Off the coast of Greenland
With all the recent talk about Greenland, today’s holiday elucidates the longstanding relationship the United States has with the Icy nation. Today is Four Chaplains day. It commemorates the sinking of the SS Dorchester Off the coast of Greenland, and, the four chaplains aboard her who showed compassion, bravery, and sacrifice above and beyond what anyone would anticipate or expect.. Those chaplains were Methodist Minister Lt. George L. Fox, Rabbi Lt. Alexander D. Goode, Catholic Priest Lt. John P. Washington, and Dutch Reformed Church Minister Lt. Clark V. Poling. Their heroism received multiple posthumous honors including Medals, a postage stamp dedicated to them, and this day devoted to them.
Coming on the heels of Groundhog day, it stands in stark contrast with the day of repetition. This event was far from ordinary. And, the actions of these four men serves as inspiration toward anyone striving to be a better person, and know what true selflessness is. Plus it lends a new appreciation for the work of Chaplains in the armed forces. When we think of armed forces, we picture warriors, gunners, pilots, their weaponry, and, possibly the support staff. Generals and Majors receive all the glory. But, Chaplains are widely overlooked, despite their vital function of counseling and tending to the morale, mental, and spiritual well being of the soldiers.
Table of Contents
What happened off the coast of Greenland February 3, 1943?
During WWII America had bases in Greenland where we could launch operations from. In addition to Sanctioned naval ships, we used merchant marine and other vessels. One of those was the SS Dorchester, a former luxury cruise ship recommissioned and outfitted as a naval transport ship with several guns for protection and increased quarters. On January 23, 1943, she left New York harbor with a convoy of 6 ships destined for Greenland. There were 904 passengers: some military, some civilian on Board.
On February 3, 1943, at 12:55, a German U=boat submarine torpedoed the Dorchester.She sunk in about 20 minutes. But, in that short period of time, a lot happened. Despite the order to wear life vests at all times, many of the men disregarded that order. So, when she was struck, there was a scramble for vests and life boats. A couple life boats got overloaded and capsized, stranding men in the water. All told, only 230 of the 904 survived. It was the biggest single day loss of life of any American convoy in WWII. Yet, the heroism of the four chaplains helped save a good percentage of those survivors.
As the ship sank
Seeing the men in panic mode, the four chaplains banded together to instill calm and order to the evacuation of the boat. Multiple eye witnesses and survivors attested to the peaceful demeanor and encouragement the 4 provided. Despite coming from different theological backgrounds, they all subscribed to the idea that all men are created equal and deserve equal treatment in the eyes of god. Despite the pending doom, they helped men get organized and provided words of comfort and encouragement. One survivor, floating in the ocean attests that he could hear their prayers from where he was. He credit’s their example as giving him the strength and fortitude to survive.
With the boat quickly going under, the four handed out life vests to as many men as they could. When the life vests ran out, all four, without hesitation, handed their own vests to other men. As the boat went under the four were seen, arm in arm reciting prayers to comfort the troops as their own lives washed into the frigid waters. Forget Jack in Titanic. These are the real life heroes who allowed themselves to perish in order to save others. And, here you are, not even wanting to share your breakfast: Leggo my eggo.
Why can’t we all just get along?
although the war was an extraordinary time, it doesn’t diminish the extraordinary acts of these men. Despite facing death head on, they ministered to wounded, dying, and frightened men with no regard for their own mortality. These were not people re-arranging deck chairs on the titanic. They were noble men in the purest sense. They readily, and without hesitation, gave up their own protection to save men, who probably didn’t realize the sacrifice they made. Hopefully, they showed gratitude. Remember, all four chaplains were of different religious orientation. So, it’s evident that their love of humanity transcends denomination. They make a grand example for us to follow today.
Because of their selflessness, many men of different faiths and stature went on to save the world from a despot’s unbridled, vicious ambition. And, Hundreds of families continued to fill the world with a diversity of perspectives and ideas. Their example needs to illuminate The ridiculousness of the petty squabbling leading to unnecessary discomfort, suffering, oppression and death today. If a rabbi and priests from different schools of thought can minister to and save men without question of their “worthiness”, why can’t we all just get along today? And, let’s leave Greenland alone. The Dorchester should be the last tragedy to occur off the coast of Greenland.
The ultimate sacrifice happened Off the coast of Greenland
In light of recent actions in the Caribbean, and the specter of military action in the peaceful country of Greenland, it’s time for people to stop, take a breath, and allow cooler heads to prevail. The 4 chaplains were on a mission to save the world from aggression against neighbors. They embody the ethos of do unto others. As humans and inhabitants of this Earth, it is incumbent upon us to follow their example and do what we can to help each other, not seek harm or refuse help because you don’t see eye to eye.
Meher Baba spoke of religious differences as an illusion. He called for people to focus on the message of religion, and, recognize that they all have some common themes: love one another, help those who need it, and do what is right. The four chaplains embodied this by recognizing that it doesn’t matter who you are, or what you believe, we are all equal in the eyes of “god”. If they went on to the after-world, they are surely in the graces of whatever entities are there. No one knows what awaits us on the other side. But, these men went there, secure in the knowledge that if there is some kind of judgment, they will be viewed favorably.
