The man who awarded Elvis his first black belt. Interesting guy. really interesting. Sounds like one scary dude. You have to read this, here's a guy they ought to do a movie about:
http://www.tracyskarate.com/Stories/was_elvis_really_a_black_belt.htm
All the history I could find on Slomanski indicated that he died in Vietnam.
However, twist ending...from his widow...
http://www.tracyskarate.com/CONTROVERSY/slomanski.htm
http://www.seanet.com/~webgirl/Slomanski/
OBITUARY:
SLOMANSKI, The Reverend Dr. Henry Slomanski, 71, of Richmond, Va., died Easter Sunday, April 23, 2000, at Henrico Doctors' Hospital in Richmond. Dr. Slomanski was born in Evansville, New Jersey, [June 18, 1929] son of the late William Joseph and Christina Louise Slomanski. He joined the United States Army at age 18 and over a 20-year career attained the rank of Command Sergeant Major while serving as a Green Beret and Army Ranger. During the Korean War as a Master Paratrooper, he was twice wounded and awarded the Silver Star, the Bronze Star, and three Purple Hearts for exhibiting uncommon bravery and exemplary leadership. In 1956, he became the declared World Champion Karate Black Belt and spent several years thereafter touring as an exhibition instructor of infantrymen, the most noteworthy being Elvis Presley. Subsequently, he served three tours of duty in Vietnam. After his retirement in 1966, he entered the Maranatha Eastern Orthodox Bible Seminary earning the Master of Religious Education and Doctor of Theology degrees. Thereafter he was ordained as a priest in the Eastern Orthodox Church of the East. His ministry focused on Christian counseling and Hospital Chaplaincy while serving at New Hanover Memorial Church in Wilmington, N.C. and at Henrico Doctors' Hospital in Richmond, Va. He also earned a Doctor of Laws degree with emphasis on Canon Law from the University of Los Angeles. He was a lifetime member of the National Chaplains Association, a charter member of the American Association of Christian Counselors and a Diplomate in the Association of Biblical Life Educators. He is survived by his wife, Patricia; a stepson, Edward Wilson of Wilmington, N.C.; stepdaughter Patricia Grace Wilson of the home, and daughters Mary Christine of Buffalo, N.Y., Susan Flippen of College Station, Texas, Karen (Patricia) Bullock of Hartford, Conn., Sandra Reimhold of Houston, Texas; four grandchildren; brother-in-law, Robert Parker of Severville, Tenn.; father-in-law, Robert Parker of Burgaw, N.C.; and many beloved friends. The family will receive friends Wednesday, 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Parham Chapel, Woody Funeral Home, 1771 Parham Road. Funeral services will be held Thursday, 11 a.m., at St. Giles Presbyterian Church. Interment Westhampton Memorial Park with full military honors. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to St. Cyprian of Cartriage Orthodox Church, 3820 Chamberlayne Ave., Richmond, Va. or to St. Giles Presbyterian Church, 5200 Grove Avenue, Richmond, Va.
WAR HERO, KARATE EXPERT, CHAPLAIN DIES
Publication: Richmond Times-Dispatch
Byline: Ellen Robertson
Date: 04-26-2000
As a volunteer chaplain, the Rev. Dr. Henry Slomanski ministered to both patients and staff at Henrico Doctors' Hospital.
Dr. Slomanski "could do a formal liturgical service, and he was easy with free prayer more common to a fundamentalist religious person. And he could relate well to both," said the Rev. Thomas E. Clemans Jr., chaplain emeritus at the hospital.
"He was comforting, not in the make-me-feel-good way but in the medieval definition of strengthening. He was very good. Quiet. Unassuming. Very supportive not only of patients and family but staff. He was a real asset to the chaplaincy program."
Dr. Slomanski, a priest in the Eastern Orthodox Church of the East, died Sunday at the hospital where he had ministered for seven years. He was 71 and had lived in Richmond since 1992.
A native of New Jersey, he and his family were living at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, in 1941 when the Japanese launched the attack that brought the United States into World War II. His parents were killed in the attack and, in the confusion, he was separated from his sister, Christine, whom he searched for unsuccessfully all his life.
