A Presentation by Judge Barry Sax, followed by a conversation with veteran Richard "Dick" Swanson
5:00 pm Reception, 6:00 pm Presentation

The 70th Anniversary of the Sinking of the USAT Dorchester

On February 3, 1943, a US Army transport, the Dorchester, was making its way in a convoy from the United States to an Army Command Base in southern Greenland. She was carrying over 900 men, but the Dorchester never arrived at its destination.

She was struck by a torpedo fired from a German U-boat, and the transport sank within 20 minutes.

On board the Dorchester were four chaplains who are now "immortal" for the selfless actions and sacrifices they made in the cold North Atlantic waters.

Join us on Thursday, February 28th to hear this harrowing, yet heroic, story from Judge Barry Sax, a retired Department of Defense Administrative Judge, historian and member of the Board of Directors of the Chapel of the Four Chaplains at the Philadelphia Navy Yard.

Following Judge Sax’s presentation will be a unique opportunity to hear from Richard "Dick" Swanson, who was aboard the USS Comanche, one of the Coast Guard Cutters that was a part of the Dorchester’s convoy. The Comanche rescued nearly 100 of the survivors and Swanson himself was later awarded the US Navy and Marine Corps Medal for Heroism during the rescue operations.

The event is free and open to the public, but registration is strongly encouraged. Please register by clicking below or by calling 504-528-1944 x 412 and leaving a message with your name, number in party and the event you are RSVP-ing for.