Approximately 60 family and friends attended an interfaith ceremony for veterans from Manchester, Beverly, Ipswich, Lynn and several other communities in this year’s “Four Chaplains Sunday” marking the 77th anniversary of the day the SS Dorchester carrying 902 men sank after being hit by a German U-boat, in which four WWII Army chaplains removed their own lifejackets so others could be saved, choosing to go down with the 672 men who perished that day. The massive ship sank in just 20 minutes on February 3, 1943, and the ceremony pays tribute to each chaplain—Lt. Alexander D. Goode, a Jewish rabbi, Lt. George L. Fox, a Methodist minister, Lt. John P. Washington, a Roman Catholic priest, and Lt. Clark V. Poling, a Dutch Reformed pastor. The ship was left Boston Harbor and together, they gave up the life jackets they wore, giving them to the young soldiers who were next in line before staying behind. Attending Sunday’s service from Manchester were Alan Kirker, Bruce Heisey, Starr Lloyd, Judith Lloyd Ed Gavin, Art Secher, Michele Baer, Cheryl Lamphear and Paul Dozier, among others.
