Let us honor the memory of the Four Chaplains | Asszony
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As time passes, we often forget the sacrifice and heroic moments of those in the military. The story of the Immortal Chaplains, often referred to as the Four Chaplains, is such a moment.
It was on the morning of Feb. 3, 1943, when an overcrowded troop carrier, the USS Dorchester, was struck by a torpedo fired by a German submarine off the coast of Newfoundland. As the freezing waters of the North Atlantic rushed into the badly damaged ship, many were killed below deck.
In the midst of the chaos and panic that followed, four army chaplains tried to restore order, helped many into lifeboats and handed out life jackets from a storage locker. The chaplains were:
Lt. George Fox, a Methodist minister from Lewiston, Pennsylvania.
Lt. Alexander Goode, a Jewish rabbi from Brooklyn, New York.
Lt. Clark Poling, a Dutch Reformed minister from Columbus, Ohio.
Lt. John P. Washington, a Catholic priest from Newark, New Jersey.
When the supply of life jackets ran out, the chaplains gave those in need their own life jackets. Not asking anyone their religious denomination, the four freely gave up their jackets, knowing they would be putting themselves in danger.
The massive number of people trying to escape from the sinking ship caused some of the lifeboats to capsize because of overloading, and many fell into the frigid waters of the North Atlantic and died of hypothermia. The water temperature was 34 degrees and the air temperature was 36 degrees. Some of the lifeboats drifted away empty. Dead bodies and debris floated side by side.
It took only 18 minutes for the ship to sink. Of the 904 military personnel, merchant seaman and civilian workers, only 230 survived. Those who survived looked back at the sinking ship and, as the bow of the vessel rose and then slid silently under the water, they saw the four chaplains standing together praying, and then vanishing into the icy sea.
For their heroic efforts and sacrifice, each chaplain was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross and Purple Heart medal posthumously. In 1948, a postage stamp was dedicated in their honor. In 1988, an act of Congress established Feb. 3 of each year as Four Chaplains Day.
As we remember the Four Chaplains and their unselfish deeds this Feb. 3, let us also remember the many others who have given much to protect this nation and its people. Their sacrifices have given this nation the security and freedom to prosper and grow. With fewer people now associated with the military, we, as a nation, are forgetting about those who give years of their life, and often life itself, to preserve our liberty.
It has been written:
"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." — John 15:13.
St. Stephen's Church in Kearny will hold its annual Mass and ceremony marking the 79th anniversary of the sacrifice and courage of Father John P. Washington and the Four Chaplains. The Mass will be held at noon on Sunday, Feb. 6, and is open to the public. It will be followed by a rededication of the Four Chaplains Monument.
Washington was a graduate of Seton Hall and was later ordained as a priest after studying at Immaculate Conception Seminary in Darlington. He was later assigned to St. Stephen's in Kearny and served there for five years before joining the U.S. Army Chaplain Corps.
Carl J. Asszony, a longtime New Jersey veterans advocate, can be reached at njveteran30@gmail.com.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: The Four Chaplains: Let us honor their memory and example
