Sign up to save your podcasts
Or
Share Four Chaplains Day
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Or
Four Chaplains Day
Today we honor “Four Chaplains Day” to commemorate the day troop ship USAT
Dorchester sank. Dorchester left New York on January 23, 1943, carrying 4 chaplains and about 900 others as a part of a convoy of three ships. Dorchester was torpedoed by German submarine U-223 off Newfoundland at 12:55 a.m. When it began to sink, four chaplains of different religions: George L. Fox (Methodist), Alexander D. Goode (rabbi), Clark V. Poling (Baptist), and
John P. Washington (Catholic) helped calm passengers and organized evacuation, but there were not enough life vests.
The four chaplains each gave their life vest to others and helped as many men as they could into the boats, then they linked their arms together, saying prayers and singing hymns as they went down with the ship. They were posthumously awarded the Purple Heart and the Distinguished Service Cross on December 19, 1944. In 2006 they were awarded the Medal of Honor.
The Four Chaplains’ Medal was introduced by Congress on July 14, 1960. These medals were presented posthumously to the next of kin of each of the chaplains in January 1961.
View all episodes
By Audacy
5
4040 ratings
Today we honor “Four Chaplains Day” to commemorate the day troop ship USAT
Dorchester sank. Dorchester left New York on January 23, 1943, carrying 4 chaplains and about 900 others as a part of a convoy of three ships. Dorchester was torpedoed by German submarine U-223 off Newfoundland at 12:55 a.m. When it began to sink, four chaplains of different religions: George L. Fox (Methodist), Alexander D. Goode (rabbi), Clark V. Poling (Baptist), and
John P. Washington (Catholic) helped calm passengers and organized evacuation, but there were not enough life vests.
The four chaplains each gave their life vest to others and helped as many men as they could into the boats, then they linked their arms together, saying prayers and singing hymns as they went down with the ship. They were posthumously awarded the Purple Heart and the Distinguished Service Cross on December 19, 1944. In 2006 they were awarded the Medal of Honor.
The Four Chaplains’ Medal was introduced by Congress on July 14, 1960. These medals were presented posthumously to the next of kin of each of the chaplains in January 1961.