Four Chaplains Memorial Service

The Orange, Virginia American Legion Post 156, the Madison, Virginia American Legion Post 157, and Auxiliary Unit 157 held a Clergy Appreciation Dinner and Four Chaplains Memorial Service at the Madison American Legion Post Home this evening.

Gerry Stephenson, Commander of the Madison Post brought the meeting to order and Madison Boy Scout Troop 45 posted the colors. Madison Post Vice Commander Lisa Davis led the crowd of about 100 in the Pledge of Allegiance.

A delicious ham and turkey dinner was provided by Madison Wood Preservers and prepared by the Auxiliary. Next guests heard "The Saga of the Four Chaplains" and enjoyed some patriotic vocal stylings by Jeanne Bruton and Maribeth Lowe. Then a Lighting Ceremony was held in tribute to the Four Chaplains while the biography of each of these noble men was read.

The Four Chaplains honored were: Chaplain Alexander D. Goode, Chaplain George L. Fox, Chaplain Clark V. Poling, and Chaplain John P. Washington.

"Those four chaplains obeyed the Divine Commandment that men should love one another.. This is an old faith in our country. It is shared by all our churches and all our denominations... The unit of our country comes from this fact."

President Harry Truman, February 3, 1951

Below is the story of the Four Chaplains.

"THE LAST DAY OF THE DORCHESTER"

By Walter S. Miller, Survivor

On a cold day in January, 1943
The Dorchester set out for open sea,
With civilians, seamen and soldiers too,
And Four Chaplains there among the crew.

The days turned to nights and back to days,
The Chaplains comforted us in many ways,
A prayer, a smile or a word or two,
Everyday, until that day was through.

A date to remember was coming fast,
That will remain with me, till life is past
February 3, 1943
A date that will always stay with me.

It was early morning and it was dark,
A German sub took aim and hit its mark,
A torpedo ripped a large hole in the ship,
And for hundreds of men, it was the end of the trip.

War is hell and war is glory,
As you will read in this my story,
Four Chaplains on board were proved so brave,
For so many lives they tried to save.

Handing out life jackets,
Including theirs too,
And then they went down,
With the rest of the crew.

As the ship was sinking, they joined hands and prayed,
For the men still on board, and the price that they paid,
A few survivors are left to tell the story,
Of Four Chaplains who sank in a blaze of glory.

April 7, 1985

These brave men posthumously received the Four Chaplains' Medal of Valor, established by Congress on July 14, 1960.