January 30, 2023 3:00 a.m.

This Friday is the 80th anniversary of the sinking of the USAT Dorchester during World War II, and the 11th year of the annual Four Chaplains Ceremony being held in Roseburg.

Organizer Jim Little said this year the ceremony has moved to a larger location, and will be held Saturday at Westside Christian Church on West Harvard Avenue.

Little said while not widely commemorated today, the day acknowledges the sinking of the Army transport ship which resulted in the loss of 672 soldiers, sailors, merchant marines, and women who were killed in the icy water of the North Atlantic. The ship sunk after it was torpedoed by a German U-boat. Included in the 672 were a Methodist minister, a Roman Catholic priest, a Rabbi and Dutch Reformed minister – all who were Army Chaplains. The men gave up their life jackets to save four others and in doing so, gave up their only means of survival. Of the 902 people aboard, only 230 survived.

This year’s event begins with the showing of a movie about the Four Chaplains at 11:15 a.m. The service, conducted by Little and by Jim Barnett, will begin at 12:00 p.m. This year newspaper reporter Bill Duncan will be inducted into the Four Chaplains Legion of Honor, posthumously. His wife, Ada Duncan, will accept the award.

Call 672-4635 for more information about the Four Chaplains Ceremony.