Congress attempted to confer the Medal of Honor on 6. Four Chaplains mural, painted by Dean Fausett, each of the four chaplains, but the stringent requirements, at entrance to Joseph “Ziggy” Kahn Gymnasium, for that medal, required heroism performed “under fire.” Jewish Community Center Irene Kaufman Building, Squirrel Hill, Pennsylvania. The bravery and ultimate sacrifice of these men did not technically qualify, since their actions took place after the 7. “Four Chaplains mural”, painted by Connie torpedo attack. Therefore, members of Congress decided Burns Watkins, in York, Pennsylvania. to authorize a special medal intended to have the same 8. The two-hour audio documentary “No Greater weight and importance as the Medal of Honor. On July Love” tells the story, including interviews with 14, 1960 by Act of Congress (Public law 86-656, 86th survivors, rescuers, and naval historians. Congress), the Congress authorized the “Four Chaplains Medal.” Chapels and sanctuaries honoring the Four Chaplains:

The statute awarding the medal is listed as follows: 1. The chapel at the Pittsburgh International Airport was dedicated to the Four Chaplains in 1994. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Represen- 2. Joint base Lewis-McChord, Washington, Four tatives of the United States of America in Congress Chaplains’ Memorial Chapel & Family Life Center. assembled, That the President is authorized to award posthumously appropriate medals and certificates to 3. Chapel at Camp Tuckahoe, Boy Scouts of Chaplain George L. Fox of Gilman, Vermont; Chaplain America, in York County, Pennsylvania, dedicated in Alexander D. Goode of Washington, District of Co- memory of Chaplain Goode. lumbia; Chaplain Clark V. Poling of Schenectady, ; and Chaplain John P. Washington of Arlington, Stained glass windows: New Jersey, in recognition of the extraordinary hero- ism displayed by them when they sacrificed their lives 1. United States Pentagon, “A” Ring. in the sinking of the troop transport Dorchester in the North Atlantic in 1943 by giving up their life preserv- 2. Fort Bliss, Texas, in United States Army Sergeant ers to other men aboard such transport. The medals Majors Academy “Four Chaplains Classroom.” and certificates authorized by this Act shall be in such 3. Fort Snelling, Minnesota, Chapel of Immortal form and of such design as shall be prescribed by the Chaplains. President, and shall be awarded to such representatives of the aforementioned chaplains as the President may 4. National Cathedral, Washington, D.C., Heroes designate. On January 18, 1961, Secretary of the Army Chapel Window. Wilbur M. Brucker presented the award posthumously to the families of the four chaplains at Fort Myer, Virginia. 5. Post Chapel at West Point. In 1988, February 3 was established by a unanimous act 2 6. Memorial Chapel, United States Army War of Congress as an annual “Four Chaplains Day. College, Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania.

A 60-minute TV documentary “The Four Chaplains: 7. Basilica of the National Shrine of Mary, queen of Sacrifice at Sea” was produced in 2004. A composition the Universe, Orlando, Florida, North American Saints Window. entitled “The Light Eternal,” written by James Swearin- gen in 1992, tells the story of the Four Chaplains through 8. Brotherhood Memorial, Cleveland Cultural music. In addition to the stained glass windows recalling Gardens, Rockefeller Park, Cleveland, Ohio. the chaplains and their heroism, include: Installed in 1953. Large granite pillar upon which there is a bronze plaque of the Four Chaplains 1. “Four Chaplains, 1943,” by Alton Tobey. standing in the prow of a large boat with an angelic figure behind and above them. Text 2. “A Moment of Peace,” Ft. Jackson, South memorializes, by name, each chaplain. Carolina, painted by Steven Carter. 9. Four Chaplains Memorial, resembling a flying 3. The Four Chaplains, Chapel of Four Chaplains. white bird at the top of the National Memorial Park entrance driveway, Washington, D.C., by 4. “The Four Chaplains,” by Art Seidan (the four abstract expressionist, Constantino Nivola. chaplains pictured at the rail of the ship). 10. Memorial at Arbor Crest Cemetery, created by 5. Four Chaplains mural, by artist Connie Burns sculptor Carlton W. Angell, dedicated to the Four Watkins, commissioned by the Rotary Club of Chaplains in Ann Arbor, Michigan in 1954. York, Pennsylvania. 11. Memorial plaque at Belmont Park Racecourse in

26 JOMSA Elmont, New York. Located behind the clubhouse Army’s order of precedence as it was awarded only once. section of the grandstand. It is bolted onto a rock No devices were authorized. The medal was designed on the walkway leading to the racing secretary’s by Thomas Hudson Jones (1892-1969) of the Army’s office. Institute of Heraldry. 12. Memorial plaque in the main lobby (second floor) of the Kings County Courthouse, at 360 Adams Street, Brooklyn, New York.

