News & Releases
| Four Chaplains Ceremony |
| Posted on Friday, January 27, 2017 at 1:52 PM |
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The PA Soldiers' & Sailors' Home will be holdinig a Four Chaplains ceremony on February 3rd, Four Chaplains Day, beginning at 10:00 am in the Chapel on the Home's grounds, located at 560 East 3rd Street, Erie, PA. On February 3rd, 1943, the Army vessel SS Dorchester, carrying 902 servicemembers was struck by a German torpedo on its way to Greenland. The four chaplains aboard the ship - Lt. George L. Fox, Methodist; Lt. Alexander D. Goode, Jewish; Lt. John P. Washington, Roman Catholic; and Lt. Clark V. Poling, Dutch Reformed - sprung into action to calm the frightened, tend to the wounded, and offer prayer. They gave away their life jackets to the next man in line, regardless of religion. The four chaplains went down with the ship, arms linked in prayer. Of the 902 servicemembers, only 230 survived with the help of several Coast Guard cutters. The ceremony will honor the altruistic actions of the four chaplains of the SS Dorchester in WWII and celebrate interfaith cooperation. For more information, please contact Volunteer Resource Coordinator Ken Vybiral at (814) 878-4961 or kvybiral@pa.gov. |
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