Sea of Glory: Based on the True WWII Story of the Four Chaplains and the U.S.A.T. Dorchester

by Ken Wales and David Poling

Book Overview

In 1943, the U.S.A.T. Dorchester was torpedoed by a German submarine en route to a top-secret radar installation in Greenland. The four Army chaplains on board were quite different from each other: a... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0805450009
• ISBN13: 9780805450002
• Release Date: September 2001
• Publisher: B&H Publishing Group
• Length: 358 Pages
• Weight: 1.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 6.4" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

The Greatest Sacrifice

I recently read this book in a summer reading program, and I loved it! It made me think of all the other men and women who gave their lives in World War II. This story follows four naval chaplins on the USAT Dorchester-a rabbi, a Dutch Reformed minister, a Catholic priest, and a Protestant minister. This story tells about their backgrounds, how they came to meet each other on the Dorchester, and the greatest sacrifice they gave (their lives) when the ship sank. This is an outstanding book!

What people are saying vs. the story

There are inaccuracies in some of the above criticisms...like for instance the customer who stated that the words on the cover, "...story of the four chaplains" was a typo and should have been, "...story of four chaplains." This is completely inaccurate as the gentlemen in mention are icons known as "THE Four Chaplains." The customer's complete misinformation stated as 'fact' in [their] review makes me wonder about the validity of [their] other comments.My suggestion, read the book for the "true story" within -- whether it feels like narrative non-fiction, or novel-style non-fiction is up to you to like or dislike; but the story is well and passionately presented by an author to whom the story obviously has precious meaning.The book is lovely because the story is lovely. There's just no losing that. Well done.

Dorchester Relative

My uncle died on this ship. He was in the Coast Guard. I heard my mom all my life talk of the Dorchester and the Four Chaplains. Now I was finally able to read a story about it. Thank you for writing this book. I did cry at some parts for the uncle I never knew. I wish my mom was still alive to read it. I have my uncle's purple heart and I will lay this book next to it.Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read some family history. This book was excellent.

Nonfiction as fiction - a success

The story of the Four Chaplains has been told before. Indeed, a book of the same name was published in the early 1950s. That book was essentially the individual stories of the Four Chaplains from childhood until they met their collective fate off Southern Greenland on February 3, 1943. Now, in treating the historical event as fiction, based on fact, the authors have made history easier to understand, particuarly for younger readers and those without prior knowledge of the story. Who were these men? How did they become friends. What in their backgrounds allowed them to come together so heroically during the 20 minute between the torpedo exploding and the Dorchester sinking? Where was the ship going and why? What happened to the U-Boat. How did the story of the Four Chaplains survive the sinking? History is more than a collection of facts. Wales and Poling's interpretation have added additional life to a wonderful story that deserves to live on to be read by new generations. This inspirational story of four men of different faiths coming together in a time of crisis is particularly pertinent in the new post-September 1, 2001 America.

What America Needs

The release of "Sea of Glory" could not have come at a better time in our country's history. This Novel by Ken Wales and David Poling, shows the best mankind has ever produced, both as servants of God and Country! This slightly fictionalized account, details one of Americas most heroic actions in WWII. The story of the Four Chaplains and the USAT Dorchester is an emotionally strong one by itself, but these authors were able to amplify the emotions producing a book you will never forget.