Four Chaplains ceremony in Windham recognizes incredible acts of heroism

By Ed Pierce

Drizzling light rain fell as the SS Dorchester left New York harbor on the evening of Jan. 23, 1943, and sailed into the hearts and minds of those who choose to remember, including right here in Windham.

A special interfaith ceremony open to the public will be held
at 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 1 at the Windham Veterans Center to
honor the Four Chaplains who died aboard the S.S. Dorchester
during World War II saving the lives of American soldiers
when that ship was struck by a German torpedo.
SUBMITTED PHOTO   

The Dorchester was part of a convoy of six ships headed for a U.S. Army base at Narsarsuag in Greenland. The other ships in the convoy were merchant vessels the SS Lutz, the SS Biscaya, and the three U.S. Coast Guard Cutters escorting them on the voyage, the Comanche, the Tampa and the Escanaba.

At 12;55 a.m. Feb. 3, 1943, in the open Atlantic Ocean, the SS Dorchester was struck by a torpedo fired at it by German submarine U-223. Dorchester’s damage was catastrophic and all boiler power was lost and that prevented the crew from sending a radio distress signal, and no rockets or flares were launched to alert the escort ships. Because of severe listing, some port side lifeboats of the ship couldn’t be launched, and other lifeboats capsized from overcrowding.

The ship sank within 20 minutes, killing 674 of the 904 servicemen on board. Survivors thrown into the water were so stiff from the cold that they could not even grasp the cargo nets on rescue vessels. The crew of Escanaba employed a new "retriever" rescue technique with swimmers wearing wetsuits swam to victims in the water and secured a line to them so they could be hauled onto the ship. By this method, the Escanaba saved 133 soldiers, although one later died, and the Comanche crew saved 97 others.

Life jackets offered little protection from hypothermia though as the water temperature was just 34 degrees and the air temperature was 36 degrees.

The loss of the S.S. Dorchester was the worst single loss of American military members on any American naval convoy during World War II, but it’s remembered more today more for four incredible acts of heroism.

Four U.S. Army chaplains – a Catholic priest, a Jewish rabbi, and two Protestant ministers – remained calm during the sudden panic following the torpedo attack. They worked to distribute life preservers and assisted others abandoning the ship, and then unselfishly gave up their own life preservers and were observed praying as S.S. Dorchester disappeared beneath the waves.

Methodist minister George L. Fox, Reformed Church of America minister Clark V. Poling, Catholic priest Rev. John P. Washington and Jewish Rabbi Alexander B. Goode died that evening and were later honored when the U.S. Congress established Feb. 3 as "Four Chaplains Day" to commemorate this act of heroism. In 1948, the U.S. Post Office issued a commemorative stamp to pay tribute to the heroism and sacrifice of the chaplains. In 1960, Congress authorized the creation of the Chaplain’s Medal for Heroism, which was presented posthumously to the next of kin of each of the four chaplains by the Secretary of the Army.

To remember their brave sacrifice, a “Four Chaplains” ceremony has been offered by a number of American Legion posts in Maine and throughout the country on the date closest to the sinking of the S.S. Dorchester in February. Planning for the original ceremony three years ago was done by the Windham Legion Post 148’s 2nd Vice Commander Yvonne Johnson.

She says she was inspired by the story of the Four Chaplains and wanted to carry the tradition to Windham. Planning for this year’s event started a year ago following the 2025 ceremony.

This year’s Four Chaplains Interfaith Ceremony will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 1 at the Windham Veterans Center, 35 Veterans Memorial Drive in Windham. and is free and open to the public. The story of the four Army chaplains onboard the S.S. Dorchester who solemnly gave up their life jackets and seats on the lifeboats so that others might survive will be told during the event.

Religious participation will be from four local churches representing the respective affiliations of each of the four chaplains and there will be refreshments and a social gathering following the ceremony.

Participating clergy this year are Heather Wiedeman, director of clergy support at Maine Medical Center; Chaplain Michelle Bernier of Mercy Hospital; Rabbi Chaim Wilansky of Chadbad of Maine from Portland; and the Rev. Lou Phillips of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church in Windham.

“The ceremony celebrates the Four Chaplains from very different denominations, a willingness to represent the core value of their respective faiths and to give their lives so that others might survive,” Johnson said. “The ceremony is an inspiration to all who attend.” <

Don Rogers Scholarship Dinner nearing in Windham

By Ed Pierce

Those who knew Don Rogers of Windham admired him greatly and although he’s no longer with us, his spirit of kindness and willingness to help others lives on in a special program that awards college scholarships to deserving students in the Lakes Region every spring.

