For generations of American service members heading into the unknown, one of the most important things tucked into a uniform pocket was a Bible.Some returned battered from war, while others read heartfelt prayers written by family members hoping their sons and husbands would come home.One type was encased in metal and carried over a soldier's heart.Another Bible traveled to the frozen reaches of Antarctica, sharing Scripture to the very ends of the world.Now, as the U.S.
marks 250 years since the Declaration of Independence, the Museum of the Bible's "Bible in Times of War" exhibit is using those surviving artifacts to trace how American service members turned to God's Word for strength and hope through generations of conflict.THE DAY AFTER MEMORIAL DAY, AMERICA’S DEBT TO THE FALLEN STILL REMAINSA historic Bible is displayed in the Museum of the Bible's "Bible in Times of War" exhibit, which traces how American service members engaged with Scripture during generations of conflict.(Courtesy Museum of the Bible)Wesley Viner, an early modern curator at the Museum of the Bible and Marine veteran who curated the special display in Washington, D.C., told Fox News Digital that some of the most powerful stories preserved in the collection belong not to famous generals or celebrated heroes, but to ordinary Americans whose names may have otherwise disappeared from history.Among the most recognizable artifacts are so-called "Heart Shield Bibles," small, pocket-sized Bibles with thin metal covers carried by some American service members during World War II and into the Korean War.The Bibles were frequently purchased by relatives for departing service members and designed to fit into a breast pocket over the heart, helping fuel stories that the metal-covered books could theoretically stop a bullet.Viner, however, said the truth is less cinematic.RARE AMERICAN BIBLE AND FOUNDERS’ LETTERS TRACE FAITH’S ROLE IN BIRTH OF THE NATIONA metal-covered pocket Bible on display at t...