Rodef Shalom Heroes: The Four Chaplains This is a story about kiddush ha-Shem (martyrdom) and pikuah nefesh (saving a life), but it is also a story about rodef shalom because of the way the four chaplains worked together.
The chaplains were Lieutenant George L. Fox (Protestant), Lieutenant Alexander D. Goode (Jewish); Lieutenant John P. Washington, (Catholic) and Lieutenant Clark V. Poling, (Protestant). The worked hard to bring hope in this darkness. They spread out among the soldiers and tried to calm the frightened, help the wounded and guide the confused toward safety.
The Dorchester It was World War II and Germany was fighting the United States and a group of other countries called the allies. Lots of American soldiers were being sent in ships across the Atlantic Ocean in order to be able to fight. Germany was attacking US ships with their submarines and so it was dangerous to sail across the Atlantic. On February 2, 1943 the U.S.S. Dorchester was crowded with 902 men. It was heading toward an American base in Greenland. The captain ordered the men to sleep in their clothing and keep life jackets on (in case the ship was attacked). Many soldiers sleeping in the bottom of the ship didn’t obey the order because of the heat from the engine. Others ignored it because life jackets were uncomfortable.
One witness, Private William B. Bednar, was floating in the water surrounded by dead bodies and debris. He said, “I could hear men crying, pleading, praying. I could also hear the chaplains preaching courage. Their voices were the only thing that kept me going.” Another sailor, Petty Officer John J. Mahoney, tried to go back to his cabin, but Rabbi Goode stopped him. Mahoney, scared of the cold Arctic air, was going back for his gloves. “Never mind,” Goode told him. “I have two pairs.” The rabbi gave Mahoney his own gloves. Later Mahoney realized that Rabbi Goode was not carrying two pairs of gloves. He realized that the rabbi had decided not to leave the Dorchester.
The Attack
When there were no more lifejackets in the storage room, the chaplains removed theirs and gave them to four frightened young men. “It was the finest thing I have seen or hope to see this side of heaven,” said John Ladd, another survivor.
A German submarine approached on the surface. Three torpedoes were fired. One hit was deadly. It hit the ship far below the water line. When the captain was told that his ship was sinking, he gave the order to abandon ship. It took less than twenty minutes for the Dorchester to sink. The blast from the torpedo had killed many men, and many more were seriously wounded. Others were lost in the darkness. Men jumped from the ship into lifeboats, overcrowding them to the point of capsizing. Other rafts, tossed into the Atlantic, drifted away before soldiers could get in them.
An Act of Rodef Shalom As the ship went down, survivors in nearby rafts could see the four chaplains — arms linked and braced against the slanting deck. Their voices could also be heard offering prayers. Of the 902 men aboard the Dorchester, only 230 survived. By working together the four chaplains taught that religion doesn’t have to divide people. They showed that all people were created by one God. The memory of their shared bravery is an example of rodef shalom, of people working together for a better future.
The Chaplains This is the story of the four chaplains. A chaplain is a religious leader like a rabbi or minister who joins the army to serve the religious needs of soldiers. 27
