1LT John P. Washington

History lesson:

During its crossing of the North Atlantic, ferrying 900 troops to the European theatre, the USAT Dorchester was attacked and sunk on February 3, 1943 by a German U-boat. Over 630 men lost their lives, including four military chaplains who gave their life jackets to other men so that they could survive. The Chaplains, after assisting men off the sinking vessel, then linked arms and sang hymns until the ship slipped beneath the waves. One of those “Immortal Chaplains” was 1LT John P. Washington (pictured below), the only Catholic of the four men. Remember their sacrifice this weekend.