LEWISTON – Area veterans organizations and the public are invited to memorial services commemorating the 45th anniversary of the sinking of the U.S. Army transport, S.S. Dorchester, by a German U-boat in the North Atlantic on Feb. 2, 1943.

The service will be held at noon Monday, Feb. 4, at the Trinity Episcopal Church, Bates and Spruce streets.

Four U.S. Army chaplains gave their life jackets to servicemen and went down with the ship, which sank in 27 minutes. Only 230 servicemen survived out of a total of 902 servicemen, merchant seamen and civilian workers who were aboard.

The program will open with the Pledge of Allegiance and “The Star Spangled Banner” by the assembly.

The Rev. Bennett Barnes, interim rector of Trinity Episcopal Church, will give the invocation. A special prayer will be offered by Post 22 American Legion Adjutant Jerry DerBoghosian.

The story of the four U.S. Army chaplains will be told by Post 111 American Legion Chaplain Paul Bernard. Bugler Richard LeBlanc will play “Taps” followed by the closing, “God Bless America” by the assembly.

For more information, call Jerry DerBoghosian at 782-5700 or 353-7435.