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During the height of World War II, more than 900 service members, civilians and crew aboard the U.S. Army Transport Dorchester sailed through the North Atlantic for Greenland.
When the ship departed St. John's, Newfoundland, Jan. 29, 1943, everyone on board knew there was a risk of being torpedoed and possibly sunk by the German submarines patrolling the area.
On board the ship were four Army chaplains, all lieutenants, including George L. Fox, a Methodist minister; John P. Washington, a Catholic priest; Clark V. Poling, a Dutch Reformed minister; and Alexander D. Goode, a rabbi.
By the fifth day of the journey, on the evening of Feb. 2, it became apparent to the ship's captain and crew that they were being stalked by a German submarine. The Dorchester's captain put passengers on alert, warning them to sleep that evening in their clothes and to wear a life jacket.
The four chaplains had been planning an amateur talent show to amuse the men and take their minds off the trip, but with new knowledge of the German submarine, coupled with bad weather, they scuttled the idea.
With the men unnerved by knowledge of the German sub, the chaplains instead held a party to keep the men occupied. Following the conclusion of that event, some of the chaplains visited with the men, and one even held Mass.
Shortly after midnight, on the morning of Feb. 3, the crew and passengers began to think their concerns about the submarine had been unwarranted. But that was premature. The crew aboard the German submarine U-233 prepared to attack.
Just before 1 a.m., a German torpedo struck the Dorchester. Dozens were killed instantly, and the ship descended into chaos. Men rushed to the top deck to escape by lifeboat, but found many were unable to be used, either due to icing, or due to the extreme tilt of the ship — the result of taking on water from the torpedo. Some men simply jumped overboard to avoid going down with the ship.
As the ship sank into the water, the four chaplains did their best to attend to the needs of frightened servicemen by calming them, tending to spiritual needs, helping the wounded and guiding them to safety.
Goode, for instance, gave his own gloves to another serviceman, telling the man he had an extra pair when he did not. The chaplains together also assisted in handing out life vests. When the supply was finally exhausted, they took off their own vests and gave those to the men who were still without.
All four chaplains eventually succumbed to the icy waters of the Atlantic. Of the more than 900 men on board the ship, 672 died.
All four chaplains have since been awarded Purple Hearts and Distinguished Service Crosses for their actions that day. Congress additionally created a "Four Chaplains' Medal," which was presented to their survivors in 1961.
Army Maj. Gen. Bill Green Jr., who serves today as the Army chief of chaplains, said while the four chaplains differed in their faiths, they were the same in their dedication to service.
"Despite their differences, the four chaplains were united in their desire to provide comfort, care and calm to their shipmates as everyone abandoned the ship," Green said. "They made the ultimate sacrifice when the supply of life jackets was exhausted, and they all removed their own to give them to others."
Chaplains, Green said, have been in every conflict the United States military has been involved in to provide for the spiritual needs of warfighters as they defend the U.S. and its interests.
"Chaplains have been a strong, steady and courageous presence in every major conflict beginning with the Revolutionary War, and today we continue building spiritual readiness so that our soldiers can endure in any future fight," Green said in a message to Army chaplains worldwide, asking them to remember the importance of their mission.
The Four Chaplains Day observance, Feb. 3, 2025, marks 82 years since Fox, Washington, Poling and Goode selflessly sacrificed themselves to save the lives of the servicemen they traveled with.
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