By LOIS KINDLE
On Feb. 3, 1943, the USAT Dorchester—a coastal steamer refitted for wartime duty—was hit below the waterline by a German torpedo shortly after midnight in the treacherous North Atlantic corridor known as Torpedo Junction.
The ship had departed New York bound for Greenland, crowded with 902 officers and enlisted men. Three Coast Guard cutters—the Tampa, Escanaba and Comanche—were escorts.
The day before, a cutter briefly picked up a submarine stalking the convoy on its sonar, but the crew couldn’t pinpoint its position. With no clear target, the convoy continued.
The United States Post Office Department issued a commemorative stamp in honor of the heroism and sacrifice of the Four Chaplains in 1948. It was designed by Louis Schwimmer, art department head of its New York branch.
Unfortunately, the U-boat found its prey only 150 miles from the Dorchester’s destination. Panic ensued as the Dorchester was struck and quickly began to sink. Hundreds of men were caught below deck without life jackets, and others were lost when their overcrowded lifeboats capsized.
Amid the chaos, four U.S. Army chaplains calmly stepped forward to steady those around them—Methodist minister George L. Fox, Rabbi Alexander D. Goode, Roman Catholic priest John P. Washington and Dutch Reformed minister Clark V. Poling. Offering prayers, steadying hands and quiet words of comfort, they guided soldiers toward lifeboats, tended the wounded and handed out life jackets until none remained
Then, in an act of ultimate self-sacrifice, each chaplain removed his own life jacket and gave it away. Survivors later recalled watching the four men standing together on the tilting deck, arms linked, praying and singing hymns as the Dorchester disappeared beneath the sea.
Nearly one third of those aboard died that night, but the chaplains’ selfless, final act remains one of the most powerful expressions of sacrifice and interfaith unity in U.S. military history.
Keeping the story alive
American Legion Post 246 will honor the Four Chaplains during its Feb. 20 monthly meeting with a special memorial display and a brief retelling of their story. The gathering will include a short presentation on scams by Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office Master Deputy Jeff Merry.
The Four Chaplains legacy lives on throughout the country in chapels, bridges, plaques and monuments, including a stained glass window in the Pentagon. The Chapel of the Four Chaplains in Philadelphia and the Immortal Chaplains Foundation in Minnesota continue to share their story, and the U.S. Postal Service once issued a commemorative stamp recognizing their “faith in action.”
Feb. 3 is observed annually across the nation as Four Chaplains Day, a reminder of the extraordinary courage shown by four men who chose compassion for others over their own survival.
American Legion Post 246’s commemoration reflects the organization’s broader mission of service. Guided by the legion’s four founding pillars—strong national defense, veterans affairs, youth programs and Americanism—the post remains a steady advocate for Veterans and families in the greater Sun City Center community.
This artist’s rendition depicts the Four Chaplains who perished on the sinking USAT Dorchester after giving away their life jackets in an ultimate act of self-sacrifice during World War II.
Its Veteran service officers help guide individuals through benefits and support, while local schools, Scouting programs and the Civil Air Patrol receive ongoing encouragement and resources. The post also funds several meaningful scholarships benefiting area youth.
Ret. Army Lt. Col. Paul Wheat, Post 246 commander, personally welcomes Veterans and their families to each of the post’s monthly meetings on the third Friday of every month at 9:30 a.m. in Room 3 of the Sun City Center Community Hall, 1910 Pebble Beach Blvd. S. Coffee and donuts are served at 8. For more information, stop by a meeting or contact legion member Steve Burrill at 540-807-9401.
For more information on the Four Chaplains, visit https://fourchaplains.org/ or https://armyhistory.org/no-greater-glory-the-four-chaplains-and-the-sinking-of-the-usat-dorchester/.