"Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition" is a patriotic song written by Frank Loesser and published as sheet music in 1942 by Famous Music Corp. The song was a response to the Attack on Pearl Harbor that marked United States involvement in World War II. Image:FrankLoesser1. ... Sheet music is written representation of music. ... This article is about the actual attack. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000...

Origin of the Song

According to the song a chaplain ("sky pilot") was with some fighting men who were being attacked by an enemy. (Generally given at the time to be the Japanese at Pearl Harbor.) He was asked to say a prayer for the men who were engaged in the firing at the on-coming Japanese planes. The chaplain, the song went on to infer, put down his bible, manned one of the ship's gun turrets and began firing back, saying, "Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition". Now, however, there are facts available setting the story straight. A chaplain in the 45th Infantry Division leads a Christmas Day service in Italy, 1943. ... This article is about the harbor in Hawaii. ...

According to the writer, Jack S. McDowall, through the years the lyrics of the song have generally credited "a chaplain" manning the gun turrets of a ship, while under attack. "This was not true," says, McDowell.

For some time, long after the attack at Pearl Harbor, stories and reports continued to surface about the incident, involving a chaplain who was to have uttered the now famous words, "Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition." This article is about the actual attack. ...

These stories eventually made their way through the servicemen back to the press. The press, as McDowell noted, . . . led some writers erroneously to identify other chaplains as authors of the phrase.

Nonetheless, the real Chaplain, Howell Forgy, aboard the USS New Orleans; during the Japanese attack, was that chaplain]. He was a Lieutenant (j.g.) on that Sunday morning in December, 1941. USS New Orleans (CA-32) (formerly CL-32) was a United States Navy heavy cruiser, the lead ship of her class. ... This article is about the actual attack. ... Lieutenant is a military, naval, paramilitary, fire service or police officer rank. ...

Another Lieutenant who had been in charge of an ammunition line on the USS New Orleans during the attack remembered.

"I heard a voice behind me saying, Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition. I turned and saw Chaplain Forgy walking toward me along the line of men. He was patting the men on the back and making that remark to cheer them and keep them going. I know it helped me a lot, too", he said.

Another lieutenant j.g. said, the men aboard the USS New Orleans would thereafter kid Chaplain Forgy about the role he played whenever they heard the song that had been written. They also encouraged him to set the record straight as to who actually said what. According to that same lieutenant the chaplain would decline, saying he felt "the episode should remain a legend rather than be associated with any particular person." Author McDowell said that press reporters were eventually permitted to interview men of the USS New Orleans involved in the "ammunition" story. Chaplain Forgy's superior officers set up a meeting with some of the press and; at last, the real story of the song and the man who had inspired it was finally confirmed.

In 1942, a recording by The Merry Macs reached number 8 on the Billboard chart. The 1943 version by Kay Kyser and His Orchestra reached number 1. The Merry Macs were an American close-harmony pop music quartet active from the 1920s till the 1960s and best known for the hits “Mairzy Doats,” “Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition,” and Sentimental Journey. ... Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry. ... James Kern (“Kay”) Kyser (June 18, 1905, Rocky Mount, North Carolina–July 24, 1985) was a famous bandleader and one of the first to become a radio celebrity. ...

Loesser donated his royalties for sale of the song to the Navy Relief Society. The Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society (NMCRS) is an American non-profit organization created to provide, in partnership with the Navy and Marine Corps, financial, educational, and other assistance to members of the Naval Services of the United States, eligible family members, and survivors when in need; and to receive...

A portion of the tune is sung while Hitler bows his head from news that Allied forces cut off a major assault of German U-boats in the Superman cartoon "Jungle Drums" Superman is a fictional character and comic book superhero , originally created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian artist Joe Shuster and published by DC Comics. ...

Modern Attributes

In modern times, the phrase has been used often in a more satirical tone, condemning war justified by religious doctrine. For example, rock band System of a Down, known for their pacifist beliefs, have frequently used the phrase as a criticism of war (see below). System of a Down (commonly referred to as System or abbreviated as SOAD) is an American rock band, formed in 1995 in Glendale, California. ...

