OUR STORY

History of Soldiers Chapel

Soldiers Chapel  is a non-denominational Christian memorial chapel, located on U.S. Highway 191, near Big Sky Montana. Pastors from many denominations provide services at the church.

Soldiers Chapel was designed by Nelson Story III, who was a former member of the 163rd Infantry, along with his son Nelson Story IV, who lost his life in WWII.

Construction of Soldiers Chapel began in 1955, by Nelson Story, and would was dedicated on October 2nd of the same year.

The 163rd Infantry Regiment was sent to New Guinea in early 1942 to help prevent the Japanese from invading Australia. One of the regiment's major combat actions was the Battle of Buna Gona.

In addition to deaths and wounds from combat, diseases such as malaria, dengue fever, scrub typhus and black-water fever were a major concern.

​ Virtually every member of the unit eventually caught a jungle disease, was wounded, or died.

One of the officers in the regiment was Colonel Nelson Story III, a resident of Bozeman, Montana and descendant of Nelson Story, a noted Montana pioneer and land benefactor of Montana State University, Bozeman MT.

 The Colonel's son, Nelson Story IV, died in combat early in the war at the age of 22. The colonel donated the land, drew the basic design, wrote the charter, and donated most of the money for the chapel. Soldiers Chapel is dedicated to both the regiment and to Nelson Story IV. ​

About twenty veterans of the regiment attended the 50th anniversary celebration of the Soldiers Chapel on May 29th, 2005.

​ A memorial plaque near the front door lists all the members of the regiment who died in the war. The plaque cites "Those immortal soldiers of the 163rd Infantry who, with courage and devotion, died in pain defending their country and the cause of freedom for all men."

The stained glass over the entrance of the Soldier's Chapel, depicts a mortally wounded soldier on a tropical beach, as he reaches up to the hand of God. The motif was designed by Sgt. Jack C Gunter of the 163rd Infantry. 
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In a 1955 letter about the chapel, Colonel Story wrote: "Splinter sects, itinerant prophets, hillbilly Bible-thumpers and the self-anointed" were to be avoided and that "Groups which harbor conscientious objectors or refuse to salute the flag" should be excluded because giving them access "would be a grave affront to the memory of those to whom the chapel will be dedicated."

The first baby baptized in the chapel was Mikel Nelson Kallestad, grandson of Colonel Nelson Story III. This occurred on January 6, 1956, with 4 feet of snow on the ground.


​Dozens of regimental veterans and locals are buried in the graveyard, which is adorned by a buffalo skull painted with the regimental crest.

Please note, the cemetery is now full.​

References :     * Gallatin History Museum
                 *https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soldiers_Chapel*