Sea of Glory: A Novel

by David Poling, David Poling

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 Methodist pastor, Jewish rabbi, Dutch Reformed minister, and Catholic priest. Yet in the terror following the attack by deadly U-boats, the chaplains united in a final sacrifice that transformed every survivor who saw it-and inspired one man to trade the bitterness of the past for the promise of the future.

Genres: Fiction, World War II, Historical Fiction

368 pages, Paperback

First published May 30, 1901

Reviews

[Jesseca Wheaton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This needs to rated -5 stars because it smashed my heart into a million tiny pieces. It also needs to be rated at least 10 stars because it picked up the pieces and put them back together. This is my favorite read of this year so far. Talk about heartbreakingly beautiful. This is what historical fiction is meant to be.
Full review to come if/when I recover.

[Len Knighton · Rating 4 out of 5]

SEA OF GLORY is a novel based on a little-known World War II event, the sinking of the USAT Dorchester by a Nazi submarine resulting in the deaths of four chaplains. The authors give us good background material on each chaplain and the close relationship they shared.
My rating of the book is less than many gave it because of the writing. I thought it rather elementary, especially in the opening chapters. It matured as I progressed but it seemed what I call "uneven".

Below are comments about isolated passages from the book.
Pp. 156-57
The author creates a bridge game set up by Chaplain Goode. During the conversation the subject of baseball comes up. Two of the players are from Maryland and Goode went to school in Baltimore, during which he said he “got caught up in the Orioles-Senators battles….”
The Maryland friends (and bridge partners) said they went to see the Senators play when the Orioles were out of town.
The latter statement could be true but the former is not. During the War Years, WW1-WW2, the Orioles were a minor league team in the International League while the Senators were in the American League of the Major Leagues. They would not have played each other. That started in 1954 when the St. Louis Browns moved to Baltimore.

For more reading on the clash between Charles Lindbergh and President Franklin Roosevelt, I highly recommend THOSE ANGRY DAYS by Lynne Olson. Lindbergh’s attitude toward Germany, the Nazis, and the War is revealed on pages 157-58.

Pages 265-6
The chaplains hold an impromptu service. After a big buildup about hymns from different faith traditions and that they are in our hearts, a hymn is sung by all, each in his own way. The author does not tell us the title of the hymn or any lyrics. The segment loses some of its power, I think.

Four stars waning

[Joy Kidney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Four chaplains--one a wounded WWI soldier, one a rabbi, one Irish Catholic who could play boogie woogie on the piano, and a Yale Divinity grad--were assigned the War Shipping Administration troop ship Dorchester, which was forbidden to call for help or send up flares. The chaplains organized a St. John's Deep Freeze Baseball Tournament when they stopped at Nova Scotia to break the tension for the 902 passengers. The ship was torpedoed while on a secret mission to the North Atlantic to build, operate, and defend a major airfield on Greenland. Sleet had frozen the riggings to many of the lifeboats, so it was a miracle that 230 survived. The four chaplains were not among them, but had selflessly helped others escape their sinking ship. May they always be remembered.

[Theresa Harvey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good story about a possibly not well-known WWII story: a secret mission ship, the Dorchester, was attacked, torpedoed by a German submarine. More than 2/3 of the crew and soldiers lost. The ship was carrying over 3 times its original capacity. It was originally a passenger ship. It was on a trip from New England to Greenland. The bravery, and ultimate sacrifice, of four chaplains-from three Christian Deomoniations, and a Jewish Rabbi-saved at least 4 men. Key Bible Verse: John 15:13 (NIV)
13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

An encouraging account of laying down your life for a friend. The story retells the account of four chaplains of various faiths and their service in the American ship, the Dorchester during WWII.
The story parallels how Christ went to the cross so we could be saved. These chaplains have their life jackets so others could be saved. They stayed in the ship lifting prayers and singing hymns in the end. Through their sacrifice, others lived.

[Nathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

While the writing isn't necessarily going to win any awards, the story itself is compelling enough that it does not require a gifted author. It is a story worth telling, and worth hearing. A moving and mesmerizing book.

[Sandra Benford · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting story about a little known I didn't during WWII. I enjoyed the historical aspects. Would have like map, pics and more info about survivors, but perhaps this is beyond the scope as a novel.

[Lisa DeFiore · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a heartfelt story of selflessness and bravery. I love all the people that came together to tell this story and hope more people find their way to it. The writing may not be the best, but the story is unforgettable and worth reading

[Pamela · Rating 4 out of 5]

True story of 4 chaplains on the “Dorchester” ship.

[Sue Chaisson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent story highlighting the extraordinary chaplains on the wwIi ship the Dorchester. I couldn’t put it down.

[Al · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding, great read, great story.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not sure whether to call this biography (because it chronicles the last days of The Four Chaplains) or history (because it chronicles the last days of the USAT Dorchester). Either way it was a good read, exploring a slice of the second World War and some personalities in it that I was unfamiliar with.

As a pastor and person of faith, I was intrigued by the story of The Four Chaplains. It certainly is inspiring. I wish the book would have spent more time dealing with their personalities and inner struggles, but I imagine historical records were scarce.

But that illustrates one of the main difficulties in reading the book. Is it a history book? Is it historical fiction? Is it somewhere in between? I felt as though it was trying to be both an historical account and inspirational reading. The tension between the two made the writing uneven and lessened the impact of the story had it been written one way or the other.

[Amy Peacock · Rating 4 out of 5]

I never knew this story about the Four Chaplains but picked it up while researching WWII history.
In WWII, we had German subs prowling the Atlantic and the Japanese in the Pacific. It was a dangerous world. This true story is about the German threat in waters of the Atlantic and the brave military and civilians who traveled up the east coast of the US knowing of that danger. The book Sea of Glory pulled me in and broke my heart.

[Mariah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book. Although it was known from the beginning how it would end. It lends insight into the minds of the men who served and perished on the Dorchester.

[Rose]

F Wal

[Valorie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really liked this book.