The Four Chaplains

John 15:13 says, “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.”

In 1943, four Army chaplains sacrificed their lives for the sake of other soldiers — a demonstrated love that is simply remarkable.

I started out to write a story about February but ran into all kinds of obstacles. The month is not highly regarded by many people. There are many famous people born in February, and we have Ground Hog Day and Valentine’s Day to celebrate — but possibly because it is the last month of winter, it draws a significant amount of criticism. It may be the most unpopular month on the calendar. One quote I discovered was particularly gloomy: “February is a suitable time for dying.” However, many good and important things happen, or happened, in this month.

Commemorative postage stamp of the four chaplains issued in 1948.

There is an amazing story that belongs to the month of February. Four Army chaplains — George L. Fox, Alexander D. Goode, Clark V. Poling, and John P. Washington — were traveling on the SS Dorchester to their assignments in World War II. At approximately 1 a.m. on Feb. 3, their ship — which was carrying just over 900 troops — was torpedoed by a German submarine off the coast of Newfoundland.

The electrical system was destroyed, and the ship was in total darkness. These chaplains tried to calm and comfort the young and frightened soldiers during a desperate time. The four chaplains went into action, helping fill the lifeboats with men. When all the lifeboats were filled and launched, they helped hand out life jackets until all the life jackets were gone. Then, these brave heroes gave their own life jackets to the troops.

They locked arms and went down with the ship, praying and singing hymns. Several survivors witnessed this amazing moment. Only 203 of the 904 men aboard were rescued. Most of them died from hypothermia.

The sacrifice of these four chaplains was not forgotten. They were posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross and the Purple Heart. The original Chapel of the Four Chaplains was dedicated on Feb. 3, 1951. It was relocated to Philadelphia in 2001.

The Four Chaplains Memorial Foundation exists today for the purpose of honoring people whose deeds symbolize the legacy of the four chaplains. At least 41 different places in the United States have chapels or areas devoted to the memory of the love and sacrifice these men demonstrated. For example, there is a stained-glass window of the four chaplains at the Pentagon and at the Army Museum at Fort Jackson, S.C.

The four chaplains came from different faiths. Fox was a Methodist, while Goode was a Jewish Rabbi. Poling was Reformed, and Washington was Catholic. The common force they shared was their commitment to give their lives so others could live.

There are six awards that currently exist related to these four chaplains, both military and civilian. The highest is the Legion of Honor Gold Medallion, usually awarded at the Chapel’s annual banquet. The most common is the Legion of Honor Award, which is “given to people who perform selfless acts of service in their local community.” I was blessed to receive this honor on May 18, 2010. The ceremony was formal and serious. The memory of these chaplains is held with respect and honor among the military. It was a humbling experience.

If you are ever tempted to look at February with dismay or gloom, remember the sacrifice of the four chaplains. If you ever wonder about your own Christian faith, remember the greatest example of love and sacrifice the world has ever known, or will ever know — Jesus Christ.

Galatians 2:20 says, “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and delivered Himself up for me.”