Each year we remember the sacrifice of the Four Chaplains and all those lost aboard the U.S.A.T. Dorchester, sunk by a German submarine in the early morning hours of February 3, 1943. Of the 902 people on board, 672 were lost, leaving only 230 survivors after the ship went down in less than half an hour in the icy North Atlantic.
As life jackets ran out, the four chaplains being Lt. George L. Fox, Lt. John P. Washington, Lt. Clark V. Poling, and Lt. Alexander D. Goode gave up their own so others might live. Survivors later recalled hearing the chaplains praying, calming the frightened, tending to the wounded, and guiding men toward safety. When the final life jackets were gone, they were last seen standing together, arms linked in prayer as the Dorchester slipped beneath the water.
New Bedford is connected to this history through the rescue efforts of Coast Guard cutters, including the Escanaba and Comanche, which helped save survivors from the freezing sea. In recognition of this sacrifice and service, New Bedford Mayor Rosemary S. Tierney officially proclaimed February 3 as Four Chaplains Day in the City of New Bedford, calling on the community to honor these extraordinary acts of courage and faith.
At the Seamen’s Bethel, we remember the lives lost, the families forever changed, and the enduring example of unity, compassion, and selfless service shown that night.