seminole county four chaplains memorial

The Heroes Memorial was created to honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to Seminole County and our country. The Seminole County Heroes Memorial is located in the grassy mall between the Seminole County Justice Building and State Road 17/92 in Sanford, Florida.

On February 3, 1943, during the sinking of the USAT Dorchester, a troop ship carrying military personnel and civilians, four Army chaplains demonstrated extraordinary bravery and sacrifice.  Amid the chaos and panic, these four selfless men exemplified the true essence of heroism and unity. They quickly moved to calm the frightened passengers and distributed life jackets, offering words of comfort and prayer, regardless of their own chances of survival.

  "No casting director in Hollywood could have selected a better cast of characters than these four to portray the basic unity of the American people," said Monsignor John McNamara, former chief of chaplains of the U.S. Navy, remarking upon the chaplains' religious diversity. The self-sacrifice of the four chaplains was a heroic act.  It was not the only heroic act aboard the Dorchester.  But it was the identity of these four young men, representing three great faiths of the American people, that adds symbolism to their sacrifice.

  The relatively new chaplains all held the rank of first lieutenant but their backgrounds, personalities, and denominations were all different.  They met at the Army Chaplains School at Harvard University, where they prepared for assignments in the European theater.

At 12:30 am on February 3, 1943, the bell on the United States Army Transport Dorchester rang twice and never sounded again.