Dr. Slomanski joined the Army when he was 18 and served for 20 years as a Green Beret and Army Ranger, achieving the rank of command sergeant major and becoming a master paratrooper.
During the Korean War, he was awarded the Silver Star for pulling at least five men from a burning tank, the Bronze Star for cleaning out an enemy machine-gun nest and three Purple Hearts.
In 1956, Dr. Slomanski earned a World Champion karate black belt title in Japan, his wife said. Thereafter, he spent several years touring as an exhibition karate instructor of infantrymen. Dr. Slomanski served three tours of duty in the Vietnam War before retiring in 1966.
"The third time he was in Vietnam was like a conversion experience for him," his wife said. "He told God, 'If you'll get me out of here alive, I'll work for you.' He kept his word. His reason for existence was to serve Jesus Christ and help others through his counseling and pastoral care abilities."
Dr. Slomanski entered the former Maranatha Eastern Orthodox Bible Seminary in South Carolina, earning a master's degree in religious education and a doctor of theology degree.
During the 1970s, he was ordained a priest in the Eastern Orthodox Church of the East and began a ministry that focused on Christian counseling and hospital chaplaincy. He had a Christian counseling ministry and did volunteer chaplaincy at New Hanover Memorial Hospital in Wilmington, N.C., for several years.
In 1992, he and his family moved to Richmond, where he was a volunteer chaplain at Henrico Doctors' Hospital, until illness forced him to stop about 1998.
Survivors include his wife of nine years, Patricia Parker Slomanski; four daughters, Mary Christine Slomanski of Buffalo, N.Y., Susan Flippen of College Station, Texas, Karen Bullock of Hartford, Conn., and Sandra Reimhold of Houston; a stepson, Edward Wilson of Buffalo, N.Y.; and a stepdaughter, Patricia Grace Wilson of Richmond.
A funeral will be Thursday at 11 a.m. at St. Giles Presbyterian Church, 5200 Grove Ave. Burial, with full military honors, will be in Westhampton Memorial Park.
http://www.tracyskarate.com/Stories/was_elvis_really_a_black_belt.htm
All the history I could find on Slomanski indicated that he died in Vietnam.
However, twist ending...from his widow...
http://www.tracyskarate.com/CONTROVERSY/slomanski.htm
http://www.seanet.com/~webgirl/Slomanski/
OBITUARY:
SLOMANSKI, The Reverend Dr. Henry Slomanski, 71, of Richmond, Va., died Easter Sunday, April 23, 2000, at Henrico Doctors' Hospital in Richmond. Dr. Slomanski was born in Evansville, New Jersey, [June 18, 1929] son of the late William Joseph and Christina Louise Slomanski. He joined the United States Army at age 18 and over a 20-year career attained the rank of Command Sergeant Major while serving as a Green Beret and Army Ranger. During the Korean War as a Master Paratrooper, he was twice wounded and awarded the Silver Star, the Bronze Star, and three Purple Hearts for exhibiting uncommon bravery and exemplary leadership. In 1956, he became the declared World Champion Karate Black Belt and spent several years thereafter touring as an exhibition instructor of infantrymen, the most noteworthy being Elvis Presley. Subsequently, he served three tours of duty in Vietnam. After his retirement in 1966, he entered the Maranatha Eastern Orthodox Bible Seminary earning the Master of Religious Education and Doctor of Theology degrees. Thereafter he was ordained as a priest in the Eastern Orthodox Church of the East. His ministry focused on Christian counseling and Hospital Chaplaincy while serving at New Hanover Memorial Church in Wilmington, N.C. and at Henrico Doctors' Hospital in Richmond, Va. He also earned a Doctor of Laws degree with emphasis on Canon Law from the University of Los Angeles. He was a lifetime member of the National Chaplains Association, a charter member of the American Association of Christian Counselors and a Diplomate in the Association of Biblical Life Educators. He is survived by his wife, Patricia; a stepson, Edward Wilson of Wilmington, N.C.; stepdaughter Patricia Grace Wilson of the home, and daughters Mary Christine of Buffalo, N.Y., Susan Flippen of College Station, Texas, Karen (Patricia) Bullock of Hartford, Conn., Sandra Reimhold of Houston, Texas; four grandchildren; brother-in-law, Robert Parker of Severville, Tenn.; father-in-law, Robert Parker of Burgaw, N.C.; and many beloved friends. The family will receive friends Wednesday, 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Parham Chapel, Woody Funeral Home, 1771 Parham Road. Funeral services will be held Thursday, 11 a.m., at St. Giles Presbyterian Church. Interment Westhampton Memorial Park with full military honors. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to St. Cyprian of Cartriage Orthodox Church, 3820 Chamberlayne Ave., Richmond, Va. or to St. Giles Presbyterian Church, 5200 Grove Avenue, Richmond, Va.
