NORWAY — On Sunday, February 5, at 2 p.m. at St. Catherine’s Church on Paris Street in Norway, a ceremony honoring the Four Chaplains will be held. Linda Jack, a member of West Paris Ring McKeen American Legion Auxiliary and St. Catherine’s Church, had a dream that she needed to do this ceremony. Along with her husband Randy, the event came together. The ceremony will include representatives from the four denominations of which the Four Chaplains were members. There will be a Catholic Priest, a Congregationalist minister, someone representing the Methodist faith, and a Jewish member. The Four Chaplains were friends who all met at Army Chaplain School and were drawn into the war following the attack on Pearl Harbor. All first lieutenants, the group was assigned to travel together on the same ship to their military assignments in Europe aboard the SS Dorchester, a passenger liner that had been converted to a military transport ship.

Coming from different backgrounds and faiths, the men developed deep bonds that would become immortal legends. Like other ships entering the North Atlantic throughout the war, the Dorchester was targeted by the German Navy. It was hit by a torpedo from submarine U-223 off Newfoundland around 1 am on February 3, 1943. The ship quickly took on water and evacuations began. The Four Chaplains volunteered to get others off the ship even giving up their life jackets. As the ship sank, the Four Chaplains remained on board, arms linked, reciting prayers and hymns.

The Four Chaplain ceremony is held annually in February to commemorate the loss of the heroes at churches, chapels, and synagogues throughout the U.S. Everyone is welcome to join us.

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