February 10, 2005 - St. Lucie County's Veterans Services Director Honored

St. Lucie County recognizes Paul J. Hiott, Veteran Services Director, who was inducted into the Four Chaplains Legion of Honor on Sunday, February 6, 2005.

The inspiration for this award comes from the courageous acts of the four Army Chaplains who were serving aboard the U.S.A.T. Dorchester when it was hit by an enemy torpedo and sank in the North Atlantic on February 3, 1943. The Dorchester, a troop ship, was sailing the North Atlantic when a torpedo struck, shortly after midnight. The four Chaplains who were on board, Chaplain Alexander Goode (Jewish), Chaplain John Washington (Roman Catholic), Chaplain George Fox (Methodist) and Chaplain Clark Poling (Dutch Reformed), guided the troops into lifeboats. When the lifeboats were filled, they distributed life jackets and when the life jackets were gone, they gave their own life jackets. It took 27 minutes for the ship to sink. Survivors still remember the four chaplains, arm in arm, voices raised in prayer standing on the deck. The act of these four chaplains inspired the founding of a Chapel. President Harry Truman was present at the opening of the Chapel of Four Chaplains in Philadelphia.

Mr. Frank Gilbert, a past recipient of this honor, and members of American Legion Post 355 nominated Mr. Hiott for this recognition. To be deserving of membership in the Chapel's Legion of Honor, one must serve above and beyond that required by professional or organization position, and give to the community, nation, and humanity without regard to race, religion, or creed. In his nomination application, Mr. Gilbert wrote, "Paul Hiott is the Director of Veterans Services in St. Lucie County…Paul is a Navy retiree and a human dynamo in his community. He willingly accepts any invitation to speak at churches, civic and veterans meetings to get his message across most often on weekends and evenings. He is active in several civic organizations, including Big Brothers and Big Sisters and participates in numerous committees seeking to improve the lives of the less fortunate. Paul takes personal initiative to ensure homeless veterans receive adequate housing. He has spent untold hours taking veterans to the VA Medical Center to receive medical care; getting them enrolled in various programs to give them a fresh start and then helping them find employment. This year, he has even driven a homeless veteran to Atlanta, Georgia in his own vehicle, on his own time to be admitted to a VA Nursing home, after spending weeks reuniting the veteran with the family he had lost many years before."