The Faith and Face of Service: Remembering Gunnery Sergeant Donal Gilbert

Behind every uniform lies a life—one filled with memories, convictions, and quiet acts of courage. On display here are the personal effects of Gunnery Sergeant Donal Devere Gilbert, a World War II U.S. Marine whose service, like so many of his generation, was marked not just by duty but by deeply held faith.

Laid carefully beneath the photo of a wartime unit stands a modest arrangement: an aged wristwatch with a cracked face, a pair of well-worn dog tags stamped with his name and service number, and two Catholic religious medals suspended from a ball chain. These are not just objects; they are intimate fragments of a life lived under the weight of war and the protection of belief.

The medals—one a round Four-Way Cross and the other a Scapular medal—are symbols of a devout faith carried into combat. The Four-Way medal combines four holy devotions: the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Miraculous Medal of Mary, St. Joseph, and St. Christopher. In its center is a small patriotic shield in red, white, and blue, marking it as a version likely made specifically for U.S. military use during the Second World War. These medals were often handed out by Catholic chaplains and kept close by men who needed something steady to hold on to when everything else felt uncertain.

The Scapular medal, a cross-shaped piece worn in place of the cloth scapular, bears a simple but profound plea: “I am a Catholic. In case of accident, please call a priest.” To those who wore it, this wasn’t just a statement of faith—it was a last request, a cry for spiritual comfort if the worst should happen. Together, these medals offered no physical armor, but they gave the wearer a sense of connection to home, to God, and to peace of mind in a world torn apart by war.

Nearby, his dog tags and watch speak just as eloquently. The tags identify him, but the watch tells another story—a story of long waits, early dawns, and synchronized movements during operations that could change the course of history. The wear and patina on the band suggest it stayed with him through hardship and time, surviving even when others did not.

The portrait that completes this display shows Donal Gilbert in uniform, young and solemn, his eyes direct and steady. It's the kind of image that reminds us how impossibly young so many of these men were, and how much responsibility they bore. Through his face and his belongings, history takes on a heartbeat.

At Ghosts of the Battlefield, we do more than display relics. We tell stories. And this story—of a Marine, his faith, and the quiet strength behind his service—is one of resilience, belief, and humanity amid the chaos of war.