At the beginning of System of a Down's music video for the demo version of "War?" in 1997, lead vocalist Serj Tankian says "Praise the lord and pass the ammunition. God wants you to go to war." The tenth track on Tankian's solo album, Elect the Dead, is entitled "Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition". The music video was shot at The Roxy in Los Angeles on August 27, 2007 and was directed by System of a Down photographer Greg Watermann. War? is a single from System of a Downs eponymous debut album. ... See also: 1997 in music (UK) Musical groups established in 1997 Record labels established in 1997 // January 9 - David Bowie performs his 50th Birthday Bash concert (the day after his birthday) at Madison Square Garden, with guests Frank Black, The Foo Fighters, Sonic Youth, Robert Smith of The Cure, Lou... Serj Tankian (Armenian: ) (born August 21, 1967 in Beirut, Lebanon[1]) is a Lebanese-born Armenian-American singer, songwriter, poet, activist, and multi-instrumentalist. ... Singles from Elect the Dead Released: August 7, 2007 Released: September 25, 2007 Released: 2007 Elect the Dead is the debut solo album by System of a Down frontman Serj Tankian. ... Flag Seal Nickname: City of Angels Location Location within Los Angeles County in the state of California Coordinates , Government State County California Los Angeles County Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (D) Geographical characteristics Area     City 1,290. ... is the 239th day of the year (240th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... See also: 2007 in country music 2007 in British music 2007 in hip hop 2007 in metal Albums released in 2007 Musical groups established in 2007 // January George Shearing is knighted for services to music in the Queens New Year Honours List. ...

Impatient Youth has a song title "Praise The Lord & Pass The Ammunition" on the 1982 hardcore punk compilation Not So Quiet on the Western Front. See also: 1982 in music (UK) Musical groups established in 1982 Record labels established in 1982 list of years in music // January 15 - K.C. and the Sunshine Bands Harry Wayne Casey is seriously injured in an automobile accident in Miami, Florida. ...

Exodus used the phrase "Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition" in the song "War Is My Shepherd" from their 2004 release "Tempo of the Damned". Exodus is an American thrash metal band formed in 1980 in San Francisco, California by singer/drummer Tom Hunting, guitarists Tim Agnello and Kirk Hammett, and bassist Carlton Melson. ... See also: 2004 in music (UK) Musical groups established in 2004 Record labels established in 2004 2000s in music. ... Tempo of the Damned (released in 2004) is the ninth album by Californian thrash metal band Exodus. ...

The Dixie Chicks in their song "Sin Wagon" on the album Fly use the phrase "Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition" as the opening line of the chorus. The Dixie Chicks are a multiple Grammy-award winning alternative country band and are the highest-selling female band in any musical genre, having sold over 36 million albums as of March 2008. ... Fly is the fifth album by American country band Dixie Chicks, released in 1999 (see 1999 in music). ...

In the film Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle, Freakshow while driving Harold and Kumar to his house says "praise the Lord and pass the ammunition". Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle (published internationally under the title Harold and Kumar get the Munchies) is a 2004 stoner movie that explores stereotypes, especially racial, in American culture. ...

In the television series Oz, Donald Groves utters the phrase thile talking to reverend.

Rush used the phrase "Pray, and pass the ammunition" in the song "The Way the Wind Blows" from their 2007 release Snakes and Arrows. Rush is a Canadian rock band originally formed in August 1968, in the Willowdale neighbourhood of Toronto, Ontario; presently comprised of bassist, keyboardist, and lead vocalist Geddy Lee, guitarist Alex Lifeson, and drummer and lyricist Neil Peart. ... Snakes & Arrows is the nineteenth studio album by the Canadian rock band Rush, which will be released on May 1st, 2007 (see 2007 in music). ...

In the 2007 video game Clive Barker's Jericho, a character by the name Father Paul Rawlings utters these very words ("Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition") to his team when he is running low on ammo. 2007 2007 in games 2006 in video gaming 2008 in video gaming Notable events of 2007 in video gaming. ... For the South African football (soccer) coach, see Clive Barker (soccer). ... Clive Barker’s Jericho is a supernatural horror-themed first person shooter video game with author Clive Barker providing the premise of the storyline. ...

A sourcebook for the Blessed characters of the Deadlands Roleplaying Game features the quote "Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition!" in large letters on the back cover. Deadlands is a genre-mixing alternate history roleplaying game which combines the Western and horror genres. ...

References

• Wristen H. "Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition". via Pearl Harbor remembered.
• Forgy HM (1944). And Pass the Ammunition.
• [http://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/object.cfm?key=35&objkey=

81 "Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition"] via the Smithsonian National Museum of American History In the book "Code Talkers", a soldier sings it The National Museum of American History is a museum administered by the Smithsonian Institution and located on the National Mall in Washington, DC. It opened in 1964 as the Museum of History and Technology. ...