Four Chaplains Day

February 3 – Four Chaplains Day: The Four Chaplains, also referred to as the “Immortal
Chaplains” or the “Dorchester Chaplains,” were four World War II chaplains who gave their lives
to save other civilian and military personnel as the troop ship SS Dorchester sank on February
3, 1943. The ship left New York on January 23, 1943, en route to Greenland, carrying
approximately 900 others. During the early morning hours of February 3rd, the vessel was
torpedoed by the German submarine U-223 off Newfoundland in the North Atlantic.The
chaplains helped the other soldiers board lifeboats and gave up their own life jackets when the
supply ran out. The chaplains joined arms, said prayers, and sang hymns as they went down
with the ship.