The Story of the Four Immortal Chaplains

USS (USAT) Dorchester

A convoy of three ships and three escorting Coast Guard cutters passed through "torpedo alley" some 100 miles off the coast of Greenland at about 1 a.m. on February 3, 1943. The submarine U-223 fired three torpedoes, one of which hit the midsection of the Dorchester, a U.S. Army troopship with more than 900 men on board. Ammonia and oil were everywhere in the fast-sinking vessel and upon the freezing sea.

Stained glass windows from the Chapel at West Point

The four Chaplains on board, two Protestant pastors, a Catholic priest and a Jewish rabbi, were among the first on deck, calming the men and handing out life jackets. When they ran out, they took off their own and placed them on waiting soldiers without regard to faith or race. Approximately 18 minutes from the explosion, the ship went down. They were the last to be seen by witnesses; they were standing arm-in-arm on the hull of the ship, each praying in his own way for the care of the men. Almost 700 died, making it the third largest loss at sea of its kind for the United States during World War II. The Coast Guard Cutter Tampa was able toescort the other freighters to Greenland. Meanwhile the cutters Comanche and Escanaba, disobeying orders to continue the seach for the German U-Boat, stopped to rescue 230 men from the frigid waters that night.

Stained glass window from the Chapel at Fort Snelling, Minnesota

The four Chaplains were Father John Washington (Catholic), Reverend Clark Poling (Dutch Reformed), Rabbi Alexander Goode (Jewish) and Rev. George Fox (Methodist). These four Chaplains were later honored by the Congress and Presidents. They were recognized for their selfless acts of courage, compassion and faith. According to the First Sergeant on the ship, "They were always together, they carried their faith together." They demonstrated throughout the voyage and in their last moments, interfaith compassion in their relationship with the men and with each other. In 1960 Congress created a special Congressional Medal of Valor, never to be repeated again, and gave it to the next of kin of the "Immortal Chaplains."

SOURCE

They earned their places in Heaven.

Yes, they have. Reading these selfless acts of courage is always an uplifting thing for me.

In one form or another, Chaplains have been accompanying sailors on every ocean on earth and in every war since the birth of Christ.

No matter the religion, denomination or religious belief, there you will find a man of god shepherding his flock trying in his quiet way to make the suffering just a little bit easier to bear.

Lest you think I've forgotten the other services or the other warriors from other countries - don't.

From the battlefields in France during WWI and WWII to the jungles of Vietnam - English, French, Australian, American, Union, Confederate Rebel, all of the countries of the world and in every war since Christ was born - every military service has had it's share of these gentle men and every military service has benefited from their ministrations.

Now we are involved in another war and our people still look up to the Chaplain Corps for spiritual leadership.

The Chaplains will never let them down.

Originally Posted by Missileer

They earned their places in Heaven.

Yes, they do. God blessed them.

A good story indeed..

Only if people were like them but...

Ashes to ashes, dust to dust, brother to brother....

God Bless Them, and May God bless and Protect those fighting tody's battles.

I've been doing a little musical composing on the side, and after reading this I was inspired to do a little songwriting and maybe put it on the piano or guitar. Tell me what ya think- it's incomplete but it's in the key of D.

The Chaplains’ Ballad

Go on down the ages, ‘round 1943
When four holy men set out on that freezin’ sea.
They didn’t know the coming hours of that pitch black night
They didn’t know their fates, they just did what was right.

(Chorus)
And there’s four immortal chaplains
whose tale I’m here to tell
who in their own pure actions
kept my brothers out of Hell.

Comin’ round Torpedo Alley at the break of dawn
The Devil’s U-boat came a'callin with his three hellspawn
******
Now Mama, if they ship me off to war,
Neither of us need worry more,
as I’m sleepin’ in those holes
‘Cause there’s four immortal souls
looking out for me for sure.

reading that gave me a weird feeling ..

Good job deerslayer

Oh, and no offense to any Germans on the forum for the "devil" affiliation. It's all in the name of poetics. It's not finished, but I might make an amateur recording of it.