Patrick J. Hessian

The Reverend Monsignor

Patrick J. Hessian
Portrait of Hessian in uniform, c. 1982
Born(1928-05-20)20 May 1928
Belle Plaine, Minnesota, U.S.
Died8 September 2007(2007-09-08) (aged 79)
Edina, Minnesota, U.S.[1]
Place of burial
Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery, Belle Plaine, Minnesota, U.S.
AllegianceUnited States
Service / branchUnited States Army
Years of service1958–1986
RankMajor General
Unit
CommandsU.S. Army Chaplain Corps
Battles / warsVietnam War
Awards
ChurchCatholic (Latin Church)
Orders
Ordination1953 (priesthood)
by John Gregory Murray
RankPrelate of Honour of His Holiness (1983)

Patrick John Hessian (20 May 1928 – 8 September 2007) was an American major general and Catholic priest who served as the 16th Chief of Chaplains of the United States Army from 1982 to 1986.

An alumnus of Saint Paul Seminary, Hessian was ordained for the Archdiocese of Saint Paul in 1953, then served in a St. Paul parish for a decade before entering full-time Army chaplaincy. During his service as a chaplain, he received the Purple Heart after being wounded by shrapnel in Vietnam and the Soldier's Medal for disarming a suicidal soldier who was holding a grenade.[2][3]

He became the 16th Chief of Chaplains of the United States Army in 1982 and served in that role until 1986. His time as Chief of Chaplains was marked by a focus on increasing the spirituality and spiritual well-being of chaplains, as well as a court battle questioning the legality of the chaplain corps.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference TCSobit was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference letterkenny was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference strib was invoked but never defined (see the help page).