American Legion Post 58 to host Four Chaplains ceremony

The American Legion Post 58 will host its annual Four Chaplains Day Memorial Ceremony at 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 5, at the American Legion Hall on U.S. 41, north of Walmart.
In addition to the Four Chaplain Memorial Ceremony, the American Legion post will celebrate the 93nd birthday of the American Legion. The festival, open to the public and free of charge, will offer music, food and refreshments.
According to history excerpts from Matt Grills, on Feb. 3, 1943, the U.S. Army Transport Dorchester — a converted luxury liner — was crossing the North Atlantic, transporting more than 900 troops to an American base in Greenland. Aboard the ship were four chaplains of different faiths: the Rev. George Fox (Methodist), Jewish Rabbi Alexander Goode, the Rev. Clark Poling (Dutch Reformed) and Father John Washington (Roman Catholic).
Around 12:55 a.m., a German U-boat fired a torpedo that struck Dorchester’s starboard side, below the waterline and near the engine room. The explosion instantly killed 100 men and knocked out power and radio communication with Dorchester’s three escort ships. Within 20 minutes, the transport sank and more than 670 men died.
As soldiers rushed to lifeboats, the four chaplains spread out, comforting the wounded and directing others to safety. One survivor, Pvt. William Bednar, later said, “I could hear men crying, pleading, and praying. I could also hear the chaplains preaching courage. Their voices were the only thing that kept me going.”
Another survivor, John Ladd, watched the chaplains’ distribute life jackets, and when they ran out, they removed theirs and gave them to four young men.
“It was the finest thing I have seen, or hope to see, this side of heaven,” he recalled.
As Dorchester sank, the chaplains were seen linked arm in arm, praying. Fox, Goode, Poling and Washington were posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross and the Purple Heart, and in 1948, Congress declared Feb. 3 to be Four Chaplains Day. The four chaplains were also honored with a U.S. postage stamp that year, according to history excerpts.