They overcame fear because of their faith

American Legion remembers the ‘four chaplains’

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On the morning of Feb. 3, 1943, the transport ship Dorchester was attacked by a German U-boat in an area of the Atlantic Ocean commonly referred to as Torpedo Junction. As the American ship sank beneath the waves, four chaplains with significantly different backgrounds provided lifejackets, prayers and hope to the crew and passengers of the doomed vessel.

Amid the chaos, these four men gave their lives in the service of their fellow men, singing hymns arm in arm and offering their own lifejackets to others in need. The four chaplains — the Rev. George L. Fox, Rabbi Alexander D. Goode, the Rev. Clarke V. Poling and the Rev. John P. Washington — were honored at ceremonies nationally, and locally at the annual Four Chaplains Memorial Service, on Feb. 3, at the Baldwin American Legion Post No. 246.

“All of the soldiers shared the same level of misery and fear, whether Protestant, Catholic or Jew,” said Cmdr. Alfred Ficalora, of Oceanside. “The title rabbi, father or reverend was of little consequence when a man needed a chaplain.”

A chaplain is a member of the clergy attached to a private chapel, institution, ship or branch of the armed forces. Despite having differing ideological and spiritual beliefs, the four men forged an unlikely brotherhood that overcame religious differences. “They became ‘brothers,’ for they had one unseen characteristic in common that overshadowed everything else,” Ficalora said. “They all four shared the same Father.”

Only 230 of the Dorchester’s 904 passengers were rescued by the Coast Guard after the ship sank. The last survivor of the attack, longtime Baldwin resident Joseph Archer, died in 2009.

“This is a great honor that they give to these men,” said his widow, Terry Archer. “It’s the greatest ‘brothers,’ for they had one unseen characteristic in common that overshadowed everything else,” Ficalora said. “They all four shared the same Father.”

Only 230 of the Dorchester’s 904 passengers were rescued by the Coast Guard after the ship sank. The last survivor of the attack, longtime Baldwin resident Joseph Archer, died in 2009.

“This is a great honor that they give to these men,” said his widow, Terry Archer. “It’s the greatest honor they could give to those who survived, and to all those who didn’t.”

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