Chaplains’ heroic WWII sacrifice to be commemorated

The annual Four Chaplains brunch and memorial service hosted by the American Legion Post 826 will be at noon Sun., Feb. 12 at Legion Hall, 5320 Fallbrook Ave., Woodland Hills.

The event is open to the community for a $10 donation. For ticket information, call Don Vetter at (818) 340-8886.

The program will include clergy, the daughter of the last-rescued survivor, a representative of the Immortal Chaplains Foundation and screening of the film, “The Four Chaplains, Sacrifice at Sea.”

Their heroism occurred as the U.S. Army transport ship The Dorchester rapidly sank after being torpedoed by a German U-boat in Feb. 1943. The four Army chaplains, of the three major faiths, tried to calm the frightened, tend the wounded and guide the disoriented toward safety while offering prayers for the dying.

The ship went down in 27 minutes, taking the lives of 672 service personnel of the 902 aboard. The chaplains gave their life jackets to four young men and stayed on board as the ship sank.