The Dorchester Chaplains

In January of 1943, the Dorchester, a converted cruise ship set sail with a troop convoy from New York City to Greenland with 902 souls aboard.  On the third of February, one day out of port, the vessel was attacked by a Nazi U-boat  The round struck the boiler room and the ship began to sink.
Although every passenger slept with a life jacket, many were left behind in the scramble to get topside to safety and escape.  The crew were only able to get two of the fourteen lifeboats into the water, so many of those onboard had to choice but to dive into 19-degree (F) water.

There were four chaplains aboard the ship at the time:  George Fox, a Methodist who had been a medical corps assistant during World War I and decorated for heroism.  Clark Poling, a Dutch Reformed minister whose dad had warned him not to become a chaplain because of the very high mortality rate, but who joined the Army Chaplain Corps anyway.   Alexander Goode, a Jewish rabbi who had joined the National Guard whilst still in seminary and continued after ordination.  John Washington, a Roman priest who had been a gang leader in New Jersey when he experienced the call to the Sacred Priesthood  After seminary, Father Washington signed up as a military chaplain.

As the ship went down, the four chaplains moved about calming people and passing out life jackets from the ship's store to those choosing to jump into the icy Atlantic.  Then the four chaplains gave up their life jackets to others, and made for the after deck.  There they linked arms in prayer until the ship sank, claiming their lives.  Survivors reported that the chaplains were singing "Nearer My God to Thee" at the moment they went under the waves.   230 persons were picked up by other ships and survived.

I am reminded of the comment by Jesus that no person has greater love than to give up his life for another.   I am especially moved that here such an act of sacrificial love transcended the boundaries of denomination, and even religion.  The story is a profound reminder of our call to live, and if it be necessary, to die in meeting the high calling to love God and our neighbour as much as ourselves.