THE FOUR CHAPLAINS: SACRIFICE AT SEA

The true story of four World War II U.S. Army chaplains who made the ultimate sacrifice so others could survive.

In 1943, four young Army chaplains joined 900 raw recruits who were headed for battle in Nazi-occupied Europe on the U.S.A.T. Dorchester. During the voyage, a torpedo from a German submarine ripped through the hull of the ship which began to descend rapidly into the freezing waters of the North Atlantic.

In the frantic scramble for lifeboats, four chaplains on board—a Catholic priest, a Jewish rabbi, and two Protestant ministers—directed many soldiers to safety. When the life vest supply ran out, they selflessly removed their own and gave them to the soldiers, knowing they could not possibly survive without the flotation devices. They spent their last moments singing hymns and praying, arm-in-arm, as the ship disappeared beneath the waves.

This documentary recounts the remarkable story of their faith and courage through dramatic military footage, recreations, and personal interviews with survivors and family members.

"The Four Chaplains," has been packaged in the Reader's Digest Collector's Album entitled "Personal Journeys of World War II."

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