Saint Michael the Archangel, whose name means “one who is like God,” led the army of angels who cast Satan and the rest of the rebellious angels into Hell. The patron of soldiers and battles, through his intercession and protection, has provided angelic help for countless military personnel around the world for millennia.

One account of Saint Michael’s protection is that of a young United States Marine, who prayed to him every morning. Separated from his unit after a blizzard during the Korean War, he was caught face to face with seven enemy soldiers who had guns drawn ready to fire. Only thanks to the Archangel did he miraculously survive the ensuing shootout. The prayer the soldier said daily is known as the Michael of the morning prayer:

Michael, Michael of the morning,
Fresh corps of Heaven adorning,
Keep me safe today,
And in time of temptation
Drive the devil away.
Amen.

That soldier, who renames nameless, recounted the miraculous tale in a letter to his mother as he recovered in a hospital. Navy Chaplain Father Walter Muldy received a copy of this letter and speaking to the soldier, his mother, and the leader of his unit, confirmed the veracity of the story.

Listen below to Father Walter Muldy himself reading the letter from a radio show recording dated December 23th, 1964, or read the miraculous tale for yourself:

Dear Mom,

I wouldn’t dare write this letter to anyone but you because no one else would believe it. Maybe even you will find it hard but I have got to tell somebody. First off, I am in a hospital. Now don’t worry, ya hear me, don’t worry. I was wounded but I’m okay you understand. Okay. The doctor says that I will be up and around in a month.

But that’s not what I want to tell you.

Remember when I joined the Marines last year; remember when I left, how you told me to say a prayer to St. Michael every day. You really didn’t have to tell me that. Ever since I can remember you always told me to pray to St. Michael the Archangel. You even named me after him. Well I always have.

When I got to Korea, I prayed even harder. Remember the prayer that you taught me? “Michael, Michael of the morning, fresh chord of Heaven adorning,” you know the rest of it. Well I said it everyday. Sometimes when I was marching or sometimes resting. But always before I went to sleep. I even got some of the other fellas to say it.

Well, one day I was with an advance detail way up over the front lines. We were scouting for the Commies. I was plodding along in the bitter cold, my breath was like cigar smoke.

I thought I knew every guy in the patrol, when along side of me comes another Marine I never met before. He was bigger than any other Marine I’d ever seen. He must have been 6’4″ and built in proportion. It gave me a feeling of security to have such a body near.

Anyway, there we were trudging along. The rest of the patrol spread out. Just to start conversation I said, “Cold ain’t it.” And then I laughed. Here I was with a good chance of getting killed any minute and I am talking about the weather.

My companion seemed to understand. I heard him laugh softly. I looked at him, “I have never seen you before, I thought I knew every man in the outfit.”

“I just joined at the last minute”, he replied. “The name is Michael.”

“Is that so,” I said surprised. “That is my name too.”

“I know,” he said and then went on, “Michael, Michael of the morning …”

I was too amazed to say anything for a minute. How did he know my name, and a prayer that you had taught me? Then I smiled to myself, every guy in the outfit knew about me. Hadn’t I taught the prayer to anybody who would listen. Why now and then, they even referred to me as St. Michael. Neither of us spoke for a time and then he broke the silence.

“We are going to have some trouble up ahead.”

He must have been in fine physical shape or he was breathing so lightly I couldn’t see his breath. Mine poured out in great clouds. There was no smile on his face now. Trouble ahead, I thought to myself, well with the Commies all around us, that is no great revelation. Snow began to fall in great thick globs. In a brief moment the whole countryside was blotted out. And I was marching in a white fog of sticky particles. My companion disappeared.

“Michael,” I shouted in sudden alarm.

I felt his hand on my arm, his voice was rich and strong, “This will stop shortly.”

His prophecy proved to be correct. In a few minutes the snow stopped as abruptly as it had begun. The sun was a hard shining disc. I looked back for the rest of the patrol, there was no one in sight. We lost them in that heavy fall of snow. I looked ahead as we came over a little rise.

Mom, my heart stopped. There were seven of them. Seven Commies in their padded pants and jackets and their funny hats. Only there wasn’t anything funny about them now. Seven rifles were aimed at us.

