Jewish War Veterans Capital District Council Commander Rich Goldenberg, left, joins Albany Post 105 Commander Fred Altman in presenting the 59th annual Four Chaplains Brotherhood Award to Justine Crowley-Duncan for her three decades of service and support to the veterans’ community. Post 105 has conducted a Four Chaplains Brotherhood Award program since 1966.

Members of the Jewish War Veterans across the Capital District joined with JWV’s Albany Post 105 to remember the World War II service and sacrifice of four chaplains and present its annual brotherhood award to Justine Crowley-Duncan of Latham on Feb. 25, at the First Reformed Church of Schenectady.

The annual award presentation notes the four Army chaplains who gave their life jackets and thus their lives in the sinking of the troopship Dorchester on Feb. 3, 1943. The Four Chaplains Brotherhood Award honors local individuls whose service and devotion to the practice of brotherhood are deserving of community recognition.

The ship was torpedoed shortly before 1 a.m. on Feb. 3, 1943. The chaplains provided comfort and direction to soldiers as the ship rapidly sank. After they gave their own life jackets to others they prayed together as the ship sank in the North Atlantic.

The four chaplains were Reverend George Fox, a Methodist minister from Lewiston, Penn., Rabbi Alexander Goode from Brooklyn, a Dutch Reformed Reverend Clark Poling, from Schenectady, and Father John Washington, a Roman Catholic priest from Newark, N.J.

One hundred attendees filled the Poling Chapel at the First Reformed Church, the site of Poling’s congregation before World War II. The diverse group of attendees included Gold Star Mothers, local veterans organizations, representatives of the First Reformed Church, the Jewish Federation of Northeastern New York, members of the New York State Assembly and Senate, and the region’s congressional representative, Congressman Paul Tonko.

“We honor people who have given selfless service that is commensurate with the legacy of the Four Chaplains,” said Fred Altman, Albany Post 105 commander.  “In their legacy, we chose this year’s honoree for her selfless service to others that these Four Chaplains exhibited 81 years ago this month,” he said.

I’m repeating this a little bit,” Altman continued, “but how truly honored we are to be in this beautiful chapel that is named for one of the four chaplains in whose honor we hold this ceremony. His spirit, and through him, the spirit of his three comrades, is in these walls. Can you just feel it? We can.”

“We chose Justine because her character profile and her record of more than 30 years of dedicated advocacy for our veterans, meets this profile of the four chaplains admirably,” Altman said.

Guests congratulate Justine Crowley-Duncan following the presentation of the annual Four Chaplains Brotherhood Award. From left, former U.S. Congressman Michael McNulty, J.W.V Albany Post 105 Commander Fred Altman, JWV Capital District Council Commander Richard Goldenberg, U.S. Congressman Paul Tonko, New York State Assemblywoman Pat Fahy, Honoree Crowley-Duncan, Jeff Jamison, counsel for the Albany County Executive, Bruce Hidley, grand exalted ruler of the New York State Elks, State Senator Jim Tedisco and State Assemblyman Jake Ashby.

Crowley-Duncan served as veteran service chairwoman with the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks of the U.S.A. for more than 13 years, supporting her lodge, her district and the state. She organized a statewide Elks raffle fund-raiser for the Fort Drum United Services Organizations, raising close to $14,000.

It began with a simple offer to be a pen pal to a service member deployed the Persian Gulf War in 1990, Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, according to Altman. “It is a little thing, but it means a lot, that’s how Justine got started. A little thing that means a lot,” he said.

Crowley-Duncan emphasized her spirituality as a bedrock of her commitment to helping others.

“This morning when I woke up, every morning I read scripture, this morning the passage that I read started with “I am leading you, step by step, through your life, hold my hand in trusting dependence, letting Me guide you through this day.” This was a step-by-step journey.”

“Spirituality can and should bring us all together, so today is very special,” said New York State Assemblymember Pat Fahy in presenting a citation to Crowley-Duncan.

Crowley-Duncan also volunteered with Patriot Flight, an organization that sends veterans to visit to their memorials in Washington, D.C., and was a guardian to six veterans on four flights. As a Patriot Guard Rider, she has volunteered her time in the flag line at veteran homecomings, funerals or other ceremonies.

New York State Senator Jake Ashby, a former Army Reserve captain who has completed combat tours in Afghanistan and Iraq, thanked Crowley-Duncan.

“If you were in remote areas, you wouldn’t come into contact with chaplains very much. When I came back, it was not easy, and Justine was there,” Ashby said. “She was there for many veterans and their families. And continues to do that work. Continues to inspire me.”

She has been the secretary of the Not-For-Profit Capital Region Veterans Memorial Legacy Project. She raised funds for the project to create a museum, veterans café, resource center and monuments listing area military personnel killed in combat. The Legacy Project will be built on six acres in Glenville, N.Y., which anticipates a grand opening of the first phase of the project this coming April.

“Justine, I know you’ve done some wonderful and miraculous thing for our veterans. You go above and beyond that, you go across the state of New York and we thank you for that,” said State Senator Jim Tedisco as he presented Crowley-Duncan with a proclamation.

She is also co-founder of the New York Warrior Promise Wall that commemorates servicemen and women from the state who succumbed to suicide. The display is now part of the NYS Fallen Military Memorial, scheduled for a May 2024 display at the NYS capitol.

Crowley-Duncan said that she was humbled and emotional to learn of her selection for the award, having volunteered alongside several prior awardees.

“I had 30 years of memories that just came rushing back. I never thought I’d be standing here today for this award. For years it was all about thanking the people that paved the way for us. This was my way to say thank you.”

Crowley-Duncan offered this advice for others, “simply take it slow and do what you can, when you can.”

She added, “When I joined in the Elks, my kids were small and I said, ‘I’m gonna start small. And I said I’m going to give what I can give,’” she said.

“When people come to join the Elks, I tell them, “start slow because then it will be a journey that will be forever.’”