A Soldier's Prayer,
by Allan G. Osborne, Sr.

Allan Osbourne Sr - 1974

Mr. Osborne was working in a sub-cellar when he was overcome by a concentration of poisonous gas fumes, internal burns and shock. He was rescued by Salvation Army Officers and was shipped back to the Pine Camp Army Hospital where he was hospitalized seven months as a result of his injuries.

While a patient, he was called on daily by Chaplain Wayne Hoyle of Saxonville, who during the course of one of his visits, got pencil and paper at Mr. Osborne's request and wrote out "The Soldiers' Prayer" as Mr. Osborne dictated it. He had never written a poem up to that time, and even today cannot explain how it came to him, other than to say it was written for his personnel satisfaction.

He received a Commendation from the Commanding General of the Camp and was given the rank of Corp. T5. The entire camp voted it the official Service Prayer, and it was copyrighted by the 119th Chemical Impregnating Co. Thousands of copies were printed by Frank Facey, now deceased, who was chairman and secretary of the Massachusetts Amateur Athletic Union, who distributed them to Installations all over the country. When he was eventually discharged for disabilities incurred as a result of his injuries, the New England Gospel Tract Society caused over 2 million copies to be distributed overseas.

It has been published in over 275 newspapers and magazines, and during the war was printed on the walls of Grand Central Station and in the Little Church Around the Corner in N.Y.C. The Tract Society bore the expenses of the distribution of programs for the extensive public speaking he did throughout Massachusetts, using the theme "Our Army, Its Spiritual Life." Royalties he received from giving lectures while in the service were donated to the Veterans Overseas Athletic Funds. A poem written at a later date, entitled "The U.N. Prayer" is another he has never commercialized upon.

After being out of the service for two years, his old injuries caused him to be hospitalized once again, this time at the Cushing Army Hospital. Several other veterans benefitted by collecting compensation for injuries received at the Grove Fire, when the American Legion won a test case tried on his behalf, based on the premise that his furlough ended when he entered the building and that the services he rendered were in the line of duty.

Today he lives on Holliston St., Medway, with his wife, the former Ruth Boulter of Norfolk, and three children, Allan Jr., 9, Lisa, 5, and Joel, 2. He has no comment to make on his experiences of that black night of November 26, 1942, hoping only that the memory of it will eventually fade from his mind. An outgrowth of the pain and suffering he endured, however, was the inspired "Soldiers' Prayer" which follows: