A solemn ceremony was held Saturday at St. Cloud American Legion Post 80 to commemorate the sacrifice of four Army chaplains who died in World War II.
The evening of Feb. 3, 1943 found the United States Army Transport Dorchester, a converted passenger liner, underway off the coast of Newfoundland headed for an American base in Greenland. The ship had 902 servicemen aboard and was part of a threeship convoy.
As the convoy sailed through the frigid waters of the North Atlantic Ocean, it was spotted by the German submarine U-233, on its first wartime patrol. U-233 fired three torpedoes, one striking the Dorchester’s right side, exploding in the engine room. Within 20 minutes the ship sank, and 668 men perished, along with four military chaplains of different faiths: Rev. George Fox (Methodist), Jewish Rabbi Alexander Goode, Rev. Clark Poling (Dutch Reformed), and Fr. John Washington (Roman Catholic).
The Four Chaplains had put the lives of others before their own by helping wounded servicemembers to lifeboats and distributing life jackets. Finally, when all the ship’s lifejackets had been distributed, the chaplains gave their own life jackets to other soldiers.
Eyewitnesses testified that four the chaplains could be seen by flare light on the sinking ship, arms linked together, and the sounds of Hebrew and Latin prayers heard along with prayers in English. Since that day, the chaplains have been known as the “Four Chaplains” and “The Immortal Chaplains.”
Rev. Fox had lied about his age to enlist as an Army medic in World War I. He was wounded and received the Silver Star for heroism. As a young man in 1921, Rabbi Goode walked 15 miles to Arlington National Cemetery to be part of the internment of the Unknown Soldier from World War I and served in the National Guard before the outbreak of World War II. Rev. Poling’s father had served as a frontline Army Chaplain in World War I.
The Four Chaplains were posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, the secondhighest military award for valor, and the Purple Heart, presented to their next of kin in a ceremony in 1944. A Special Medal for Heroism for the Four Chaplains was authorized by Congress and awarded by President Dwight Eisenhower, former Supreme Commander of Allied Forces during the war, on Jan. 18, 1961. The special medal was intended to have the same prominence and importance as the Medal of Honor.
U.S. military chaplains are all commissioned officers, but along with medical personnel are considered “noncombatants”. Their role is to be there for people with and without faith and to be a familiar, friendly face to help spiritually guide military personnel wherever they are. They are trained to minister to individuals across multiple faiths as well as provide the religious services of their own faiths and are professional counselors as well. Over 400 chaplains have died in combat since the start of the Civil War and nine chaplains have been awarded the Medal of Honor.
Because of their bravery, each year American Legion posts nationwide remember Four Chaplains Day around Feb. 3 with memorial services. For more on the Four Chaplains story go to www. fourchaplains.org.
