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Chris ans United Church at Soldiers' Memorial Chapel with
the MG Emme J Bean Center in the background.

Saga of the "Bean Windows”
By Dave Mikkelson

Following his death in 1988, the family of MG Emme J. BEAN donated a specially designed stained glass window
for the inner foyer of Soldiers Memorial Chapel, across 56th street from the MG Emme J. Bean Finance Center at
Fort Benjamin Harrison, IN. A pair of matching side windows were also donated in memory of Mrs. Jeane e BEAN.
As the base closure process began at the Fort, those windows were removed in 1995, crated and shipped to the
'new' Finance Corps Museum at Fort Jackson, SC. Several other items from the chapel were 'salvaged' and shipped
to Fort Knox; for example, collec on plates and other altar items, choir robes, etc.

In 1996, a 'remnant' of the chapel congrega on determined to a empt to retain a 'church/chapel' at that loca on,
although the chapel proper es were being transferred to the Lawrence Township School District. COL(R) Sam
YOUNG was then the Chapel Parish Council President and was ac vely suppor ng a transi on to a 'civilian'
congrega on. Sam also then began a long quest to have the "Bean Windows" returned to the chapel. The 'new'
congrega on was soon formally chartered by the State of Indiana as "Chris ans United Church at Soldiers'
Memorial Chapel." The Lawrence School District agreed to rent the sanctuary, office, and fellowship room space to
the new church, and con nues to do so. The Army then agreed to leave the 'fixed' furnishings of the Chapel; the
steeple, pews, altar/pulpit, bap stery, organ and sound system, and items not yet moved to Fort Knox.

A er 15 years of persistence by Sam, assisted by Mrs. Kay MCKINNEY, the Pastor's wife, in 2009 the current
Museum Curator, Henry HOWE, was able to obtain authority from Army Museum officials to release the windows
to be returned to the chapel at the now inac ve Fort Harrison. The windows had never been removed from the
original shipping crates and were determined not to be of par cular historical value to the museum system. COL(R)
Dave and Bonnie Mikkelson volunteered to go to Fort Jackson to bring them back in their Chrysler (Stow 'n Go) van.
The crates fit snugly in the back of the van for the trip home in April. They were reinstalled in the chapel about a
week later in me for Mothers' Day services. On June 14, Flag Day and the Army's Birthday, the windows were
rededicated in a special ceremony at the chapel including messages given by Dave and Bonnie MIKKELSON and Sam
YOUNG.

Foyer of the chapel with green plas c in place of
Foyer of the chapel with the windows
the previously removed windows.
reinstalled and Bonnie in doorway.
L-R: Pastor Jim McKinney, Kay McKinney and Bob
Williams of the Chris ans United Church.