The late World War II veteran Don Rogers was a member of
American Legion Field-Allen Post 148 for 62 years and
served as Post Commander on four separate occasions. A
college scholarship dinner in his honor will be held at the
Windham Veterans Center on Saturday, July 22.
SUBMITTED PHOTO  

Sponsored by Windham’s American Legion Field-Allen Post 148, this year’s Don Rogers Scholarship Dinner will be held on Saturday, July 22 with all proceeds from the meal to be used to help area students pursue their dreams of higher education. The popular dinner has become a favorite mid-summer tradition for many families in Windham, and organizers are hoping to raise at least $1,000 through this fundraiser for the scholarships.

Donald Farris Rogers was 94 when he passed away in May 2020. He was born Sept. 21, 1925, and lived most of his life in Windham Center, except for the winters that he and his wife, Norma, spent in St. Cloud, Florida and during his military service. He was a graduate of Windham High School in the Class of 1944.

Rogers served in the Army Air Corps and trained to be a fighter pilot before World War II ended in August 1945. He returned to Windham and worked for his father, M. L. Rogers, as a construction equipment operator in town. In 1954, he married Norma Kimball, and they raised two sons, Donald Scott Rogers, and Dale K. Rogers, in Windham.

He loved sports and athletics, and played baseball, basketball, track, swimming, and horseshoes. Through the years, Rogers formed a local basketball team and supplied the uniforms for the players. He also coached Little League baseball.

“Don believed in our youth. As the Post Commander, he presented students each year with the Legion School Leadership Award,” said David Tanguay, American Legion Post 148 adjutant. “I was a recipient in 1965 and continue to cherish that award. The scholarship is now coupled with the Legion award from this fundraiser and dinner, and I think he would be humbled by the honor that it is named after him.”

Tanguay said that Rogers was fun to be around. “He always had such a great smile,” Tanguay said. “Don could light up a room with his stories and one-liners. Don was a prankster and loved a good laugh. I have seen photos of him in costume on 4-foot stilts at the old Hawkes Grocery, now Corsetti’s, regaling a crowd.”

Being active in the community was something Rogers was known for. He belonged to the Presumpscot Lodge #70 of Masons - Scottish Rite, the WHS Alumni Association and the Windham Historical Society. Rogers joined American Legion Field-Allen Post 148 in 1947 and served as Post Commander on four different occasions.

“His father Maurice was one of the original Post 148 founders in 1938, and his brother, Wayne, was also a member,” Tanguay said. “Just doing the math, many, many veterans came to know the Rogers family and Don.”

He delighted in spending time with his family and neighbors and just about everyone that he met became a good friend.

“Commander Don Rogers was a well-loved member of the Windham Community, the Grand Marshal at the annual Memorial Day parade for many years, and a fixture later in life at the local variety, Corsetti’s, stopping for coffee and sharing his experiences to all who would spend some time with him.”

One Windham resident who came to know Rogers is Dana Reed, the chaplain of American Legion Post 148 and former pastor of the North Windham Union Church from 2000 to 2013.

“I grew up like a lot of folks in Windham and knew him as a veteran and a great person,” Reed said. “I'll be supremely surprised if his scholarship doesn't top much, much higher. I can't think of many, if not asked directly, who wouldn't put a $100 down for this man.”

In 2019, Post 148 members chose to honor Rogers by renaming their annual student scholarship program for him, something that made Rogers very proud, Tanguay said. This spring’s Don Rogers scholarship recipients were Al Potter and Delana Perkins, both 2023 graduates of Windham High School. Potter will attend Princeton University to study astrophysical science and Perkins will attend the Rochester Institute of Technology to study civil engineering.

The annual Don Rogers Scholarship Dinner starts at 5 p.m. Saturday, July 22 at the Windham Veterans Center, 35 Veterans Memorial Drive, North Windham. The meal is an old-fashioned bean supper, and the cost is $10 per person with children under 12 admitted free. Additional donations for the scholarships will be welcomed. There will also be a 50/50 raffle at the event with proceeds to go to the scholarships.

