During World War II, a German U-Boat torpedoed and sank the
U.S.S. Dorchester, an Army transport ship, in the North Atlantic
on February 3, 1943. The convoy SG-19 was positioned 150 miles
from Cape Farwel, on the coast of Greenland. Of the 904 men
aboard, 605 were lost, among them were four U.S. Army chaplains.
After the torpedo struck, the chaplains quickly and quietly
spread out among the soldiers. They tried to calm the
frightened, tend the wounded and guide the disoriented toward
safety. When there were no more lifejackets in the storage room,
the chaplains removed theirs and gave them to four frightened
young men. As the boat sank, survivors recall seeing the four
chaplains together with arms linked and hearing them pray
together. Theirs was a selfless act of courage. Without thought
to their differences, the four chaplains stood united as one.
Research done after the incident chronicled the valor and
sacrifices of these chaplains. They have became an enduring
example of extraordinary faith, courage, and