Guest Author - Linda J. Paul

Something quite extraordinary but very little known happened on February 3, 1943. The event happened during World War II aboard the U.S.A.T Dorchester troop transport ship.

On board the ship were four very special United States Army officers. They were all chaplains. Their names were Lieutenant Rev. George L. Fox (Methodist), Rabbi Alexander D Goode (Jewish), Fr. John P. Washington (Roman Catholic) and Rev. Clark V. Poling (Dutch Reformed).

George Fox, Alexander Goode, John Washington, and Clark Poling had met each other while attending Chaplain’s School at Harvard University. George was the oldest at the age of 42, and Clark was the youngest at age 30. They all came from different parts of the country. Rev. Fox was from Vermont, Rev. Poling from Ohio, Rabbi Goode from Pennsylvania, and Father Washington from New Jersey. Upon meeting at Harvard the four quickly became friends.

And, on January 23, 1943 all four found themselves in New York boarding the U.S.A.T. Dorchester. The Dorchester was an old luxury coastal liner, which had been made into a troop transport. The ship was filled to capacity, carrying 902 people, almost all young soldiers with a Merchant Marine crew and a few civilians.

The Dorchester left New York in route to an Army base In Greenland. The area they were about to cross was known for it’s icy, raging waters and gale force winds. The biggest threat however was that of German submarines. The Dorchester would be sailing through an area which had become known as “Torpedo Junction.”

Most of the soldiers on board were young and frightened soldiers who had never been to sea before. Many were sea-sick, lonely and uncertain about their future. It was the task of the four chaplains on board to calm their fears and give them encouragement.

Chaplain Fox had an 18 year old son, who was serving in the Marine Corps, a wife and a 7 year old daughter. Father Washington was a Catholic Priest with eight brothers and sisters. Rabbi Goode had a wife and a three year old daughter. And, Chaplain Poling had an infant son, and his wife was soon to give birth to their second child. All four knew what they were risking on this journey across the Atlantic, and so did their families.

But, in spite of their personal feelings, these four men did their best to soothe the fears of the men around them. In the small cramped confines of the ship, soldiers of all faiths shared the same fear and misery.

It didn’t matter to them which of the chaplains were there when they needed a strong shoulder to lean on. The walls of religious separation come down when people are faced with almost intolerable circumstances.

On Feb 2, the Dorchester was within 150 miles of Greenland. This would have been good news, except for a sonar reading from one of the ship’s Coast Guard escorts that indicated the presence of an enemy submarine nearby.

Hans Danielson, the captain of the Dorchester ordered the soldiers to sleep in their clothes and life jackets in case they were hit by an enemy torpedo. Since the ship was so close to it’s destination, and after being at sea for ten days, many of the men elected to disregard the captain’s warning and sleep in their underwear in the hot, sweaty and cramped quarters below deck. Confident that they would make it through another night many of the men set aside their life jackets.

Shortly before one in the morning on Feb 3, a German U-Boat monitored the troop transport and gave the command to fire. The ship was hit hard with two fast moving torpedos. The ship began to sink rapidly, as men cried out in pain and terror.

The four chaplains became the voice of reason in the ensuing chaos, calmly guiding the men through the dark hallways, onto the deck and into life boats. In little more than twenty minutes, the Dorchester was almost completely underwater. Working against time, the chaplains continued to pass out life vests until the life jackets were gone. As time ran out, all four chaplains took off their own life vests and put them on the men around them.

Looking back as the Dorchester sank into the icy waters the survivors saw the four chaplains braced against the railings praying and singing, arms linked together as they leaned against each other for support. Rev. Fox, Rabbi Goode, Rev. Poling and Father Washington praying to their one God, their voices strong in the cold and darkness.

“Shma Yisroel Adonai Elohenu Adonai Echod.” “Our Father, which art in Heaven, Hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done.” Said one of the survivors, "It was the finest thing I have ever seen this side of heaven." 

Of the 920 men on board the Dorchester that night, only 230 were rescued. Had it not been for the bravery of the chaplains, the death toil would have been much higher.

On Dec. 19, 1944, the families of the chaplains received a medal in honor of these four brave men called the Distinguished Service Cross for extraordinary heroism. The chaplains were also posthumously awarded the honorable Purple Heart.

On May 28, 1948 the United States Postal Service issued a special stamp to commemorate the brotherhood, service, and sacrifice of the Four Chaplains.

On July 14, 1960 by Act of Congress (Public Law 86-656, 86th Congress), the United States Congress authorized the "Four Chaplains Medal".  The Star of David, Tablets of Moses, and Christian Cross are shown in relief on the back of the medal, along with the inscribed names of all four heroic Chaplains.