Superheroes are all the rage right now.
Growing up, some of my favorite superheroes were the Fantastic Four. Reed Richards, Susan Storm, Johnny Storm and Ben Grimm were four normal humans just like us before receiving superpowers after exposure to cosmic rays in outer space. While dysfunctional at times, the Fantastic Four formed a strong family bond and chose to use their superpowers to help others.
Seventy-five years ago, in 1943, four “super” heroes chose to help others. Like the Fantastic Four, each had flaws but functioned well as a team. Yesterday, these four humans were celebrated across the world on “Four Chaplains Day.” Each are different from each other, just as we who live in Juneau are different. George Fox was a Methodist pastor and decorated World War I veteran. He volunteered for World War I and did the same in World War II, having to carefully think about his duty to both family and country. Alex Goode was a rabbi, known for his intellect and athleticism. Goode loved to laugh. Like Fox, Goode volunteered for World War II, leaving his wife and congregation for an unknown amount of time. Clark Poling was a Dutch Reformed Church minister, a scholar and a poet. As a married minister and a father, Poling was safe from the draft — but this did not keep him from volunteering to help his country and its soldiers. The only non-married chaplain was John Washington. He was a Catholic priest who loved baseball and may have played in the major leagues had his vision not been impaired as a kid. His friend accidently shot him in the eye with…wait for it…a BB gun!
The four received classified orders to report to Massachusetts in January of 1943, where they would eventually board the SS Dorchester. Each man had adopted the value system of the Army, yet also brought with him a value system from his own personal and theological background. Each understood the similarities and differences between their theological denominations. Yet rather than concentrate on differences, they performed effective religious support by working together to determine the best possible way to minister to the soldiers. When they boarded the Dorchester they sought soldiers out rather than wait in their room. They prayed with soldiers, helped them write letters, answered questions, set up fun events to raise morale, and conducted chapel services at just the right moments.
However, on Feb. 3, 1943, on route to Greenland on a top secret mission, the Dorchester was torpedoed by a German U-Boat. Because it was winter, it was cold outside the ship and very warm inside. So even though the soldiers were supposed to wear their life vests at all times, not all did. Many soldiers forgot their life vests when they ran outside. The majority of the lifeboats were frozen to the ship and could not be used. Following their value system, the four chaplains decided to live out John 15:13, “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.” They gave up their own life vests to four soldiers without them. Described by one survivor as “the finest thing I have ever seen, or hope to see, this side of heaven,” the four chaplains linked arms, prayed, and sang songs to encourage the soldiers in their last dying moments. The importance of the mission kept the convoy from stopping to assist, and the requirement of radio silence delayed timely rescue. The four chaplains all drowned, but the powerful testimony from the Dorchester survivors shows the power our lives and values have in the eyes of others and that it is better to die living out our values than to live a full life devoid of them.
I encourage us all to seek ways to work together with those who believe different things in order to find solutions for shared issues in our community. In the pioneer spirit of Alaska, leading by example and role modeling a life of helping others will further the mission of The Four Chaplains Memorial Foundation, which exists to further the cause of “unity without uniformity” by encouraging goodwill and cooperation among all people.
“Super” heroes of Juneau, assemble!
• Kirk Thorsteinson is a Brigade Chaplain in the Alaska Army National Guard and additionally serves as Chaplain for VFW Taku Post 5559, American Legion Auke Bay Post 25, and Pioneers of Alaska Men’s Igloo #6. “Living & Growing” is a regular column written by different authors and submitted by local clergy and spiritual leaders.
Kirk Thorsteinson
