description USAT Dorchester Overview
USAT Dorchester was a United States Army transport carrying troops and other personnel across the North Atlantic during the Second World War. The German submarine U-223 torpedoed it near Greenland on 3 February 1943, and the ship sank with heavy loss of life. The disaster is remembered for four Army chaplains of different faiths who gave their life jackets to others, helped organize the evacuation, and died together aboard the ship.
help USAT Dorchester FAQ
Who were the Four Chaplains on the USAT Dorchester?
The Four Chaplains were Lt. George Fox (Methodist), Lt. Alexander Goode (Jewish), Lt. Clark Poling (Reformed), and Lt. John Washington (Roman Catholic). They became famous for giving up their own life jackets to save soldiers and linking arms in prayer as the ship sank.
When and where was the USAT Dorchester sunk?
The United States Army transport ship was torpedoed by the German submarine U-223 on February 3, 1943. The disaster occurred in the freezing, shark-infested waters of the North Atlantic near Greenland.
Why did so many people die on the USAT Dorchester shipwreck?
Tragically, over 670 men died primarily because the troops could not locate their life jackets and many lifeboats became frozen to the ship. Additionally, the water was incredibly cold, causing rapid hypothermia for those who jumped into the ocean.
Was the German submarine U-223 destroyed after sinking the Dorchester?
Yes, the German submarine U-223 was eventually tracked down and destroyed by Allied forces. It was depth-charged and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea in March 1944, roughly a year after it sank the Dorchester.
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