Four men met at Chaplain’s School at Harvard University in 1942 and forged a friendship that would last until their deaths the next year. A chaplain is a priest, rabbi, minister, reverend, etc. that serves in the armed forces. They provide spiritual leadership, minister to soldiers and their families, conduct religious services, comfort the wounded, give last rites, and raise morale. Chaplains often risk their lives near or in the front lines. The four friends were: Rabbi Alexander Goode (age 31) – an athlete in high school who went on to get a degree in Oriental languages and had one child; Reverend Clark Poling (32) – his father had been a chaplain in WWI; Father John Washington (35) – he came from a middle class Irish immigrant family and had cheated on the eye exam to get into the Army; Reverend George Fox (41) – he had been a medic in WWI and reenlisted on the same day that his son enlisted in the Marines. The four were assigned to the transport ship Dorchester which was to transport over 900 soldiers and civilians. On Feb. 3, 1943, near Greenland, the ship was torpedoed by a u-boat and was sinking. Panic ensued, but the four chaplains kept their heads and calmed the passengers. They organized the distribution of life jackets and when they ran out, they gave their own to the next four in the line. The last sight of them was the four with linked arms, bracing themselves against the list of the sinking ship, singing hymns. They were awarded posthumous Purple Hearts and Distinguished Service Crosses. In 1948, Congress approved a three cent stamp honoring them. The documentary “The Four Chaplains: Sacrifice at Sea” is available on You Tube. Uncle Salutes the Armed Forces 227-229
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