2025 Session Last amended: 1998 session

§ 10.56 — Four Chaplains Day

Plain-Language Summary

February 3 is designated Four Chaplains Day in Minnesota to honor four Army chaplains—Fox, Goode, Poling, and Washington—who gave their lifejackets to other soldiers and went down with the torpedoed U.S.S. Dorchester on February 3, 1943. The four chaplains were of different faiths but acted together in a moment of supreme sacrifice. The governor must issue a proclamation honoring this observance each year.

Practical Notes
Four Chaplains Day is a state-designated observance, not a legal holiday. The story of the four chaplains—a Methodist minister, a rabbi, a Catholic priest, and a Reformed Church minister—is used to teach interfaith cooperation and selfless sacrifice. Schools and veterans’ organizations often hold commemorative events on or around February 3.