A service commemorating the Four Chaplains of World War II fame was held on Saturday at Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church, Gloucester.
Guest speaker the Rev. Dr. Doug Nagel spoke of the “extraordinary faith, courage, and selflessness” it took for the chaplains to sacrifice their lives for the lives of others when their ship, the USAT Dorchester, was sunk by a German torpedo in icy waters off Greenland 80 years ago, on Feb. 2, 1943.
Nagel said that chaplains George L. Fox, Alexander D. Goode, Clark L. Poling, and John P. Washington “passed life’s ultimate test” when they handed out life jackets, and eventually gave away their own after the jackets ran out and remained on the ship, arm in arm, praying and singing hymns to comfort others as it sank. Only 230 of the 902 aboard survived.
“Their decision to lay down their lives for others speaks volumes about sacrificial love,” said Nagel.
When a person joins the military, said Nagel, they take an oath to defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic, to “bear true faith and allegiance to the same,” and to obey the orders of the president and the officers over them.
“I’m only here today because my father survived four years of combat service in the U.S. Navy in World War II,” he said, pointing out that some of those present who served may have come away disabled, while some may have known people who “validated their oath with their lives.”
“Everyone who takes the oath understands that such a sacrifice may be required to protect the freedom of speech, of religion, to bear arms,” he said, adding that one witness who saw what the chaplains did said, “It was the finest thing I have seen or hope to see this side of heaven.”
One of the finest things about the four men’s sacrifice, said Nagle, is that the chaplain who was a rabbi didn’t stop give up his life jacket to a Jew, the one who was a priest didn’t ask for a Catholic, and the others didn’t ask for Protestants.
“They simply gave their life jackets to the next person in line,” he said. “They declared each person worthy of their own sacrifice. They displayed the greatest kind of love, and challenge us all to demonstrate that kind of love every day to those around us.”
After the keynote address, a chaplain from each of the four sponsoring organizations shared a bit of information about one of the four chaplains, lighting candles in their memory. Chaplain Robert Berry of the American Legion spoke of Rabbi Alexander Goode’s laughter and love of life; Chaplain Eric Scott of the DAV talked about Methodist Minister George L. Fox’s bravery in rescuing a soldier during an artillery barrage; Chaplain Jon Sawyer of the VFW spoke of Dutch Reformed Minister Clark V. Poling’s reluctance to go to war as a chaplain because he didn’t want to “hide behind the church,” only to find out that chaplains had the highest rate of death in battle; and Chaplain John Seltzer of the MCL who spoke of Father John P. Washington’s voice being heard above the cries of the dying, praying as the Dorchester went down.
Overseeing Saturday’s ceremony was Commander Rick Ward of Post 75. Others participating were Sgt. at Arms James Coates of Post 75, Henry Clark of Post 83, Tony Botticello of the VFW, organist John Peabody, and singer Stephanie Roberts. A luncheon was provided afterward for those attending.