“Down Michael,” I screamed and hit the frozen earth.

I heard those rifles fire almost as one. I heard the bullets. There was Michael still standing. Mom, those guys couldn’t have missed, not at that range. I expected to see him literally blown to bits. But there he stood, making no effort to fire himself. He was paralyzed with fear. It happens sometimes, Mom, even to the bravest. He was like a bird fascinated by a snake. At least, that was what I thought then. I jumped up to pull him down and that was when I got mine I felt a sudden flame in my chest. I often wondered what it felt like to be hit, now I know..

I remember feeling strong arms around me, arms that laid me ever so gently on a pillow of snow. I opened my eyes, for one last look. I was dying. Maybe I was even dead, I remember thinking well, this is not so bad. Maybe I was looking into the sun. Maybe I was in shock. But it seemed I saw Michael standing erect again only this time his face was shining with a terrible splendor. As I say, maybe it was the sun in my eyes, but he seemed to change as I watched him. He grew bigger, his arms stretched out wide, maybe it was the snow falling again, but there was a brightness around him like the wings of an angel. In his hands was a sword. A sword that flashed with a million lights. Well, that is the last thing I remember until the rest of the fellas came up and found me. I do not know how much time had passed. Now and then I had but a moment’s rest from the pain and fever. I remember telling them of the enemy just ahead.

“Where is Michael,” I asked.

I saw them look at one another. “Where’s who?” asked one.

“Michael, Michael the big Marine I was walking with just before the snow squall hit us.”

“Kid,” said the sergeant, “You weren’t walking with anyone. I had my eyes on you the whole time. You were getting too far out. I was just going to call you in when you disappeared in the snow.”

He looked at me, curiously. “How did you do it kid?”

“How’d I do what?” I asked half angry despite my wound. “This marine named Michael and I were just …”

“Son,” said the sergeant kindly, ” I picked out this outfit myself and there just ain’t another Michael in it. You are the only Mike in it.

He paused for a minute, “Just how did you do it kid? We heard shots. There hasn’t been a shot fired from your rifle. And there isn’t a bit of lead in them seven bodies over the hill there.”

I didn’t say anything, what could I say. I could only look open-mouthed with amazement.

It was then the sergeant spoke again, “Kid,” he said gently, “every one of those seven Commies was killed by a sword stroke.”

That is all I can tell you Mom. As I say, it may have been the sun in my eyes, it may have been the cold or the pain. But that is what happened.

Love, Michael

Love uCATHOLIC?
Get our inspiring content delivered to your inbox every morning - FREE!

31 COMMENTS

  1. Just one detail that you could check. As far as I know, the name Michael actually is “Who is like God?” It is a challenge to Satan and a typical Jewish way of making a point by asking a question with an obvious answer. Moses for example asked the Jews “Shall I give you water by striking this rock?” He was punished by God for his lack of faith.

  2. Necessary to correct you, Sir. Michael does not mean, “One who is like God.” This would be a blast for me, it would equate Michael as being like God. Michael means something totally different and it is in fact a question. Michael means, quotation mar this would be a blast for me, it would equate Michael as being like God. Michael means something totally different and it is in fact a question. Michael means, “Quis et Deus? – “Who is like God.” It is the what he proclaimed to Lucifer as he said, “Non Serbian!” – “I will not serve.”

  3. “God does things for us . . . ” in one instance was giving an infantryman newly arrived in Vietnam a job in the finance office.

    In Normandy my uncle was a combat infantryman KIA. His mom, my grandmother, lived with us 35 some years and her rosary was well used. Whoever’s prayers they were, God said ok.

    In Vietnam I was a personnel specialist. One day I happened to look at the identification numbers on the replacement list. Maybe an angel compelled me to look there, but one soldier’s number was almost the same as mine. I looked at the name and he was a classmate from high school and college, an accounting major.

    His 11D infantry mortarman specialty became payroll.

  4. Michael of the morning prayer:

    Michael, Michael of the morning,
    Fresh corps of Heaven adorning,
    Keep me safe today,
    And in time of temptation
    Drive the devil away.
    Amen.

