Fairfield American Legion Post 143 Remembers the Heroic 'Four Chaplains'

American Legion Post #143 located at in Fairfield announced their Annual Ceremony honoring the Four Chaplains from World War II. The annual ceremony remembers the heroic actions of four chaplains that occurred on February  3, 1943. On that date the USAT Dorchester , a troop ship carrying 902 soldiers and sailors was sunk by a Nazi u-boat at 1:00 AM. The four chaplains aboard the Dorchester worked together to calm the troops and going beyond by giving up their life jackets to others. The four chaplains were:

• Lt. Alexander Goode , 31, a New York rabbi
• Lt. Clarke Poling , 32 , a Dutch Reformed minister from New York
• Lt. John Washington, 34, a Catholic priest from New Jersey
• Lt. George Fox , 42, a Methodist minister from Pa.

During that fateful night , of the 902 aboard only 230 survived , the last sight of many survivors were the four chaplains singing hymns locked arm and arm as the ship sank.

On May 28, 1948 the United States Postal Service issued a special stamp to commemorate the brotherhood, service, and sacrifice of the Four Chaplains. On July 14, 1960 by Act of Congress (Public Law 86-656, 86th Congress), the United States Congress authorized the "Four Chaplains Medal". 

The Star of David, Tablets of Moses, and Christian Cross are shown in relief on the back of the medal, along with the inscribed names of all four heroic Chaplains. On January 18, 1961, Secretary of the Army Wilbur M. Brucker presented the award posthumously to the families of the Four Chaplains at Fort Myer, Virginia. 

The ceremony this year will be held on February 6 at Grace Methodist Church on Fairfield Woods Rd., Fairfield  starting at 7:30 p.m. All veterans and interested citizens are invited to attend , many area elected officials as well as local clergy will be in attendance.