USS "THE SULLIVANS"

Vanity ^ | 12/2005 | Dick Bachert

[Dick Bachert]

As we gather our loved ones around us to celebrate July 4th, we should all say a silent prayer for all those who paid the final price so that we might -- albeit imperfectly and hopefully more perfectly in the future -- continue the unique experiment in human freedom we call America.

I awoke one morning during a September, 2005 cruise as we pulled into Nassau and looked out the porthole to see two US Arleigh Burke class destroyers next to us.  After breakfast, I strolled out onto deck 7 and got goose bumps when I noticed the shamrock on the stack of one of them.  Walked aft to catch a view of the transom of that boat.  It was the USS “THE SULLIVANS!"  The goose bumps intensified as I recalled the story of the five Sullivan brothers who INSISTED that they be allowed to serve together and, persisting in the face of a naval reg prohibiting it, were assigned to the USS Juneau when she was sunk on November 13, 1942 at Guadalcanal.  4 boys died instantly and the 5th son died at sea either from his injuries, a shark attack or exposure.  

THEIR MOTHER RECEIVED ALL 5 TELEGRAMS FROM THE NAVY ON THE SAME DAY!!!! 

I related the story to several of those on deck with me who were also checking out the destroyers.  I was greeted with BLANK STARES of disinterest.  I wanted to grab one guy by the stacking swivel, hoist him off the deck and scream that it was men and ships such as that which make it possible for A**HOLES like him to enjoy a peaceful cruise around the Caribbean. Not wishing to spend the rest of the voyage in the brig, I contented myself with muttering "a**hole" as he wandered off in search of another buffet.

And in a sign of the times, both ships had armed sentries posted fore and aft in Nassau, an ostensibly friendly and safe port.  But then, Aden was also considered safe at the time the USS Cole (also a Burke class destroyer) was attacked.  And I believe that, unlike the guards on the Cole -- and the Marine sentries in Beirut years earlier -- THESE guys were locked and loaded with orders to fire for effect!

[SkyDancer]

Great movie!

[WesternPacific]

I was fortunate enough to have had the opportunity to teach at the Sullivan's Elementary school at the Yokosuka Naval Base in Japan. The school was named in honor of the Sullivan brothers.

[eartrumpet]

I love the movie right up to the end. Watching the kids make mom a woodbox through the side of the house is great. But man, seeing dad check his railroad watch and go to work crying rips a hole right through me every time.

[babygene]

Myself and two of my brothers were on the same ship in 1965. (the USS Goodrich) It wasn’t an issue then...

[yarddog]

That scene really caught my attention too as my grandparents house was built with one of those doors to stick firewood through.

When they got married Grandmother’s Daddy built them a nice large house and gave them 40 acres. He did that for all his children. As he was a sawmill owner it wasn’t that difficult.

Those little boys were trying to make the exact same thing.

[RinaseaofDs]

Your post, and this thread, gave me goosebumps.

I’m proud to be Irish, hearing stories like that.

And you know how Mom probably took it - it broke her heart, but they died fighting with each other for a land that hated their guts to start, but embraced them later.

Love the shamrock on the stack. I have a shamrock hat I wear everywhere.

[RinaseaofDs]

I know some very, very good Sullivan’s, and they are fighters. Some of the most upbeat, toughest, most God-fearing people I know.

You come from excellent stock. It’s clear you’re no Fitzgerald.

[yarddog]

I remember a Sullivan who won the Heisman Trophy around 1971 give or take a year or so,

Pat Sullivan played for Auburn. I think Terry Beasley had a lot to do with Pat’s winning it.

[Homer_J_Simpson]

From the New York Times, April 5, 1943.

[GeronL]

bump

[Homer_J_Simpson]

From the New York Times, June 17, 1943.

[pgobrien]

I slip my little sailboat across the harbor from the Sullivans in Buffalo NY. When returning to port, I usually take passengers along side Sullivans, for a perspective on relative size of our vessels. Most are impressed by the magnitude of the old iron boat. More so, after telling the story of the Sullivan brothers service and their sacrifice. They don’t make ‘em like that any more.

Non sibi sed patriae!

[Daffynition]

My uncle Joe Hartney USN, was the signalman on the Juneau and one of the ten survivors [out of 700] of the tragedy.

Fortunately, his amazing story was recorded for posterity: http://www.ussatlanta.com/stories/Juneasstoryfay.htm

You will weep, witness miracles, share his joy with the help he received from natives and be amazed at the courage and grit of this All-American hero. I think his story is worth the read.

An aside: He makes mention of looking at a photo of his wife in the linked account, before the torpedo hit; as a child, I recall him saying, that for some reason he uncharacteristically put his wallet in his shirt pocket. After the explosion and fire, his pants were blow away, and he would have lost his wallet; but as fate would have it, part of his shirt with his wallet remained.

Lue C. Hartney & Joseph Patrick Francis Hartney Sea2c Nov 1941

God Bless you Uncle Joe. Wherever you are.

[rktman]

You never saw Ol’ Yeller?

[kabumpo]

It has special meaning to my family - a branch is from Kerry.

[Figment]

IIRC There was a father and son killed in the fire on the Forrestal (sp).

[Lmo56]

The elementary school at Yokosuka Naval Base in Japan is named for the Sullivan brothers. I was a student there from 1-3 grades.

FYI: The high school is named for Nile C. Kinnick, 1939 Heisman Trophy winner, naval aviator in WWII, lost in a training flight on 2 June 1943. Mark Hamill [of Star Wars fame] is an alumnus ...

[garandgal]

I see them every day. I collect WWII posters (they are the artwork in my house).

The Sullivan "Missing in Action" poster has always had prominent placement.

[denydenydeny]

As I recall, the USS The Sullivans almost suffered a terrorist bombing in Yemen in 2000, but AQ wasn’t able to coordinate the attack, and the Cole ended up being bombed.

[Netz]

You can blame ignorant people for not appreciating the freedoms they enjoy without being aware of history and sacrifice.

Don’t blame the a**holes for the blank stares, blame the education system for never exposing these people to stories like the Sullivan Bros. People who grew up with no knowledge of WWII or other wars and amamzing stories like these brothers don’t have a clue.

The Revisionist trend which bends facts and history like saying Hiroshima was American barbarism brought down on (say with Elmer Fudd accent) liddo Japanese poor diddums is more of a threat than general ignorance.

Nowadays most people learn history from Hollywood movies and do not read books.

Our only hope is that those in Hollywood that care, like Tom Hanks, will continue to enlighten us with historical period films because kids certainly are not going to learn about the Sullivan Bros. in the classroom.