Post #37had a Gordan Graham Scholarship for years. Here is his newspaper clip from 1943 , found in an old scrapbook of Philias Grignon
Here is the tribute written by Doug MacPhee:
"I am very pleased to be here today to honor Gordon Graham and to take a few moments to tell you about the first of the 32 men from the Town of Rockingham who lost their lives in service of our country during World War II.
I did not know Gordon, he died when I was three years old, but I knew about him because I knew his Mother, Blanche Woodfall Graham. During my teenage years I spent a great deal of time along with 15 or more of my friends before and after school at the home of my classmate Bruce Switzer across from the then Junior & Senior High School. Mrs. Helen Switzer was our adopted mother and she was a friend of Mrs. Graham or Mrs. G as we affectingly called her. Mrs. G often spoke of her only child
Gordon was born in Bellows Falls on August 4, 1921; his father was Judge Warner Graham who died when he was only 13 years old. He lived in the house on the corner of School Street & Cherry Hill He attended schools in Bellows Falls graduating from Bellows Falls High School in the Class of 1938.
His High School year book reads: He took a College Prep Course, was The Hockey Team Manager and was a member of the School Patrol.
“Gordon is boys who is very quiet and pays attention to his own affairs. He is quite a sport fan and follows a great many of the sports. Gordon has also proven himself worthy of the title “Manger of the State Hockey Champs” Best of Luck in the Future. “
Also in the year book are some casual comments on each class member.
Gordon’s reads: Expression: “Oh come on.” Alibi: “I ‘m on patrol”. What will be your Occupation in 1948 “A barn painter” Ambition: Manager of NY Ranger: A lofty ambition that Gordon never had the opportunity to pursue
Gordon entered the U S Army in 1942, departing Bellows Falls for the last time from the Rail Road platform, he graduate from Middlebury College. The last view of his only home town was from that train platform. He went through training and boarded the SS Dorchester in New York in January 1943. The Dorchester departed St Johns Newfoundland in February with 904 men onboard in a Convoy with six other ships bound for southern Greenland.
During the early morning hours of February 3, 1943, at 12:55 AM the Dorchester was torpedoed off the coast of Greenland by German U-boat #-223. The damage was severe, boiler power was lost and there was inadequate steam to sound the full whistle signal to abandon ship. There was no radio distress call and no rockets of flares were launched to alert the escorts.
The SS Dorchester sank by the bow in about 20 minutes; the water temperature was 34 degrees. Very few life boats were launched and some capsized from overcrowding. Of the 904 men aboard, the Coast Guard Ship Escanaba save 132 and the Coast Guard Ship Comanches saved 97 and 675 soles were lost including Pvt. Gordon Graham military service number 31155628. .
The sinking of the Dorchester was the worst single loss of life in any American convoy during World War II. The loss of the ship became famous because of the story of the four Army chaplains, The Immortal Chaplains, who all give away their life jackets to save other before they died: a Dutch Reformed Church Minster; Clark Poling , a Catholic Priest; John P Washington a Rabbi; Alexander Goode and a Methodist Minster also from Vermont George Fox .
As you go about you busy day I ask that you take a moment to remember Gordon Graham who body lies in the cold waters of the North Atlantic his soul is at peace with all the faithful departed.
He had his entire life ahead of him, a life like you and I full of plans and dreams when at the age 21 it ended in the service of our Country
Memorial Page in BFUHS yearbook of 1944.
View more photo galleries by Post 37 in Bellows Falls, Vermont
