Tuesday, February 3, 2026

It is the 3rd of February 2026. Welcome to the Christian History Almanac, brought to you by 1517 at 1517.org; I’m Dan van Voorhis.

The 3rd of February is something of a somber day. It has been, since 1959, the “Day the Music Died”- Buddy Holly, the Big Bopper, and Richie Valens and the pilot perishing near Clear Lake, Iowa, on their way to Morehead, Minnesota. Immortalized in the Don McLean song, the death of these 4 came to, unfortunately, overshadow another famous quartet that also perished on this date- the 3rd of February being a day on which we remember the “Four Chaplains”- men who died in the service of the U.S. Army.

 

If you don’t remember, a “chaplain” is a member of the clergy who is assigned to a particular place- a “chapel”. A “Chapel” was the name for the little cloak worn by Martin of Tours, the patron saint of soldiers. This famous “little cloak” of his was, according to the story, torn in two and given to a freezing soldier. Later, Martin came to find that the “freezing soldier” was Christ himself. And thus the association with the military.

 

Pagan priests used to accompany Roman armies, and with the Constantinian conversion of Rome to Christianity, priests or “chaplains” began to accompany soldiers. Our “Four Chaplains” were the Methodist George Fox from Pennsylvania, the Irish Catholic John Washington from New Jersey, the Dutch Reformed Clark Poling, who served in Schenectady, and the Rabbi Alexander Goode from Brooklyn. All volunteered for the chaplaincy after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. The four would meet at Camp Miles Standish and at Chaplaincy training at Harvard.

 

The four chaplains were sent to the European theatre on the Dorchester, a one-time luxury liner that was converted for the war effort. As a luxury liner, it held 300+ guests; there were at least 900 on the ship as it traversed from Newfoundland to a base in Greenland.

 

It was just after midnight on this, the 3rd of February, that a German U-Boat spotted the Dorchester in the Labrador Sea. The Dorchester was struck by a torpedo- many died instantly, and others scrambled for lifeboats and life jackets, of which there were not enough. The Dorchester would sink in the freezing waters within about 20 minutes, and as it became apparent that not everyone would be able to survive, the stories of the chaplains began.

 

The ship had seen U-boats stalking them- from the height of the 2nd, the chaplains had devised ways to take the men's minds off a possible event. Overnight, they remained on watch and, with the first blast, sprang into action.

 

Of the over 900 men, only 200 survived- and over the years, those survivors were quick to point out the heroics of the Four Chaplains. One private told the story of floating in debris with dead bodies, “I could hear men crying, pleading, praying… I could also hear the chaplains preaching… their voices were the only thing that kept me going”.

 

Another survivor, John Ladd, told the story of seeing the four chaplains remove their own life jackets and gloves to give to those in need- “it was the finest I have seen, or hope to see this side of heaven”. In the next year, the four would be honored with the Distinguished Service Cross and the Purple Heart. Congress would designate the 3rd of February as the “Four Chaplains Day,” and a Chapel has been named for them in the Pennsylvania Navy Yard.

 

While an attempt was made for them to receive the Medal of Honor, President Eisenhower was able to award them a special medal for Heroism. Of the four men, George Fox- because he was Methodist- is honored by the Anglican/Episcopal church (Methodists are like the rowdy, low church Anglicans)- Fox is honored with a lesser feast on this day.

 

The Last word for today comes from the daily lectionary and the first 6 verses of Psalm 37:

Do not fret because of those who are evil
 or be envious of those who do wrong;

for like the grass they will soon wither,
 like green plants they will soon die away.

Trust in the Lord and do good;
 dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.

Take delight in the Lord,
 and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Commit your way to the Lord;
 trust in him and he will do this:

He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn,
 your vindication like the noonday sun.

 

 

This has been the Christian History Almanac for the 3rd of February 2026, brought to you by 1517 at 1517.org.

The show is produced by a man who knows George Fox was also a Quaker, and a clown, a politician, a singer, and a poet- he is Christopher Gillespie.

The show is written and read by a man who counts at least a dozen famous men called George Fox- I’m Dan van Voorhis.

You can catch us here every day- and remember that the rumors of grace, forgiveness, and the redemption of all things are true…. Everything is going to be ok.