On January 8th, 1956, five men were martyred in Ecuador: Jim Elliot, Nate Saint, Ed McCully, Peter Fleming, and Roger Youderian. These men and their wives came to Ecuador to bring the Good News of Jesus Christ to the people then referred to as the Auca, now known as the Waorani.
Ed McCully was born in Iowa but moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and attended Washington High School, and applied to Wheaton University. He went on to be a national oratory champion, student body president at Wheaton, and enrolled in Marquette University Law School. After his first year at Marquette Law School, he withdrew and took medical missionary training as part of his preparation to join his friend Jim Elliot in reaching the peoples of Ecuador.
Ed McCully’s father, Theophilus McCully, was a leader in the Wisconsin Bakers Association, the Christian Businessmen’s Committee, and was a founder of Milwaukee Youth For Christ, now known as VCY America.
VCY will be recognizing the 70th anniversary with several special programs
- On January 8th, 2026, the day of the 70th anniversary, Steve McCully is scheduled to join Jim Schneider on Crosstalk, airing on the VCY Radio Network including over 150 radio stations nationwide.
- The January 3rd/4th, 2026 radio airing of the radio drama Ranger Bill on the VCY Radio Network referenced the five men who gave their lives.
- On January 2nd, 2026, WVCY-TV aired this exclusive interview in the series Our Christian Heritage with two of Ed McCully’s sons, Matthew and Steve.
For those interested in more information on Operation Auca, including footage of Theophilus McCully, the film Martyred Men was produced in 1956 and hosted by Theo McCully, shortly after the death of his son Ed. This was filmed before any word had come of the Waorani’s receptiveness to Christianity.
In 1967, Through Gates of Splendor was produced, based on the book by Elisabeth Elliott.
In 2002, the documentary Beyond the Gates of Splendor was released:
2005, the feature film End of the Spear was based on Operation Auca:
