2011-J1067
LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION honoring Jewish chaplains who have died in the
line of duty
WHEREAS, 13 Jewish chaplains have died while on active duty in the Armed
Forces of the United States; and
WHEREAS, Army Chaplain Rabbi Alexander Goode died on February 3, 1943,
when the USS Dorchester was sunk by German torpedoes off the coast of
Greenland; and
WHEREAS, Chaplain Goode received the Four Chaplains' Medal for Heroism
and the Distinguished Service Cross for his heroic efforts to save the
lives of those onboard the Dorchester; and
WHEREAS, Army Chaplain Rabbi Irving Tepper was killed in action in
France on August 13, 1944; and
WHEREAS, Chaplain Tepper also saw combat in Morocco, Tunisia, and
Sicily while attached to an infantry combat team in the Ninth Division;
and
WHEREAS, Army Chaplain Rabbi Louis Werfel died on December 24, 1944,
at the young age of 27, in a plane crash while en route to conduct
Chanukah services; and
WHEREAS, Chaplain Werfel was known as "The Flying Rabbi" because his
duties required traveling great distances by plane to serve Army person-
nel of Jewish faith at outlying posts; and
WHEREAS, Army Chaplain Rabbi Meir Engel died at the Naval Hospital in
Saigon on December 16, 1964, after faithfully serving his country during
World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War; and
WHEREAS, Army Chaplain Rabbi Morton Singer died on December 17, 1968,
in a plane crash while on a mission in Vietnam to conduct Chanukah
services; and
WHEREAS, Army Chaplain Rabbi Herman Rosen died in service of his faith
and his country on June 18, 1943; and
WHEREAS, His son, Air Force Chaplain Solomon Rosen, also died in
service of his faith and his country on November 2, 1948; and
WHEREAS, Army Chaplain Rabbi Nachman Arnoff died in service of his
faith and his country on May 9, 1946; and
WHEREAS, Army Chaplain Rabbi Frank Goldenberg died in service of his
faith and his country on May 22, 1946; and
WHEREAS, Army Chaplain Rabbi Henry Goody died in service of his faith
and his country on October 19, 1943; and
WHEREAS, Army Chaplain Rabbi Samuel Hurwitz died in service of his
faith and his country on December 9, 1943; and
WHEREAS, Air Force Chaplain Rabbi Samuel Rosen died in service of his
faith and his country on May 13, 1955; and
WHEREAS, Air Force Chaplain Rabbi David Sobel died in service of his
faith and his country on March 7, 1974; and
WHEREAS, Chaplains Hill in Arlington National Cemetery memorializes
the names of 242 chaplains who perished while on active duty in the
Armed Forces of the United States; and
WHEREAS, None of the 13 Jewish chaplains who have died while on active
duty are memorialized on Chaplains Hill; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
recognize and honor the service of the Jewish chaplains who died in
service of their faith and their country; and be it further
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause further to commend the
United States Congress in its fight to find an appropriate site on
Chaplains' Hill in Arlington National Cemetery to honor the memory of
the Jewish chaplains who died while on active duty in the Armed Forces
of the United States.