Let’s ensure their sacrifice was not in vain. We need to practice their devotion in our everyday lives. Christian, Muslim, Hebrew, Democrat, Republican, Independent. We are all the same. Just because we have different ideas, doesn’t make us an enemy. We all want an equitable world. Let it begin somewhere off the coast of Greenland.
Lose the selfishness
Martin Luther King Jr gave many inspirational speeches in his time here. And, some echoed the actions of the four chaplains. In his Christmas address in Atlanta 1967, he said “Our loyalties must transcend our race, our tribe, our class, and our nation; and this means we must develop a world perspective.” This was the same ideology of the 4. They ministered to the passengers of the Dorchester on a mission to free the world from the threat of Hitler’s third Reich. The United States was not in imminent danger of succumbing to Nazi-ism. But, we led the effort to stop Hitler in his tracks. This contrasts starkly with modern nationalists who claim they don’t want to worry about someone else’s problems.
Unfortunately, someone else’s problems are our problems. The Dalai Lama describes it this way: “We must recognize that the suffering of one person or one nation is the suffering of humanity.” How can we be free as a species when some suffer? Johnny Cash said he would wear black as long as there was suffering and injustice. That suffering and injustice is all man-made. While there are natural disasters, most of the pain and suffering in the world is imposed by humans. It’s all preventable if people would just not be so selfish. Because someone else breathes, it doesn’t mean there’s less oxygen for you.
Share the lessons learned off the coast of Greenland
There are plenty of natural resources in the world. It can sustain a lot of life. But, governments and individuals would have you believe they have a right to control and horde things. They decide who lives and dies. I would take the four chaplains for leaders over any head of state or influential person today. They lead by example. help the wounded, calm the fear, and sacrifice to save others. As some beer commercials incorrectly said about their products: “it doesn’t get any better than this”.
When the life vests ran out, they shared their own. So, don’t be a selfish snot. Give of yourself. Or, at least, share with others. Sharing food and drink is the best way to bring people together and discover what we have in common as opposed to our differences. Differences are a construct created to control the masses. All living creatures need food, beverage, and shelter. To claim one person or entity is more entitled than another is a fallacy. We must fight this misconception one meal at a time. Even diametrically opposed politicians have been know to put aside their differences over a drink or meal. So, in our effort to promote world peace, here are some recipes to share with your fellow beings. Let’s break bread and honor the 4 chaplains.
Olive Ladder Bread
Ingredients
- 7 cups bread flour
- 3 cups warm water
- 1 Tbsp Dry yeast
- 1 tsp sugar
- 2 tsp salt kosher
- 2 Tbsp Olive oil
- 2 cups chopped olives without pits kalamata or a mix of olives
- 1 tsp cracked black peppercorns
- Extra oil for coating and baking the bread
Instructions
- Mix sugar, yeast and water in the bowl of a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment. Allow to bloom until it becomes a little foamy.
- Add 1/3 of the flour and beat for about a minute until it is smooth. Cover with plastic and let sit for about 30 minutes to an hour.
- When the starter is a bit spongy, add the rest of the ingredients, and mix well with the machine. Then pop out onto a floured surface and knead by hand until the dough (with the exception of the olives) is smooth.
- coat the dough with oil and return to a mixing bowl. Allow to rise for 2 to 3 hours. It should double in volume
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees
- Oil a couple sheet pans.
- Cut the dough into 4 portions. Knead each into a ball. Then flatten them to about 3/4 inch thick rectangles or ovals. Place them onto oiled sheet pans, cover with a damp cloth or plastic and let rise about 20 to 30 minutes.
- Before putting into the oven, slit the bread loaves multiple times to mimic a ladder. Cut through the dough, about an inch or 2 between each slit. Pull the slits to widen the gaps if desired. Brush the tops of the bread with oil. Then pop in the oven.
- After 10 to 12 minutes, check the bread. Turn the loaves and switch pans from lower racks if necessary so they all cook evenly. Put back in for another 10 to 12 minutes until they achieve a nice golden brown.
Patty O Furniture reddish Chocolate Ale
Ingredients
- 1 Lb Melanodin Malt
- 1 Lb Brides Caramel Malt 120L
- 1 Tbsp Green Cardamom Pods
- 6 Lb Golden Malt Extract
- 1 Oz Tetnang hop pellets
- 1 oz Waimea Hop pellet
- 2 oz Mosaic Whole leaf hops
- 1 Lb Chocolate Chips
- 1 oz Centennial Hop Pellets
- 1 Oz Mosaic Leaf hops to finish
- 1 each Flocculating tablet or 1 oz Irish Moss
- 11.5 g safe ale s-33 ale yeast
- 2 Oz Mosaic Leaf Hops for dry hopping
- 3/4 Cup Priming sugar
Instructions
- Boil 2 1/2 to 3 gallons of water. Put malts and cardamom in a brewing "sock"/bag simmer for 45 minutes.
- Remove the bag and whisk in the malt extract. Make sure it doesn't stick to the bottom and scorch. Bring to a boil.
