Fan CastingThe Four Chaplains

On February 3, 1943, the Dorchester was en route from Newfoundland to an American base in Greenland, carrying 902 soldiers, civilians, and crew members. The ship was part of a convoy of three vessels but was not adequately protected by military escorts. The ship was equipped with lifeboats and lifevests, but conditions were cold. 12:55 AM, a German submarine U-223 fired a torpedo that struck the Dorchester below the waterline, near the engine room. The explosion knocked out power, and the ship quickly began taking on water. Panic broke out as soldiers tried to escape. Many were trapped below decks, and the situation became desperate. Amidst the chaos, the 4 chaplains worked to calm the frightened men, guiding them toward the lifeboats and helping distribute life jackets. The chaplains moved among the men, offering prayers, words of encouragement, and urging them not to lose hope. When the supply of life jackets ran out, the four chaplains made a decision that would make them legendary. They removed their own life jackets and gave them to soldiers who had none, knowing full well that doing so meant certain death. In 20 minutes, the Dorchester sank into the icy Atlantic. Of the 902 men aboard, only 230 survived. The four chaplains, along with more than 600 others, perished in the frigid waters. They represented different faiths—Catholicism, Judaism, Methodism, and Dutch Reformed Church—but in death, they acted as one, embodying the highest ideals of their faiths.