For those who wish to donate but will not be able to attend the dinner, contributions can be sent to the Don Rogers Scholarship at: Post 148-Scholarship, PO Box 1776, Windham, Maine 04062. <

Quilts of Valor recognize trio of local ‘Greatest Generation’ veterans

Members of the Maine Quilts of Valor organization presented
quilts to three local veterans honoring their military service
during World War II and the Korean War. Shown from left with
their quilts are Korean War veteran Jerry Black of Standish, 92,
World War II veteran Carroll McDonald of Windham, 96, and 
World War II veteran Bob Miehle of South Windham, 98.
PHOTO BY ED PIERCE    

Eagle Cane also presented during special gathering in Windham

By Ed Pierce

Members of the “Greatest Generation” fought to protect America from tyranny and oppression during World War II and the Korean War and their bravery, sacrifices and valor are shining examples of what patriotism truly means. On Wednesday morning, a special gathering at the Windham Veterans Center showed heartfelt appreciation to a trio of local veterans over the age of 90 who gave unselfishly to help preserve our freedom.

World War II veterans Carroll McDonald, 96, and Bob Miehle, 98, both of Windham, and Korean War veteran Jerry Black of Standish, 92, were awarded Quilts of Valor for their service to our nation and McDonald, who celebrated his 96^th birthday on Monday, March 1 was honored by American Legion Field-Allen Post 148 with the presentation of a special Eagle Cane for his time as a U.S. Army Air Corps P-51 pilot.

Donna Brookings, the Maine State Coordinator for Quilts of Valor, told those gathered for the occasion that the organization was founded in 2003 by the mother of a soldier deployed to Iraq. She had an idea that a quilt could be given to veterans who have been touched by war as a means of comfort to them.

The idea took off and there are now Quilt of Valor chapters in all 50 states, including Maine. Each Quilt of Valor is a quality handmade quilt made of three distinct layers.

According to Brookings, each quilt’s colorful top featuring unique shapes and fabrics representing the many unique communities and individuals of America, with second underlying filler area representing warmth, comfort, and peace. The third backing layer symbolizes the strength of each recipient of this honor and the support of each family, the community, and our nation. Each stitch in the quilts holding all the layers together represents the love and gratitude of the person who made them. 

In presenting the quilts to McDonald, Miehle and Black, Brookings told them there were three reasons they were being awarded these Quilts of Valor.

“First, we honor you for your service in the United States military. We honor you for leaving all you hold dear and to stand in harm’s way in a time of crisis, protecting us from the effects of war,” Brookings said. “Second, we know that freedom is not free. The cost of freedom is the dedication of lives of men and women like you, and this quilt is meant to say thank you for your sacrifice. Third, these quilts are meant to offer comfort to you, and to remind you that although your family and friends cannot be with you at all times, you are forever in our thoughts and our hearts.”

Brookings said since its inception, Quilts of Valor has now presented more than 268,000 quilts nationwide and will continue to do so for as long as veterans continue to serve America.

American Legion Field-Allen Post 148 Adjutant David Tanguay then awarded McDonald with a handcrafted Eagle Cane to recognize his contributions to the nation as a World War II veteran.

The Eagle Cane Project originated in Oklahoma and was introduced in Maine in 2008. Woodcarver Jack Nitz of Tulsa, Oklahoma launched the Eagle Cane Program after watching an ABC News television segment in 2004 about post-Sept. 11 veterans. Nitz, who served in the Navy from 1948 to 1957, said he realized there was "a little something" that he, as a woodcarver and cane maker, could do to let injured veterans know they had support from people in their community and to also honor them for their service. The Eagle Cane program has now spread to 32 different states, including Maine, and is a collaborative initiative that awards quality hand-carved personalized Eagle Head canes to deserving veterans in recognition for their service to the United States.

On Veterans Day in November 2020, Black received an Eagle Cane and Miehle also received one during a special parade in South Windham in recognition of his 98^th birthday on Jan. 25.

During Wednesday’s festivities, McDonald and Miehle said that they both attended Windham High School and they graduated together in the same class in June 1942.

McDonald was born on a farm in South Windham and said for as long as he can remember, he was interested in learning to fly and airplane.

“When I was about 4-years-old, I heard a bi-plane flying near a school and was fascinated by it,” McDonald said. “The sound of it going up and down and buzzing all around stirred my interest and it never left me when I was growing up.”

Knowing that he was about to be drafted, McDonald volunteered to join the U.S. Air Army Air Corps as long as he could train to become a military pilot.

In 1943 he was given a commission as a 2^nd Lieutenant and sent to an Army flight school in Alabama and then for training as a P-51 pilot at Page Field in Fort Myers, Florida. He received his flight wings in 1944 and spent the remainder of the war in Fort Myers flying P-51s, a long range, single-seat fighter-bomber used during World War II and the Korean War.

“I joined because it was an opportunity to be well-trained and a chance to fly every single day,” McDonald said. 

Following his active-duty discharge in 1945, he attended business school using the GI Bill and in 1951 while fulfilling his military commitment in the U.S. Air Force Reserves, was promoted to the rank of 1^st Lieutenant.