13. Memorial, public park, Dorchester, Wisconsin.

14. Memorial plaque (“The Four Chaplains Marker”), Kingwood Memorial Park, Ohio.

15. St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Hebron, Maryland: memorial set up inside of the church.

16. Plaque, Rhode Island State House, commemorating the Four Chaplains and a Rhode Island native, Walter McHugh, a Coast Guard member who also lost his life on the Dorchester.

17. Four Chaplains Memorial, Fort Wadsworth, Staten Island, New York. Figure 9: Obverse of the Four Chaplains Medal.

18. Four Chaplains Monument, Bottineau, North Obverse (Figure 9): In the center of a gold oval, the shape Dakota. of an eagle with elevated wings with an overall width of 2 1/16 inches and height of 2 5/8 inches. The eagle is shown 19. Memorial, Huntington Park, Newport News, grasping olive branches in both talons; the branches Virginia. extend upward and terminate at the eagle’s wings, 20. Memorial plaque, Cedarhurst Park, Cedarhurst, forming a wreath. The soaring eagle is representative New York. of the majesty of the spirit of the government in whose service the Four Chaplains gave the last full measure of 21. Memorial , Washington Park Cemetery, Indiana. devotion. The olive branches symbolize spiritual peace and renascence. 22. Wax display at the National Historical Wax Museum (now closed) in Washington, D.C.

23. Memorial outside American Legion Post 61, Sterling St. Watertown, N.Y.

24. Four Chaplains Monument, Timothy Frost United Methodist Church, Thetford Center, Vermont. From 1936 to 1938, Rev. George Lansing Fox served as the pastor of this church and the church in Union Village, Vermont.

25. Four Chaplains Memorial, outside St. Stephen’s Church, Kearny, N.J. St. Stephen’s was Father Washington’s last assignment before he joined the army. On the 70th Anniversary of the sinking of the Dorchester, this statue was dedicated. The front shows the four men, arms locked, praying Figure 10: Reverse of the Four Chaplains Medal. on the stern of the Dorchester, and the back is an angel, carrying four lifejackets for the men. Reverse (Figure 10): In the center of a gold oval with a 26. Immortal Chaplains Memorial Sanctuary- on the width of two inches, an open book containing the names Queen Mary in Long Beach, California. of the Four Chaplains. Above the left side of the book is a cross, and above the right side are the Tablets of Moses The Four Chaplains Medal with a Star of David. An olive wreath extends upward from the base of the medal. The Christian Cross and the The Four Chaplains Medal does not have a place in the Tablets of Moses with the Star of David represent the

Vol. 65, No. 5 (September-October 2014) 27 snap is spaced 0.75 inches apart, the last being one eighth of an inch from the end.

The Commemorative Medal: The Commemorative medal is a smaller copy of the Four Chaplains Medal with a drape rather than a neck ribbon (Figure 12). It comes in a black box with a three-cent stamp attached in the middle of the box and THE FOUR CHAPLAINS COMMEMORATIVE MEDAL at the top and the date February 2, 1943 at the bottom (Figure 13). The medal 1.4375 inches wide. The ribbon is 1.4375 inches wide. The commemorative medal was produced by Dr. Charles P. McDowell of Foxfall.

Figure 11: The ribbon of the Four Chaplains Medal. faiths of the Four Chaplains whose names are inscribed forever in the annals of heroism. The medal weighs 3.1 ounces.

Ribbon (Figure 11): The central stripe of blue is the same shade as the ribbon of the Medal of Honor and symbolizes courage above and beyond the call of duty. The black edge stripes symbolize the “last full measure Figure 13: The box for the Four Chaplains of devotion” rendered by the Four Chaplains.” [9] The Commemorative Medal. ribbon is a neck ribbon with a central cravat that is 1.25 inches wide by 1.25 inches high. The two sides are 11 The Four Chaplains pin (Figure 14): The pin is 0.625 inches long with the last 3.5 inches folded under so the inches square with the corners rounded. Around the outer black stripes meet and are sawn together. Three snaps edge at the top is FOUR CHAPLAINS MEMORIAL and are at the folded under end which is 0.5 inch wide. Each around the bottom edge is WE WILL NOT FORGET. Just below the top phrase are four figures representing the Four Chaplains and below that a sinking ship (the Dorchester).

Figure 14: Obverse of the Four Chaplains pin.

Endnotes:

1. Kenneth Wales and David Poling. Sea of Glory. Nashville, Tennessee: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2001. Figure 12: The Four Chaplains Commenorative Medal. 2. Public Law 860656, 86th Congress.

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