- Add the first set of 3 hops and boil for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent overflow.
- Stir in the chocolate until melted and well incorporated. The add in the remaining hops and flocking ingredients. Continue to boil for 15 minutes.
- Sterilize your racking tub, carboy, and other equipment.
- Strain the liquid through Cheesecloth and a sparging bag into a 6 gallon tub. When finished straining, add in cold cold water to get 5.5 gallons of liquid.
- Transfer to a carboy and cool to room temperature. Do not pitch the yeast until liquid is around 100 degrees. If it's too hot, it can kill the yeast. When cool enough, sprinkle the yeast into the carboy. Then put a stopper in the bottle with a blow off tube and a container with some water to catch the overflow.
- Place in a cool dark place where it won't be disturbed for a month (a closet works well. If it will see any light exposure, cover with a towel or something to keep light out.
- After 3 days, the strongest yeast activity should subside. At this point, Open the top. And, add the dry hops. Then cover with a stopper equipped with an air lock. Leave to ferment for 2 more weeks.
- After 2 weeks, Strain the beer into a racking tub. Be careful not to disturb the sediment in the bottom. I usually strain it 1 more time here as well.
- Sterilize all your bottles, caps, and equipment.
- Put the priming sugar in some water and melt it on the stove until there are no crystals. Stir the sugar mix into the beer evenly. This sugar addition re-activates the yeast to carbonate the beverage.
- Fill your bottles with sterilized bottle filler, and cap with sterilized caps. Place bottles in a dark cool area for 2 weeks.
- Put on a silly hat and start drinking. Slainte!
Herbed Corn fritters with Cranberry Maple Chutney
Ingredients
- 2 cups corn meal
- 1 cup Buttermilk
- 1 cup flour
- 1 tsp Baking soda
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 2 each Large eggs
- 1/4 cup Assorted chopped fresh herbs
- 1/4 cup Chopped fresh Scallion
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- For chutney:
- 1/4 Cup Diced Fresh Sweet Onion
- 1 cup Fresh or frozen cranberries
- 1/2 cup Sugar
- 1/2 cup maple Syrup
- 1 each Cinnamon Stick
- 1 cup Apple, cranberry, or orange juice
- Oil for cooking and frying.
Instructions
- In a heavy pot, heat a coating of neutral oil over medium high heat. Saute onions until translucent. Add in the cranberries and cinnamon, and stir. Add The sugar and melt that down. Then add the juice and Syrup. Bring to a boil, then taper to a simmer. Allow to cook until the cranberries break down. Taste it. Add more sugar if needed. Set aside to cool.
- Mix The Corn meal, flour, baking soda, salt, and pepper in a bowl.
- In a separate bowl, Whisk the eggs. Then add in the Buttermilk, herbs, scallions, and seasoning.
- Fold the dry ingredients into the wet until the form a smooth batter.
- Heat oil in a heavy pot or fryer to about 350 degrees. Scoop the Fritter mix and gently drop in the oil. Cook until golden brown. If They aren't cooking all the way through, turn down the heat a little bit and/or use a smaller scoop.
- Remove fritters from the oil with a basket or slotted spoon. Drain on paper towels. Serve hot with cranberry chutney
Tipsy Xocolatl (Aztec Chocolate)
Ingredients
- 1 Quart Light Cream
- 2 Small Hot Chili Peppers
- 2 Tbsp Agave syrup
- 1 each vanilla Beans, split open
- 2 Cups Baking chocolate or chocolate chips
- 2 3 inch Cinnamon Sticks
Instructions
- Place all ingredients except chocolate in a pot over medium heat. Bring to a simmer. Allow to steep for about 5 minutes so the vanilla, chili, and cinnamon have time to flavor the cream. Then whisk in the chocolate. Be careful to make sure it all melts evenly.
- Strain out the vanilla, cinnamon, and chilies. Serve hot. You can top with whipped cream and cinnamon sugar if desired.
Notes
Savory Herbed Potato Latkes with Chive Cream fraiche
Ingredients
- 1 Lb Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled
- 1 Large Egg
- 1 Tbsp Sour Cream
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1 Tbsp Corn Starch
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs assorted
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Butter to cook in
- For Creme Fraiche:
- 1/4 cup Sour Cream
- 2 Tbsp Heavy Cream
- 1/2 tsp Lemon Juice
- 1 Tbsp Chopped Fresh Chives
Instructions
- Make the Creme Fraiche: Whisk Sour Cream, Cream, and Lemon Juice together. Cover in plastic and place in a warm area overnight. It will thicken from the reaction of enzymes. If it is still a little loose after sitting overnight, add a little sour cream to thicken. Add in chives, salt, and pepper and mix well. Refrigerate until needed.
- Shred potatoes either by hand or with grater attachment on food processor. Mix in the rest of the ingredients until well incorporated.
- Heat butter in a pan over medium high heat until it melts. Scoop in latke mix and flatten to a pancake. Brown for a couple minutes per side. The thinner you make them, the quicker they will cook.
- Serve the latkes with creme fraiche or sour cream. Garnish with herbs if you desire.