Four Chaplains Memorial Ceremony

    Yorktown veterans will join with ‘Living History’ students
from Mildred Strang Middle School and residents of Yorktown on Sunday, February
2, 2014 at 2 pm at the Yorktown American Legion Hall at 235 Veterans Road in
Yorktown Heights to celebrate the annual Chapel of the Four Chaplains
Ceremony.  This annual ceremony honors
four US Army chaplains who were aboard the US troopship, Dorchester, in
February 1943 when it was torpedoed and sunk in the North Atlantic.  These chaplains of different faiths handed
out life vests and calmed the soldiers aboard their dying ship.  When the chaplains ran out of life vests to
hand out, they gave up their own life vests to save others.  Their bravery was an inspiration to all who
survived the sinking and all who heard of it. 
These Americans are remembered at this ceremony for their bravery and
their inter-faith cooperation in helping their fellow soldiers in their
greatest time of need.

      Each year numerous “Living History’
students in their colonial militia uniforms with their teacher, Chris
DiPasquale, open the ceremony with the formal presentation of our nation’s
colors.  We are honored to have four
prominent local clergy members joining us to celebrate this inspiring story of
faith and bravery.  Mother Claire Woodley
of St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Mohegan Lake, Rabbi Robert Weiner of Temple
Beth Am in Yorktown Hts, Pastor Dan O’Brien of Calvary Bible Church in Yorktown
Hts, and Fr. Thomas Kreiser from St Patrick’s Church in Yorktown will be
participating in the ceremony.