The Immortals

The World War II Story of Five Fearless Heroes, the Sinking of the Dorchester, and an Awe-Inspiring Rescue

By: Steven T. Collis

Narrated by: Traber Burns

Length: 9 hrs and 23 mins

Publisher's summary

Just past midnight, on February 3, just hours from their destination, the Dorchester was torpedoed and sank, throwing its passengers into the frigid waters and creating the worst single loss of an American personnel convoy during WWII. Many of the survivors credit the four chaplains with saving their lives. Those chaplains would become known as the "Immortal Chaplains" for their heroism in making the ultimate sacrifice. With no thought of themselves, they calmly helped men to safety through the chaos of their badly damaged ship, searched for spare life jackets for those without - eventually giving away their own life jackets and encouraging men in the freezing waters.

The celebrated story of the Immortal Chaplains is now joined for the first time by the largely untold story of another hero of the sinking of the Dorchester: Charles Walter David Jr. was a young Black petty officer aboard a Coast Guard cutter traveling with the convoy who bravely dived into the glacial water over and over again, even with hypothermia setting in, to try to rescue the men the chaplains had first helped and inspired to never give up. Through his efforts, he joins the Chaplains as one of the "Immortals”.

Thoroughly researched and told in an engrossing nonfiction narrative, the book alternates between accounts told from the perspective of the Nazi U-boat captain and his crew (as found in their journals and later interviews), and the hunted - the men of the American convoy. Using his expertise as a law professor specializing in religious freedom and constitutional law, the author, Steven T. Collis, also paints a thought-provoking portrait of religious life in America during wartime and how American views of faith affected the chaplains and the men they served.

Enthralling and inspiring, The Immortals explores the power of faith and religious conviction and powerfully narrates the lives of five heroic men who believed in something greater than themselves, living lives of service and sacrifice for their country and their fellow man.

©2021 Steven T. Collis (P)2021 Blackstone Publishing

About “Real” Americans, Someday, I Hope.

We are not yet who we should be.

The five Immortals are Americans first. They are not men, chaplains, Jewish, Catholic, Protestant, immigrants, White, or Black. Yet we still in too many instances continue to see people only in such separate ways first, not Americans first. The nephew of Charles was a Black Panther, and Muslim. Yet why did he need to be a Black Panther, and not just be an American? Would he have become a Muslim if he never thought of being a Black Panther? Why is being a Muslim even part of my group of questions?

Would the chaplains give away their only chance to get a vaccine as they did their life jackets? Or would they accost School boards about wearing masks to save American[s] (soldiers).

Real Americans like the Five Immortals would not have destroyed a capitol building for a blowhard, liar, misogynist, and racist. They wouldn’t protest the saving of three quarters of a million Americans from a preventable plague.

There is no Real America until we progress further into a pluralistic society than we have. Our military would never be as strong and fearless if it weren’t for the type of Americans a pluralistic society provides. A pluralistic society cannot torture or start wars of choice. A true pluralistic society, which of course closely listens to and respects all voices, actually could nation build. A pluralistic society does not need to drone kill anyone, let alone its own people! It has no disparities due to color, or creed. Gender differences are respected and rights are upheld equally.

A pluralistic society cannot be perfect, but America will not survive in any other form. We must raise ourselves beyond segregation, tribalism, and denialism if we truly want a better future. The Five Immortals, plus all others and genders who “fought” valiantly during the worst events of our time, were not fighting for a splintering, disengaged, and dystopian future. The Five show us our only way out.

The immortals is a story I have never heard about, what an interesting part of history

One of the best history book that I have read in a long time. Fantastic reading and the performer that read the book just brings you into the story.

The Best of Stories

"The Immortals" is just one of the many incredible stories of sacrifice in WWII. Four chaplains and a petty officer Charles W. David boldly sacrificed their lives during the sinking of the Dorchester by a German U-Boat. It doesn't get any better than this. The chaplains, two Protestant, one Catholic, and one Jewish, all served the men on the ship. The backstories of the chaplains make for an even richer story, as you get the complete picture about the lives of these selfless men. The only area where it drags a bit is during the Intro, and at certain points in the middle. Collis goes a bit too into lecture mode during the beginning, but then quickly gets back to the fine points of the story. If ever we needed a story of self sacrifice and complete sacrificial love that time is now. Thank you Steven Collis.

NEVER FORGET

very well done!! The narrator made me see this through the eyes of the men involved.

Great story of heroic men who ignored racism and bigotry

Men who felt all religions and races should work together for the greater good, gave their lives saving others. Truly an inspirational story.

Excellent!

A phenomenal book! Should be read in schools everywhere! Somethings we should just not forget. Excellent reader as well!

Truly Moving

It made me proud of the human race. Tears will fall. Read to the end.

Touching

This story honors the lives of 5 men who were quiet hero’s in WWII. Prepare to laugh, cry, be angry, and live the valiant men who chose humanity over orders.
It also honors those who continued on with out there beloved husbands, fathers or sons. It is to these authors who capture these heroics in the written word so they are not forgotten, but remember for the price paid so we all can be free in our country.
Well written, and well read.

great WWII story you never heard but should

it was a slow start, but worth it in the end. story of 5 extraordinary individuals whose bravery was amazing. Four Chaplins who went down with the ship and 1 rescuer.

Eh

Felt like a concept for a story in search of facts to support it. Not a bad tale per-se, but probably could have said the same in one-quarter the time; I just never felt invested.