Heroes: four chaplains.When the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. began fighting in World War II, soldiers had to be carried by ship across the Atlantic Ocean Across the Atlantic Ocean is the twenty-eighth episode[1] of Mobile Suit Gundam. Plot summaryAmuro and Sayla manage to reduce their time in docking the Gundam and the G-Fighter to fifteen seconds. to reach the war in Europe. The journey was dangerous. German submarines prowled the ocean, trying to sink any ship that would bring the men and supplies their enemies needed. On board one of these transport ships--the USAT USAT USA Today (newspaper) USAT USA Triathlon USAT Ultra Small Aperture Terminal USAT United States Army Transport USAT United States Archery Team USAT Universal SIM Application Toolkit USAT United Savings Association of Texas Dorchester--were four men soon to become among the most inspiring heroes of the war. It was just past midnight on February 3, 1943. The American transport ship Dorchester was carrying more than 900 soldiers, seamen, and civilian workers on their way to fight in World War II. As the ship cruised through the icy waters of the North Atlantic Ocean North Atlantic Ocean The northern part of the Atlantic Ocean, extending northward from the equator to the Arctic Ocean. , the captain received a warning--a German submarine had been detected nearby. The concerned captain ordered all passengers to put on their life jackets. Moments later, German torpedoes The list of torpedoes includes all torpedoes operated in the past or present, listed alphabetically. See also:
18" Mark VII
But many of the men could not get out. Some were wounded and calling out for medical help. Others were trapped beneath wreckage in the rising waters. The explosion had knocked out the ship's power and lights. In the darkness and confusion, men were panicking. Four Army chaplains--two ministers, a priest, and a rabbi--stayed calm. Rabbi Alexander Goode, Methodist minister Lt. George Fox, Roman Catholic priest Father John P. Washington John P. Washington (18 July 1908 - 3 February 1943) was a Roman Catholic priest and a lieutenant in the United States Army who found posthumous fame as one of the Four Chaplains who died ministering to their soldiers on the sinking USAT Dorchester , and Reformed minister Clark Poling walked from soldier to soldier. They claimed those who were frightened, gave first aid to the wounded, and guided others to the lifeboats. Soon most of the survivors were on the top deck The term Top Deck can refer to a number of things:
Then, one by one, the chaplains removed their life jackets. They gave them to the first four frightened young soldiers they could find. The ship sunk moments later. Two hundred-thirty men survived the disaster, and many of them said they owed their lives to the courage of the four chaplains The Four Chaplains were four Army chaplains who were killed in action when the USAT Dorchester was hit by a torpedo and sank on February 3, 1943. They helped other soldiers board lifeboats and gave up their life jackets when the supply ran out. . Private William Bednar remembers hearing them as he struggled to find his way out of the sinking boat. "I could hear the chaplains preaching courage," he recalls. "Their voices were the only thing that kept me going." Another survivor who watched the chaplains give their life jackets to the soldiers said simply: "It was the finest thing I have ever seen or hope to see this side of heaven." |
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