."

Title page has printed black text "A PRAYER BOOK / for / SOLDIERS AND SAILORS / PUBLISHED FOR / THE ARMY AND NAVY COMMISSION OF / THE PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCH / BY / THE CHURCH PENSION FUND / 20 Exchange Place New York / 1941".

Table of contents page has printed black text at bottom "Fifth Edition, November 1942".
Historical NotesPart of a collection that documents donor Steven W. Hays' father, Walter J. G. Hays, Jr.'s service in WWII. Walter J. G Hays, Jr. grew up at 5100 Bayard Street in the Oakland neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and attended Shady Side Academy. After high school he began to work at Sewickley Ice Company, which his father, William J. G. Hays, Sr., owned. Walter was drafted in 1943, trained in Bloomington, Illinois (where he met his future wife) and then was deployed to England. He trained for six months in England before participating in D-Day as well as the Battle of the Bulge, where he was wounded and received a Purple Heart. He ended his service in Berlin where his group was relieved by MP troops who came to keep peace in Berlin after the war. When he returned to the States he first went back to Bloomington to marry Lucille Nagrass, who he met when he was stationed there, and then returned to Pittsburgh and his job at the ice plant. While he was in the service he worked in refrigeration repair and served in the 3712th Quartermaster Truck Company.
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