Reflections from Mary Ellen Stucky

Oliver Stucky began working at a CPS camp in Colorado and later worked at the mental hospital in Norristown, PA. He then decided to leave CPS work and join the Medical Corps in the army. The following was written by his widow, Mary Ellen Stucky:

"...after much prayer, and being promised he would never need to carry a gun, he decided to join the Medical Corps of the army and be trained as a surgical technician.

He became close friends with other Christians in the military. He met many other religious objectors on the front lines. He received personal satisfaction from his work of saving lives. One of the first casualties he treated was a German soldier with a very severely wounded arm. He was awarded a Bronze Star medal for bravery in caring for many wounded soldiers while under heavy enemy fire and going 'above and beyond the call of duty.'"

"He felt it was a good experience to have spent time in the CPS alternate service. He also felt that he made the right decision to go into the Medical Corps. He knew he was where God wanted him to be--saving lives. He became a stronger pacifist while in the army. All of his records were marked 'religious objector.'"

--Taken from The Eden Peace Witness: A Collection of Personal Accounts. Ed. Jeffery W. Koller. Kansas: Jebeko Publishing, 2004. Pp 154-6.