It was a war-time disaster that occurred in the icy North Atlantic 66 years this past week, and the fate and the memory of the four chaplains were commemorated Sunday at American Legion Post 72. On February 2, 1943, the Dorchester, a troop ship was torpedoed by German U boat with more 900 service personnel en route from Newfoundland to Greenland. Soon after midnight, the ship sunk in the treacherous sea lanes The boat’s sinking took 672 lives and the 230 that survived did so with help of four chaplains, George Fox, a Methodist minister from Vermont; Alexander Goode, a rabbi; Clark Poling, a minister with the Reformed Church of America; and John Washington, a Catholic priest. The four helped with the ship’s evacuation and ultimately gave up their life jackets to survivors and before going down with the ship. Assemblyman Peter Lopez spoke at Sunday’s commemoration. “It’s part of our history and reflects on the sacrifice of many people during our world conflicts,” he said. “It’s speaks to the conviction of these individuals who sacrificed themselves.” “This is to remind people that this took place and that they gave their lives for other service people to live,” said Antoinette Babb, chaplain for the Ladies Auxiliary for American Legion Post 72, who helps to organize the commemoration. A chapel at the Philadelphia Naval Yard is dedicated to their memory, and the American Legion Post 72 has been commemorating their sacrifice for the last five years. “We know what a heroic thing it was when the poor chaplains gave up their life jackets,” said Jim Gage, the post commander. “We want to remember them and honor their memory.”
