The phrase implies that people at risk of dying are inclined to believe in a god.

The statement may have been technically true during WWII because atheism could not be specified as a religious preference in official documentation. Some atheists apparently listed "Buddhist" as the best alternative.

Whatever its original intent, the statement has occasionally been used as a canard to imply that atheists are unpatriotic or disloyal or do not join or support the military. This usage frequently elicits responses from atheists who have served in the military. Statistically, the evidence is that atheists serve in the military services and are injured or killed in numbers proportional to their representation in the civilian population.