      • Archangel Michael’s Traveling Protection Prayer:

        Lord* Michael before,
        Lord Michael behind,
        Lord Michael to the right,
        Lord Michael to the left,

        Lord Michael above,
        Lord Michael below,
        Lord Michael, Lord Michael wherever I go!

        I AM his love protecting here!
        I AM his love protecting here!
        I AM his love protecting here!

        *(Lord is used in this prayer as a term of honor, denoting that Archangel Michael carries the power and presence of God.)

      • The Book of Daniel 12
        King James Version

        1 And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.

        2 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

        3 And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.

        4 But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.

        5 Then I Daniel looked, and, behold, there stood other two, the one on this side of the bank of the river, and the other on that side of the bank of the river.

  5. I’m impressed, I must say. Rarely do I encounter a blog that’s both equally educative and entertaining, and
    without a doubt, you have hit the nail on the head. The problem is
    something which too few men and women are speaking intelligently about.

    I’m very happy that I came across this in my search for something concerning this.

  6. I believe everything said was actually very logical. However, think on this, suppose you composed a catchier title?
    I ain’t saying your information is not good, but suppose you added a title to possibly get people’s attention? I mean The
    Miraculous True Story of Saint Michael Saving a U.S.
    Marine in the Korean War | uCatholic is a little plain.
    You might peek at Yahoo’s home page and note how they write article
    titles to get viewers interested. You might add a related video or a pic or
    two to grab people interested about what you’ve got to say.

    Just my opinion, it might bring your posts a little bit more interesting.

  7. Unquestionably consider that that you stated.
    Your favorite justification seemed to be at the web the easiest thing to have in mind of.

    I say to you, I definitely get irked even as other people consider issues
    that they plainly do not know about. You managed to hit the
    nail upon the highest as well as outlined out the entire thing without having side effect ,
    other folks can take a signal. Will probably
    be again to get more. Thank you

  8. Thanks for a marvelous posting! I quite enjoyed reading it, you
    might be a great author. I will be sure to bookmark your blog and will come
    back at some point. I want to encourage you continue your great job, have a nice
    evening!

  9. Regardless of that time period of year, sunglasses are worn to
    both protect your eyes and create a fashion statement.
    Back then, the few who belonged towards the upper echelon of society got the privilege of wearing these designer
    branded sunglasses. All aforesaid points ought to be noticed, for
    screams matter a lot around the health of our eyes.

  10. Hello thеre! This post could not be written much better!
    Looking tһrough thiѕ article reminds me of my рrеѵiоus
    roommate! He constantly ҝept talҝing about this. I will forward this information to him.

    Fairly certain hе’ⅼl have a good read. Many
    thanks for shaгing!

  11. In turn the blueprint was created to protect American jobs, their savings, and retirement security.
    Most from the patterns are daily pattern, that is certainly why a day trader can trade in the form of low risk high profit formation on each day-to-day basis.
    Following the bursting from the financial bubble that this world has become experiencing, another financial risk might be the “national” bubble.

  12. Hello everyone, it’s my first pay a visit at this web site, and paragraph is in fact fruitful in support of me, keep up posting these types of articles or reviews.

  13. Please Read my book “A Few Good Angels” It is the true story of how my life was saved 14 times while serving in Vietnam as a Marine Machine gunner at Red Beach and Khe Sahn .
    You can also visit my website “Afewgoodangels.com”

    By the way my name is Michael Montigny

  14. I had tears in my eyes as I read this. I have never seen an angel but I believe they are always with us helping us. This is a wonderful story that just brought me to tears. Before starting on a journey I always say “Blessed are they who come in the name of the Lord”, who knows maybe an angel might just give me some company. Truly thankful to God and His angels for their support. This is a remarkable story. 😀

  15. so god hates koreans? im confused. god is for all in whatever name is used. so he is fine with American soldiers killing people. but against koreans? god is political and chooses a country? all the evil was usa has fought for land and money. the racism of its people hate towards one another. disregard of human life because we prefer having guns for all. and god still sides with us in all universe. he choosed 1 country?

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here