He returned to Maine and joined the U.S. Post Office as a rural postal delivery driver, a job he worked for 32 years, delivering mail in South Windham and on River Road until his eventual retirement. He joined the American Legion’s Field-Allen Post 148 in 1951 and served as Post Commander and performed many other jobs for the group through the years.

After his retirement, McDonald also logged more than 20 years delivering Meals on Wheels to area seniors for 20 years and is a regular at the Weekly Veterans Coffee every Wednesday at the Windham Veterans Center.

“I’m very appreciative to everyone for recognizing me in this way and remembering my birthday,” McDonald said.  

Miehle also grew up in South Windham and was drafted in the U.S. Army, serving through 1945 in the U.S. Army’s European Theater in England, France and Germany. He worked as a T5 Signal Corps Early Warning Radar Operator tracking enemy aircraft and German V-1 buzz bombs. He went on to own and operate Patsy’s store in South Windham for many years and volunteered as a fireman at the South Windham Fire Station.   

Black served in the U.S. Navy for four years during the 1950s and the Korean War and following his time in the military, he attended Gorham State Teacher’s College and became a teacher. He taught shop, drafting and woodworking for many years at Falmouth High School before retiring and was awarded a trip to Washington, D.C. to tour the military memorials there by Honor Flight Maine. <    

American Legion presents Eagle Cane to Windham resident

Henry 'Chuck' Whynot, a former U.S. Marine and
a resident of Windham, is helped by his wife, Pam,
as American Legion Field-Allen Post 148
Commander Eric Bickford reads a citation
presenting Whynot with a special Eagle Cane during
a ceremony at the Windham Veterans Center on
Dec. 23. SUBMITTED PHOTO 

By David Tanguay

Special to The Windham Eagle

A former U.S. Marine and resident of Windham who works tirelessly on behalf of Southern Maine veterans has been honored by American Legion Field-Allen Post 148 with the presentation of a special Eagle Cane.

Henry “Chuck” Whynot logged four years in the U.S. Marine Corps during the Vietnam War and was recognized by the American Legion post for being the driving force behind the Post 148 Homeless Veterans Food Pantry Program and the Vet Coffee Program in Windham where veterans can gather at the Windham Veterans Center to socialize, tell stories and play cards over a cup of coffee.

He has been a member of the American Legion Post 148 since 2008 and has served since 2015 as the post’s service officer.

Whynot also volunteers for the Southern Maine Agency of Aging in their unique Vet to Vet Program which he visits other veterans and assists them with obtaining veterans’ services, if needed.

Married for more than 40 years to his wife, Pam, Whynot is the father of two sons and has three grandchildren.

He’s a graduate of Portland High School and joined the U.S. Marine Corps in July 1970. Whynot did basic electronics and ground radar training and was stationed in Okinawa providing quick response to ongoing U.S. military operations in Vietnam through his discharge in July 1974.

The Eagle Cane Project originated in Oklahoma and was introduced in Maine in 2008.

Woodcarver Jack Nitz of Tulsa, Oklahoma launched the Eagle Cane Program after watching an ABC News television segment in 2004 about post-Sept. 11 veterans. Nitz, who served in the Navy from 1948 to 1957, said he realized there was "a little something" that he, as a woodcarver and cane maker, could do to let injured veterans know they had support from people in their community and to also honor them for their service.

The program has now spread to 32 different states, including Maine, and is a collaborative initiative that awards quality hand-carved personalized Eagle Head canes to disabled veterans in recognition for their service to our nation.

The canes are turned and then carved by a specialist who assembles it, attaching replicas of medals and
ribbons won by the recipient before applying a finish. The cane presented to Whynot was made by Ron Edson, a member of the American Legion’s Bridgton Post and a resident of Windham.

The cane was presented to Whynot in a special ceremony at the Windham Veterans Center on Dec. 23 by American Legion Post 148 Commander Eric Bickford, who also read a citation for Whynot that accompanied the cane.

The citation reads as follows – The American Legion-Department of Maine Certificate of Appreciation Presented to Henry “Chuck” Whynot In Grateful Appreciation for service to your Country, your Community, the American Legion and the United States Marine Corps. Your unfailing support and unwavering dedication to the service of others is recognized by this presentation of the “Eagle Cane.” Presented by the Field-Allen Post 148-Windham, Maine this 23^rd Day of December 2020.

Whynot is also a member of the Marine Corps League, Southern Maine Detachment, and is a lifetime member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 10643 in Windham. He was awarded the American Legion Post Service Officer of the Year for the Department of Maine in 2016. <