[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 7]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 9980]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 HONORING THE IMMORTAL FOUR CHAPLAINS OF THE USS (USAT) ``DORCHESTER''

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. ERIC CANTOR

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 25, 2006

  Mr. CANTOR. Mr. Speaker, sacrifice is a common virtue of the U.S. 
Armed Forces and this Memorial Day we will pause to honor our fallen 
men and women in uniform. Throughout history, members of the Armed 
Forces have lost their lives to preserve our freedoms. Sixty- three 
years ago, Father John Washington, Reverend Clark Poling, Rabbi 
Alexander Goode and Reverend George Fox died aboard the USS (USAT) 
Dorchester on February 3, 1943, as a result of a torpedo attack by a 
German U-Boat.
  In the mayhem after the attack, the Four Chaplains provided comfort 
to fallen soldiers and handed out life vests to the survivors. After 
the life vests ran out, they removed their own life vests, gave them to 
needy soldiers, and stood arm-in-arm together praying for the comfort 
of the soldiers. Eighteen minutes after the attack, the USS (USAT) 
Dorchester sunk with the Four Chaplains aboard. John Koenig, a resident 
of the 7th District of Virginia wrote of their sacrifice in a letter 
saying ``By putting others in front of themselves without regard to 
race, creed, or color, thus in making the ultimate sacrifice costing 
each his life so that others might live, they exemplified the finest in 
saintly virtues.''
  On behalf of the Episcopal Church of the Redeemer in Midlothian, 
Virginia, and the following members of the vestry: Alison Althouse--
Senior Warden; Margaret Stevens --Registrar; Reverend Stephen 
Cowardin--Rector; Reverend Kathryn Jenkins; Rose O'Toole; Stewart 
Dendtler; Leonard Vance; John Flikeid; Jo Anne Simpkins; Matthew 
Whitworth; Betsy Collins; Lois Thompson; Stefani Ross; Jennifer Wester; 
and William White, I am honored to recognize the sacrifices of the 
Immortal Four Chaplains of the USS (USAT) Dorchester.

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