Four Chaplains

The Four Chaplains Breakfast: emphasizes the importance of brotherhood and self-sacrifice as evidenced by four chaplains, including Rabbi Alexander Goode, who gave their lives for others during WWII. Excess revenues from the breakfast help support the York City Dollars for Scholars program.     

The Inaugural Four Chaplains Prayer Breakfast was held in February 1993 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the death of The Four Chaplains aboard the troop ship Dorchester on February 3, 1943.

The ship was torpedoed by a German submarine. As the ship began to sink in the icy waters of the North Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Greenland, it quickly became apparent that there were not enough life jackets for all of the men on board. The four chaplains gave their own life jackets and gloves to the other men, linked arms and disappeard from view as the ship sank beneath the black waters.

One of the four chaplains was Rabbi Alexander D. Goode, who left his pulpit at York's Temple Beth Israel to enlist in the military. The other three chaplains were: Fr. Johnny P. Washington, a Roman Catholic priest; Rev. George L. Fox, a Methodist minister; and Rev. Clark V. Poling, a Dutch Reformed Minister.  

2013 Four Chaplains Prayer Breakfast

The 21st Annual Four Chaplains Prayer Breakfast will be held on Wednesday, May 8, 2013, beginning at 7:00 a.m. in the ballroom of the Yorktowne Hotel.

The guest speaker will be Chaplain (Major General) Howard D. Stendahl, Chief of Chaplains for the U.S. Air Force. As Chief of Chaplains, he is the senior pastor of 680,000 Air Force active duty, Guard, Reserves, and civlian forces serving in the United States and overseas.

He is an ordained minister of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America.

A select chorus of Alexander D. Goode School fifth, sixth, and seventh grade students will perform.

In addition, a York Countain will be presented with membership in the Four Chaplains Legion of Honor for that individual's volunteer efforts representing brotherhood and service as exemplified by the Four Chaplains.

Tickets at $15 each are available through the Lutheran Social Services (LSS) Foundation, 1050 Pennsylvania Avenue, York, PA 17404. Checks should be made payable to the "Four Chaplains Fund." Ticket information is available from Michelle Bunty at 854-4105.