Political Quotes

“I am honored to host our guest chaplain, Rabbi Jeffrey Astrachan, to give today's opening prayer. Rabbi Astrachan is here today to help honor the sacrifice of the four chaplains who gave their lives during the sinking of the troop ship Dorchester during World War II. This is especially significant because one of the four chaplains, Lieutenant Alexander D. Goode, was once a rabbi with the same congregation in York, Pennsylvania, my hometown that Rabbi Astrachan now serves. Along with the rabbi, I am pleased to take this opportunity to recognize the courageous sacrifice made 69 years ago by the four chaplains. The Dorchester was torpedoed off the coast of Greenland. Only 230 of the over-900 men on board survived. The survivors recounted the story of the heroic actions of the four chaplains of different faiths: Lieutenant Goode; Lieutenant John Washington, a Catholic priest; and Lieutenants George Fox and Clark Poling, two protestant ministers. These four servants of God spent their last 18 minutes in this life helping their fellow passengers to safety. When there were no more life jackets to hand out, the chaplains removed their own and gave them to shipmates. They were last seen on the hull of the ship, arm-in-arm in prayer as the ship sank into the icy waters. Chaplains Hill at Arlington National Cemetery is home to several memorials to chaplains.…”