U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy has announced the newly restored "Christ on the Water" painting has been returned to its original location Wiley Hall. Photo courtesy U.S. Department of Transportation
Historic ‘Christ on the Water’ Painting Returned to Original Location at U.S. Merchant Marine Academy
Share this article
191
40
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy has announced the return of the newly restored “Christ on the Water” painting to its place of prominence at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA). The historic artwork, which had been relocated to the basement of the Academy’s chapel in 2023, was unveiled during a ceremony in Wiley Hall with Academy leadership and midshipmen in attendance.
“Burying this historic painting in the basement wasn’t just a mistake—it was an insult to the faith and legacy of service that built this Academy and our nation,” said Secretary Duffy during the ceremony. “By restoring ‘Christ on the Water’ to its rightful place, we sent a clear message to our midshipmen: their Christian faith is a virtue to be proud of, not something to be censored.”
USMMA Acting Superintendent Captain Tony Ceraolo expressed gratitude for the Secretary’s support, stating: “Our purpose today is to preserve a piece of the Academy’s cultural and historical legacy. We honor the past and the resilience of those who came before us. This painting is about history, remembrance, and hope ensuring that the story of our midshipmen and their wartime experiences remain part of our shared institutional memory.”
The painting, also known as “Jesus and Lifeboat,” was created by marine artist LT Hunter Wood, USMS, in 1944 for the chapel at the U.S. Merchant Marine Cadet Basic School in San Mateo, California. It depicts merchant seamen adrift in a lifeboat after being torpedoed, with Jesus guiding them through stormy seas. When the San Mateo campus closed in 1947, the artwork was transferred to Kings Point.
For nearly 80 years, the painting hung in the Elliot M. See Room of Wiley Hall before being relocated in 2023 following a complaint suggesting it violated the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. After professional conservation that required “4 distinct separate cleanings to remove nicotine, dirt and varnish,” the painting has now been returned to its original location.
Wood, the artist, served in both the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Maritime Service during World War II. He saw action during the invasion of North Africa in 1942 before joining the Coast Guard Combat Artist Unit. His works are displayed in various institutions including the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and the U.S. Coast Guard Historian’s Office.
+++
The Four Chaplains were four U.S. Army chaplains—George L. Fox (Methodist), Alexander D. Goode (Jewish), John P. Washington (Roman Catholic), and Clark V. Poling (Dutch Reformed)—who sacrificed their lives on February 3, 1943, when the troopship USAT Dorchester was torpedoed and sank in the North Atlantic. As the ship went down, the chaplains gave their own life jackets to soldiers and were last seen linking arms and praying for the men. Their act of self-sacrifice, transcending their different faiths, has become a symbol of courage, grace, and unity in the face of death
https://www.army.mil/article/34090/chaplain_corps_history_the_four_chaplains
***
Chaplain Corps History: The Four Chaplains
By John BrinsfieldJanuary 28, 2014
WASHINGTON (Jan. 28, 2014) -- It was Feb. 3, 1943, and the U.S. Army Transport Dorchester was one of three ships in a convoy, moving across the Atlantic from Newfoundland to an American base in Greenland. A converted luxury liner, the Dorchester was crowded to capacity, carrying 902 servicemen, merchant seamen and civilian workers.
It was only 150 miles from its destination when shortly after midnight, an officer aboard the German submarine U2 spotted it. After identifying and targeting the ship, he gave orders to fire. The hit was decisive, striking the ship, far below the water line. The initial blast killed scores of men and seriously wounded many more.
Others, stunned by the explosion were groping in the darkness. Panic and chaos quickly set in! Men were screaming, others crying or franticly trying to get lifeboats off the ship.
Through the pandemonium, four men spread out among the Soldiers, calming the frightened, tending the wounded and guiding the disoriented toward safety. They were four Army chaplains,
- Lt. George Fox, a Methodist;
- Lt. Alexander Goode, a Jewish Rabbi;
- Lt. John Washington, a Roman Catholic Priest;
- and Lt. Clark Poling, a Dutch Reformed minister.
Quickly and quietly, the four chaplains worked to bring calm to the men. As soldiers began to find their way to the deck of the ship, many were still in their underwear, where they were confronted by the cold winds blowing down from the arctic.
Petty Officer John J. Mahoney, reeling from the cold, headed back towards his cabin. "Where are you going?" a voice of calm in the sea of distressed asked. "To get my gloves," Mahoney replied. "Here, take these," said Rabbi Goode as he handed a pair of gloves to the young officer. "I can't take those gloves," Mahoney replied. "Never mind," the Rabbi responded. "I have two pairs." It was only long after that Mahoney realized that the chaplain never intended to leave the ship.
Once topside, the chaplains opened a storage locker and began distributing life jackets. It was then that Engineer Grady Clark witnessed an astonishing sight. When there were no more lifejackets in the storage room, the chaplains simultaneously removed theirs and gave them to four frightened young men. When giving their life jackets, Rabbi Goode did not call out for a Jew; Father Washington did not call out for a Catholic; nor did Fox or Poling call out for a Protestant. They simply gave their life jackets to the next man in line. One survivor would later say, "It was the finest thing I have seen or hope to see this side of heaven."
As the ship went down, survivors in nearby rafts could see the four chaplains -- arms linked and braced against the slanting deck. Their voices could also be heard offering prayers and singing hymns.
Of the 902 men aboard the U.S.A.T. Dorchester, only 230 survived. Before boarding the Dorchester back in January, Chaplain Poling had asked his father to pray for him, "Not for my safe return, that wouldn't be fair. Just pray that I shall do my duty...never be a coward...and have the strength, courage and understanding of men. Just pray that I shall be adequate."
Although the Distinguished Service Cross and Purple Heart were later awarded posthumously, Congress wished to confer the Medal of Honor but was blocked by the stringent requirements which required heroism performed under fire. So a posthumous Special Medal for Heroism, The Four Chaplains' Medal, was authorized by Congress and awarded by the President on January 18, 1961.
It was never given before and will never be given again.
Related Links:
