The Fighting Sullivans: Iowa Time Machine November 13, 1942

Iowa Time Machine ⏰: On November 13, 1942, the five Sullivan brothers of Waterloo all died while serving together on the USS Juneau during the Battle of Guadalcanal. George, Frank, Joe, Matt, and Al Sullivan left a legacy of service that forever changed the American military.

After growing up in Waterloo, the Sullivans enlisted together on January 3, 1941, in the weeks following Pearl Harbor. Although the Navy technically separated siblings in service, the lack of enforcement allowed the brothers to serve together. After training, all five brothers were assigned to the light cruiser USS Juneau in the Pacific Theater.

After months of fighting in the Pacific, the USS Juneau sustained damage from a pair of Japanese torpedo attacks on November 13. The second hit detonated the ship’s ammunition magazine, leading to a large explosion and the sinking of the ship. Although Al and George survived the initial blast, both joined their other three brothers as ‘Killed in Action’ before rescuers reached the stranded sailors.

Due to wartime restrictions in communication, Thomas and Alleta Sullivan did not learn of the tragic sacrifice of their family until Alleta inquired with the Bureau of Naval Personnel in January of 1943. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt responded personally, but only after Navy officials broke the news in person the day prior, on January 12. The tragedy led to the U.S. War Department’s Sole Survivor Policy, which named two Navy destroyers, and the founding of the Sullivan Brothers Museum in Waterloo. #Iowa #OTD #History #Military #WorldWar2