The Fantastic Four Chaplains
by Erika Zobel

 
​Have you ever heard of the Fantastic Four? I first heard of them as a kid from my brother who used to read comic books back in the late 1960 & 1970’s. In those days we’d walk to the corner store and my sister, Heidi and I would buy some penny candy and Michael would buy comic books. One I recall is, The Fantastic Four. The Fantastic Four had superpowers due to exposure to cosmetic rays during a scientific mission in outer space. These four consisted of Reed Richards aka Mister Fantastic, Sue Store-
Richards aka Invisible Women, Sue’s brother Johnny Storm, aka the Human Torch and finally, Ben Grimm aka Thing. Each of them is unique with their superpowers yet still lived regular lives, had different beliefs and came from different backgrounds. As faith
has it, their lives become intertwined as they use their superpowers to fight for good against evil.

There is another Fantastic Four I want to share known as the Four Chaplains. All four chaplains live their lives guided by their individual faiths. Reverend George L. Fox was a Methodist minister, Reform Rabbi Alexander D Goode, PhD, Catholic priest Father John P. Washington, and Reformed Church in America minister the Reverend Clark V. Poling. These four weren’t much different than the Fantastic Four. They had their own unique superpowers with different backgrounds, personalities, and different faiths. They all first met when they were brought together at Army Chaplains School at Harvard University. This school was to prepare each of these young officers for their new assignments. Time went on and each went their own ways until once again when all four were sailing on board the Dorchester. The Dorchester was a passenger steamship used to transport American troops during WW2. On February 3, 1943, little did these four know but their lives and the lives of many others were about to change. On this day, they met again on the SS Dorchester which was an authorized coastal liner used to move American troops from New York to Greenland via the Labrador Sea along with 4 other ships. It was on this fateful day that the Four Chaplains became a part of history and where four faiths became one. Early that morning, the ship was torpedoed by a German U-boat (U-223). The ship sank within 20 minutes, losing 674 of 904. This has been considered the worst loss of American personnel of any American convoy during World War 2.

Water temperatures were 34 degrees Fahrenheit, with air temperature at 36 degrees Fahrenheit. 75% of the soldiers did not survive the cold and hypothermia set in. Many were seen floating with their life jackets on yet unable to bear the cold temperatures. George, Clark, John, and Alexander were among those who perished. They helped other soldiers board lifeboats and when life jackets ran out, they gave up theirs to save others. The four left this earth together, linking arms, saying prayers, singing hymns. There were no differences between these four men. Just four men all equal in the eyes of our Lord. These are the Superheroes who showed selfless love, courage, faith and unity beyond religion.

Every year the American Legion’s around the nation host a Four Chaplains memorial service. Different faiths are brought together in one location for this remembrance of the four real life superheroes heroes. In Monroe County, this memorial will take place on January 30, 2026, at 6pm. This year’s host will be Temple Beth El, 139 Winton Rd, South, Rochester, NY 14610.

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The Guardians
Erika Zobel

Guardian angels and our soldiers share more similarities than one might think. Both
protect us, guide us and offer comfort when we face times of crisis. The Archangel
Michael is a divine warrior and protector of the people; he resembles our soldiers who
safeguard our nation and our freedoms. Christmas is drawing near, and we start
preparing for festive feasts, gift exchanges, and gatherings with family and friends. We
sip hot cocoa, bake cookies, and settle in for Hallmark movies-each of us quietly hoping
for the one magical holiday moment.
Being involved with The American Legion, Greece Post Legion 468, I’m reminded that
this is not the reality for everyone. I want to reflect on those military families whose
loved ones are not home with them this year to celebrate the birth of Christ. These are
the guardians I spoke about above. One of the four pillars of the American Legion is
National Security – “promotes the quality of life for service members and their families”.
Each year, Greece Post 468 “adopts” a platoon and military family. We gather much
needed items like toothpaste, toothbrushes, soap, underarm deodorant, and candy. We
set aside an evening to sign and address Christmas cards to send along with notes
from the local Greece schools. To bring spirit of the season to those far from home, we
also send Christmas decorations and a small tress, a simple reminder that offers a
moment of normalcy and a touch of home. We also support our military families
whose loved ones can’t be home for the holidays. We collect food items for both
Thanksgiving and Christmas, knowing money can be tight and resources are limited for
many of these families. Toys can also be dropped off as Greece Post 468 which has
boxes set up, dedicated for Toys for Tots. Each year we have a tremendous turnout
with boxes overflowing filled with Christmas joy for a young child to enjoy Christmas
morning. Along with toys, we setup our “Mitten Tree”. Mittens, hats, scarves and
gloves are another item that is greatly needed in our upstate New York cold winters.
Any collection of those items are placed and displayed on the tree. These items are
then distributed to our military children.
This time of the year has a lot of hustle and bustle. Take a moment to think about the
true meaning. It’s not about the decorated tree or the wrapped gifts; it’s about the gift of
giving. It’s the hope for humanity, a reminder to care for others, family and
togetherness. It’s about our guardian angels and so many more within our community.
If you want, you too can be part of the bigger picture and make a difference in
someone’s life.
Happy Holidays and “Peace on Earth, good will towards men”.