Dorchester in Clark County, Wisconsin — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
S.S. Dorchester Memorial
Photographed By Keith L, September 6, 2009
1. S.S. Dorchester Memorial
Built 1926
Statistics:
Beam · 52'
Draft · 19'
Gross tons · 5,649
Speed (knots) · 12
Radius (miles) · 5,500
Propulsion · Recip. eng.
Passengers · 788
Cargo (cu. ft.) · 187,250
Jan. 24, 1942 Became U.S. Warship USAT
Jan. 22, 1943 Departed N.Y. to Greenland (6th trip)
Feb. 3, 1943 Torpedoed in the North Atlantic (by U-223)
Lat. 59° 23' N Long. 48° 42' W
[number On Board, Saved, Lost]
Officers, USA · 15 4 11
Enlisted men, USA · 525 132 393
U.S. Navy gun crew · 24 10 14
Coast Guard · 33 7 26
Enlisted men, USN · 2 2 0
Civilians (War Dept.) · 155 44 111
Danish Citizens · 16 3 13
Ship's Crew · 132 28 104
[totals]
On Board 902 · Saved 230 · Lost 672
Including the Immortal Chaplains:
the linked brothers of the faith
greatest loss of life to that
time in WWII of a ship at sea.
Topics and series. This historical marker and memorial is listed in these topic lists: War, World II • Waterways & Vessels.
this page online
Location. 44° 59.918′ N, 90° 19.792′ W. Marker is in Dorchester, Wisconsin, in Clark County. Marker can be reached from Park Drive, 0.4 miles south of Center Avenue (County Highway A), on the right when traveling south. Memorial is in Dorchester Recreational Park near the intersection of Third Avenue and Park Drive/Pine Street. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Dorchester WI 54425, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 7 other markers are within 10 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Dorchester Veterans Memorial (approx. 0.3 miles away); The Yellowstone Trail (approx. 5.9 miles away); Veterans Memorial (approx. 6 miles away); History of The Big White Pine (approx. 6 miles away); The Home of Colby Cheese (approx. 6.4 miles away); United States Forest Service (approx. 9.8 miles away); Civilian Conservation Corps (approx. 9.8 miles away).
Also see . . .
1. USAT Dorchester. Wikipedia entry. "USAT Dorchester was a United States Army Transport ship that was sunk when it was part of a naval convoy during World War II...
Photographed By Keith L, September 6, 2009
2. S.S. Dorchester Memorial
2. S.S. Dorchester. "The four chaplains found a deck box full of lifebelts and together started assisting the men who were without into the belts and overboard. Soon the box was empty. The chaplains, one by one removed their own lifebelts and gave them to men who had none. The Chaplains locked arms, sang and prayed for the men as the Dorchester sank with them on board." (Submitted on April 10, 2010.)
3. Four Chaplains. Wikidedia entry. "The chaplains, who all held the rank of lieutenant, were the Methodist Reverend George L. Fox, Rabbi Alexander D. Goode, the Roman Catholic Priest John P. Washington and the Reformed Church in America Reverend Clark V. Poling." (Submitted on April 10, 2010.)
Additional commentary.
1.
The memorial is made from Dorchester Sand Stone. The research was done by Bernard Stack and Albert Braun, both residents of the village.
Source: Appleton Post Crescent
— Submitted May 3, 2011, by Keith L of Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin.
2. Family of seaman lost on the Dorchester
My wifes grandfather
Photographed By Keith L, September 6, 2009
3. S.S. Dorchester Memorial
he was born 1873 in Liverpool. He was the father of 10 children all living in the Uk
— Submitted March 19, 2015, by Jeffrey Strudwick of Nyons, France.
Photographed By Keith L, September 6, 2009
4. S.S. Dorchester Memorial
Photographed By Keith L, September 6, 2009
5. S.S. Dorchester & the Four Chaplains Sign
Photographed By Keith L, September 6, 2009
6. Dorchester Recreational Park
Credits. This page was last revised on February 7, 2017. It was originally submitted on April 10, 2010, by Keith L of Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin. This page has been viewed 6,052 times since then and 135 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on April 10, 2010, by Keith L of Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin. • Craig Swain was the editor who published this page.
