Chaplain Captain the Reverend Emil Kapaun, a Roman Catholic Priest from Pilsen, Kansas, was captured by the Chinese while serving with the 8th Cavalry Regiment at Unsan in November 1950. For the next six months, he worked tirelessly to feed his fellow prisoners, scavenging for food in nearby fields and stealing from the guards and the supply huts. In addition, he saw to their spiritual needs, helping them resist the Chinese and North Korean attempts at brainwashing the prisoners into betraying their countrymen; even defying orders and holding mass on Easter Sunday 1951.
On May 23, 1951, his body weakened by pneumonia and dysentery, Chaplain Kapaun died in the Pyoktong POW Camp. His last words were to a friend and fellow prisoner, LT Mike Dowe, "Hey, Mike, don't worry about me. I'm going to where I always wanted to go and I'll say a prayer for all of you."
Additionally, the Roman Catholic Church is currently examining the possibility of sainthood for Chaplain Kapaun.