The American Legion will be conducting the Four Chaplains Day Ceremony on Sunday, February 4 at 2:00 p.m. at the Cranston Presbyterian Church in New Richmond.
Four Chaplains Day in the USA commemorates the events of February 3, 1943, when the troop ship USAT Dorchester sank after it was torpedoed by German submarine U-223 off Newfoundland at 12:55 a.m. When the Dorchester began to sink, four chaplains of different religions were helping organize an orderly evacuation. When the life vests ran out, the four chaplains gave their own life vests to others and helped as many men as they could into the boats, then they linked their arms together, saying prayers and singing hymns, and went down with the ship. The four chaplains were posthumously awarded the Purple Heart and the Distinguished Service Cross on December 19, 1944. In 2006 chaplains were awarded the Medal of Honor.
The Cranston Presbyterian Church is located at 200 Union Street, New Richmond, OH 45157. The event is open to the public. For more information contact American Legion Member Ken Ellis at 513-444-8660.