
The first American Jewish chaplain served on the Union side during the Civil War. Tere were 23 rabbis who served during World War I, and that number rose to 311 in World War II when, it is estimated, more than 600,000 American Jews were members of the U.S. armed forces. However, few rabbis made the military their career following demobilization at the end of the war in 1945. Therefore, when the Korean conflict began in June 1950, it necessitated a rapid buildup of military personnel, and the U.S. government responded by broadening the Selective Service process to include physicians, dentists, optometrists, lawyers, and members of other professions. As a result, an increased number of clergy was required to meet the needs of a larger military force, including 150,000 Jews on active duty during the Korean War and, later, 30,000 Jews during the Vietnam War.