| SILVERBELL SENDOFF District President - Kim Sloan & State Commander Ray Thomas |
FOUR-CHAPLAINS
None of the participants knew exactly when the Tucson Veterans Affairs Committee first started observing
the “Four-Chaplains’ Memorial Service”; but it definitely began before the late 1990s and certainly after
1943. Held annually in February, most recently at the Kino Veterans Memorial Park, the ceremony honors
four chaplains who perished in February 1943 after their troop-ship was torpedoed by a German U-Boat. The
four chaplains organized abandon-ship procedures and gave their life-vests to four soldiers, who survived.
The four-chaplains went down with the ship. In 1961 Congress authorized a special “Medal of Heroism”
given posthumously to the four chaplains. Today, a portrait of the chaplains is on permanent display at the
“Four Chaplains Chapel” at Valley Forge, PA.
This year’s service was organized and emceed by SAVAHCS Chaplain John Zinck. Veterans’ organizations
were well represented: the Fleet Reserve Association (FRA); American Legion; Jewish War Veterans
Association (JWA), Military Order of the Purple Heart (MOPH); and the Disabled American Veterans (DAV).
The VFW was represented by Members and Auxiliary of Tucson Post-10188.
The event itself was ‘well done’: the USAF Honor Guard from Davis Monthan AFB opened the ceremony by
posting-the-colors, followed by salute to the flag then invocation. Mr Martin Stephens, Chairman of the
Tucson Veterans Affairs Committee, welcomed guests and participants. Biographies of the four chaplains
were read, followed by some hymnal singing and distinguished spokespersons offering inspirational
remarks with tributes to all chaplains. The FRA performed the Navy’s ‘Two-Bells’ ceremony, followed by
wreath laying. The proceedings concluded by VFW Post 10188 Honor Guard displaying the colors and Gary
Harlan playing Taps on his bugle ... this was a very memorable event.
None of the participants knew exactly when the Tucson Veterans Affairs Committee first started observing
the “Four-Chaplains’ Memorial Service”; but it definitely began before the late 1990s and certainly after
1943. Held annually in February, most recently at the Kino Veterans Memorial Park, the ceremony honors
four chaplains who perished in February 1943 after their troop-ship was torpedoed by a German U-Boat. The
four chaplains organized abandon-ship procedures and gave their life-vests to four soldiers, who survived.
The four-chaplains went down with the ship. In 1961 Congress authorized a special “Medal of Heroism”
given posthumously to the four chaplains. Today, a portrait of the chaplains is on permanent display at the
“Four Chaplains Chapel” at Valley Forge, PA.
This year’s service was organized and emceed by SAVAHCS Chaplain John Zinck. Veterans’ organizations
were well represented: the Fleet Reserve Association (FRA); American Legion; Jewish War Veterans
Association (JWA), Military Order of the Purple Heart (MOPH); and the Disabled American Veterans (DAV).
The VFW was represented by Members and Auxiliary of Tucson Post-10188.
The event itself was ‘well done’: the USAF Honor Guard from Davis Monthan AFB opened the ceremony by
posting-the-colors, followed by salute to the flag then invocation. Mr Martin Stephens, Chairman of the
Tucson Veterans Affairs Committee, welcomed guests and participants. Biographies of the four chaplains
were read, followed by some hymnal singing and distinguished spokespersons offering inspirational
remarks with tributes to all chaplains. The FRA performed the Navy’s ‘Two-Bells’ ceremony, followed by
wreath laying. The proceedings concluded by VFW Post 10188 Honor Guard displaying the colors and Gary
Harlan playing Taps on his bugle ... this was a very memorable event.
| VFW Post-10188 and Auxiliary members who attended this years “Four-Chaplains Memorial Service” at the Pima Veterans Memorial Park in Tucson, (L-R): Geneva Malone; Robert DiVarco; Ken Short; Mike O’Daniels; Mike Utter; Frank Hayes; and Gary & Crissy Harlan |
2007-2008 District Commander & President Bruce & Pam Spencer
