American Legion Auxiliary, Babylon Unit 94 remembers veterans
On Sunday, February 4, six members including President Erin Horn, First vice President Patricia Bianculli, Past President Theresa Philippi, 10th District President Marilyn Reiter, Jeanette Giordano and Jane Smith, joined members of the Suffolk County American Legion, American Legion Auxiliary and the Sons of the Legion at a service held at St. Ann's Episcopal church in Sayville to honor and remember the 4th US Army Chaplains who were aboard the USATDorchester on February 3, 1943.
The USAT Dorchester was attacked by a Nazi Submarine as they traveled through North Atlantic waters with 902 American servicemen aboard bound for Greenland. the missiles from the submarine hit the boiler room; many soldiers were killed instantly; on deck were the four chaplains of different faiths, the USATDorchester began to sink the chaplains, Clark v. Polin, George Fox (Protestant ministers), John P. Washington (Roman Catholic Priest), Alexander D. Goode (Jewish Rabbi) began distributing life jackets to bewildered soldiers and sailors boarding life boats. Soon the supply of life jackets was depleted, four young soldiers stood scared, the four chaplains not questioning the young men are you Protestant, are you Catholic, are you Jewish, stripped off their life jackets and forced them upon the young soldiers. The four men of God have given away their only means of saving themselves to save others. The USAT Dorchester sank beneath the icy waters of the North Atlantic with its four chaplains and 668 soldiers and sailors.
The America Legion Auxiliary remembers all veterans. But a special "thank you" goes out to all the men and women having given their lives to protect the freedoms we all enjoy set forth by our forefathers.
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