WAR HERO, KARATE EXPERT, CHAPLAIN DIES
Publication: Richmond Times-Dispatch
Byline: Ellen Robertson
Date: 04-26-2000
As a volunteer chaplain, the Rev. Dr. Henry Slomanski ministered to both patients and staff at Henrico Doctors' Hospital.
Dr. Slomanski "could do a formal liturgical service, and he was easy with free prayer more common to a fundamentalist religious person. And he could relate well to both," said the Rev. Thomas E. Clemans Jr., chaplain emeritus at the hospital.
"He was comforting, not in the make-me-feel-good way but in the medieval definition of strengthening. He was very good. Quiet. Unassuming. Very supportive not only of patients and family but staff. He was a real asset to the chaplaincy program."
Dr. Slomanski, a priest in the Eastern Orthodox Church of the East, died Sunday at the hospital where he had ministered for seven years. He was 71 and had lived in Richmond since 1992.
A native of New Jersey, he and his family were living at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, in 1941 when the Japanese launched the attack that brought the United States into World War II. His parents were killed in the attack and, in the confusion, he was separated from his sister, Christine, whom he searched for unsuccessfully all his life.
Dr. Slomanski joined the Army when he was 18 and served for 20 years as a Green Beret and Army Ranger, achieving the rank of command sergeant major and becoming a master paratrooper.
During the Korean War, he was awarded the Silver Star for pulling at least five men from a burning tank, the Bronze Star for cleaning out an enemy machine-gun nest and three Purple Hearts.
In 1956, Dr. Slomanski earned a World Champion karate black belt title in Japan, his wife said. Thereafter, he spent several years touring as an exhibition karate instructor of infantrymen. Dr. Slomanski served three tours of duty in the Vietnam War before retiring in 1966.
"The third time he was in Vietnam was like a conversion experience for him," his wife said. "He told God, 'If you'll get me out of here alive, I'll work for you.' He kept his word. His reason for existence was to serve Jesus Christ and help others through his counseling and pastoral care abilities."
Dr. Slomanski entered the former Maranatha Eastern Orthodox Bible Seminary in South Carolina, earning a master's degree in religious education and a doctor of theology degree.
During the 1970s, he was ordained a priest in the Eastern Orthodox Church of the East and began a ministry that focused on Christian counseling and hospital chaplaincy. He had a Christian counseling ministry and did volunteer chaplaincy at New Hanover Memorial Hospital in Wilmington, N.C., for several years.
In 1992, he and his family moved to Richmond, where he was a volunteer chaplain at Henrico Doctors' Hospital, until illness forced him to stop about 1998.
Survivors include his wife of nine years, Patricia Parker Slomanski; four daughters, Mary Christine Slomanski of Buffalo, N.Y., Susan Flippen of College Station, Texas, Karen Bullock of Hartford, Conn., and Sandra Reimhold of Houston; a stepson, Edward Wilson of Buffalo, N.Y.; and a stepdaughter, Patricia Grace Wilson of Richmond.
A funeral will be Thursday at 11 a.m. at St. Giles Presbyterian Church, 5200 Grove Ave. Burial, with full military honors, will be in Westhampton Memorial Park.
