The Four Chaplains were four U.S. Army lieutenants who died in an extraordinary act of selfless sacrifice during the sinking of the troopship USAT Dorchester on February 3, 1943, in the North Atlantic. They gave their own life jackets to other soldiers when the supply ran out and were last seen standing arm-in-arm, praying as the ship sank
The Chaplains
The four chaplains came from different faiths but were united in their mission to serve the soldiers. They met at the Army Chaplains School at Harvard University before being assigned to the Dorchester.
- Lt. George L. Fox
- A Methodist minister who had previously served as a medic in World War I.
- Lt. Alexander D. Goode
- A Jewish Rabbi with a Ph.D. who had served a congregation in York, Pennsylvania.
- Lt. Clark V. Poling
- A Dutch Reformed minister and the seventh generation of ministers in his family.
- Lt. John P. Washington
- A Roman Catholic priest who was rejected by the Navy before joining the Army.
The Sacrifice
On February 3, 1943, the USAT Dorchester was torpedoed by a German submarine off the coast of Newfoundland. As panic and chaos ensued, the chaplains moved among the frightened men, calming them, tending to the wounded, and distributing life jackets.
When the supply of life jackets ran out, the chaplains, without hesitation, removed their own life vests and gave them to four young soldiers who had none, fully aware that this meant their own certain death in the icy water. Survivors in nearby lifeboats last saw the four chaplains on the slanting deck, linked in arms, offering prayers in their respective faiths as the ship went down. Of the more than 900 men on board, only 230 survived.
Legacy
The story of the Four Chaplains became an enduring symbol of interfaith cooperation, courage, and selfless service. They were posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross and Purple Heart in 1944.
- Four Chaplains’ Medal: Because they were ineligible for the Medal of Honor (as they did not engage in combat), Congress authorized a one-time only Special Medal for Heroism with the same weight and importance in 1960.
- Four Chaplains Day: February 3rd is designated as “Four Chaplains Day” in their honor, with memorial services held nationwide to remember their sacrifice.
- Memorials: Numerous chapels, memorials, and plaques across the United States commemorate their sacrifice, including a special stamp issued by the U.S. Postal Service in 1948.