Arlington, VA — Marking the 60th anniversary of the sinking of the USAT Dorchester, organizations around the country will host commemorative ceremonies in honor of the four U.S. Army Chaplains who perished in the attack when the USAT Dorchester was torpedoed in the North Atlantic on February 3, 1943.

Nearly 700 men were killed when a German submarine off the coast of Greenland torpedoed the ship. Among the few survivors in the frigid waters, several could see their four Army chaplains on deck, arms linked and offering prayers.

"The heroic sacrifice of these four Chaplains expresses the ultimate example of serving others," said Major General Gaylord T. Gunhus, chief of chaplains for the U.S. Army.

Trained to minister on the frontlines, four Army Chaplains — all of different faiths — aboard the USAT Dorchester were among the first on deck, calming the men, handing out life jackets, directing them to lifeboats, and, by eyewitness account, turning over their own life jackets and gloves that others might survive.

The vessel was one of three in a convoy escorting servicemen to an American base in Greenland, eventually bound for the war in Europe. When the USAT Dorchester was hit, it was only hours away from safe waters, steaming through the final stretch of a treacherous area known as "submarine alley."

In 1997, The Immortal Chaplains Foundation, Hamline University in St. Paul, Minn., established the Prize for Humanity to honor those who protect others of different faiths or ethnic origins, at all risks. The Immortal Chaplains Foundation will host a memorial service honoring the four Army Chaplains who perished in the attack

"As a native Minnesotan, it is an honor to know that Fort Snelling Chapel and the Immortal Chaplains Foundation is remembering these chaplains for their heroic service," said Major General Gunhus. "These chaplains — one Jewish, one Catholic, and two Protestants — offered their calming ministry, their life jackets, and their united prayers, each with ultimate trust in God."

In the 2003 National Defense Appropriation Act, Section 544, the U.S. Congress recognizes the vital role of chaplains in serving the personnel of the Armed Forces and specifically acknowledges the heroic sacrifice of the four Army chaplains on the Dorchester.

Other organizations honoring the 60th anniversary of the sinking of the USAT Dorchester include the World War II Veterans Committee, the Chapel of the Four Chaplains in Valley Forge, PA with chapters across the country, and numerous Army chapel communities.

Army Chaplains serve a unique segment of the American population, the nation's sons and daughters who serve on point for freedom. Chaplains are clergy in uniform, jumping out of planes, practicing field maneuvers, or working with medical units. Army Chaplains also serve in a variety of locations, throughout the world, to meet the religious and spiritual needs of soldiers and their family members.

The U.S. Army Chaplain Corps is the oldest of the American military chaplaincies. Currently, there are more than 2,500 active duty, National Guard and reserve chaplains from 120 faith groups serving in uniform worldwide. The Army Chaplain Corps comprises the largest military chaplaincy in the world. Since its inception, more than 25,000 chaplains have served in 36 wars and more than 240 major combat engagements.