Waterloo, Iowa had a population of less than 50,000 in 1942. Among that number were the eight members of the Sullivan family who lived at 98 Adams St. Thomas F. Sullivan, the head of the family, worked for the Illinois Central railroad. He was named after his grandfather who had been born in Ireland. Tom Sullivan married Alleta Abel in 1914 at St. Joseph’s Catholic church. As was typical of Irish-Catholic families of that generation, they lost no time in starting a large family. December 14, 1914—George Thomas February 18, 1916—Francis Henry February 19, 1917—Genevieve Marie August 28, 1918—Joseph Eugene November 8, 1919—Madison Abel July 8, 1922—Albert Leo April 1, 1931—Kathleen Mae (Died of pneumonia 5 months later) "This is a true story." What follows is the account of five young men named Sullivan. They enjoy a typical all-American small town childhood as they share youthful adventures and mischief. The Sullivans go fishing and boating. They worship in church. They boyishly slide down the banister of their house and squabble among themselves and with others. Their hardworking father tries to set for them a good example. Their mother cooks their meals, cleans their clothes and mediates their differences. The years pass too quickly and the Sullivans become young men. They date and go to dances. One of them falls in love and marries. Then terrible news comes, on December 7, 1941. The Japanese have launched a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. America is at war. "Its always been the five of us," one of the Sullivans proclaims. So they join the navy to do their patriotic duty. They were among the most famous of all the fighting men of World War II. The five Sullivan brothers, serving together in the Pacific, symbolized America's commitment to winning the war. But their deaths caused outrage and forced the military to change longstanding policies that allowed a family to lose an entire generation at once. On Friday, November 13, 1942, a Japanese torpedo struck the USS Juneau at Guadalcanal. Hundreds of sailors were left bobbing in shark infested waters, waiting for rescue. Most of them, including all five Sullivan brothers, died. The True Story Of The Fighting Sullivans revisits that fateful day with the help of Frank Holmgren, the last crewmember of the USS Juneau to be rescued. It sheds light on the decisions that conspired to create the tragedy, one of the most infamous disasters of World War II.    A Remembrance of War and WW2, Lest We Ever Forget by tomtschik [ Join Now | Ring Hub | Random | << Prev | Next >> ] The Fighting Sullivans (Photo Album)

The Sullivan Brothers: The Loss of USS Juneau, (CL-52) When the United States and Japan went to war in December 1941, after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the Japanese military quickly conquered what is now Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and the Philippines. By the spring of 1942, Southeast Asia was in Japanese hands. In early May 1942, a Japanese naval operation aimed at capturing Port Moresby, on the southeastern coast of New Guinea, for use as a base to attack Allied communications with Australia was turned back in the Battle of the Coral Sea. A month later a powerful Japanese carrier force near Midway Atoll, northwest of Hawaii, was defeated in the Battle of Midway by American naval forces. After Midway, the Japanese turned their attention back toward Port Moresby, landing on the north coast of New Guinea to attack overland, and began to build an air base on Guadalcanal, in the eastern end of the Solomon Islands chain, to support their drive attack on Port Moresby. This serious threat was countered by the U. S. Marines landing on Guadalcanal on 8 August 1942. After the Marines had quickly captured the partially completed Japanese airstrip, it was completed and put into service as Henderson Field. This action was only the beginning of a long land, sea, and air battle for control of this strategic island that would not be resolved until the last Japanese troops evacuated Guadalcanal in early February 1943. For over seven months American and Japanese troops on the ground, Japanese landbased aircraft from Rabaul, New Britain and American planes from Henderson Field, as well as Allied and Japanese task forces of carriers and surface warships fought for control of Guadalcanal. One of naval battles was the cruiser night action, fought during the night of 12-13 November 1942, that made up part of what came to be called the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal.   In early November 1942, as the struggle for control of Guadalcanal remained undecided, both the Allies and the Japanese were desperately trying to reinforce the island with troops, food, and ammunition while trying to prevent the other side from doing the same. Although two American convoys arrived safely on 11 and 12 November, they had only partially unloaded their cargoes when Magic (intercepted Japanese messages) intelligence and reconnaissance reports indicated strong Japanese naval forces were approaching the island on a shore bombardment mission. As the American transports steamed eastwards for safety, an American force of five cruisers and eight destroyers, under command of Rear Admiral Daniel J. Callaghan took up station in the strait between Guadalcanal and Florida Island, called "Ironbottom Sound" owing to the many sunken ships littering the sea floor from the naval battles. After midnight on 13 November, a Japanese formation of two battleships, a light cruiser, and eleven destroyers steamed past Savo Island, heading toward Guadalcanal. At 0124, these warships appeared on American radar and the two forces closed rapidly. Poor radar coordination, however, left the American warships vainly trying to pin down the location of the Japanese warships. The leading destroyers of both forces sighted each other briefly in the darkness and at 0145 USS Juneau received the order, "Stand by to open fire." A few minutes later, just after a Japanese searchlight flicked on, the lead American destroyers opened fire at the Japanese warships at a mere 1,600 yards. The Japanese replied in kind and the two formations quickly mingled together, firing into each other at point-blank range in the glare-lit darkness. At the first glint of light, as if from nowhere, Kamakazi Torpedo planes came into sight. (See Arrows) The gunners would put everything they had into them and still some got through, dropping their torpedoes just above the water line, and then crashing into the ships.   Within minutes, the Japanese destroyer Akatsuki and the American cruiser USS Atlanta lay dead in the water, victims of shell and torpedo hits. Meanwhile, the two Japanese battleships, worried that American torpedo-armed destroyers were too close for comfort, tried to turn away. Still, the four American destroyers in lead fired guns and torpedoes at Hiei, the nearest Japanese battleship, damaging her superstructure with numerous shell hits. Two of the American destroyers USS Cushing and USS Laffey were mortally wounded after a brief fire fight, with Laffey exploding and sinking shortly thereafter. The engagement turned against the American task force when three Japanese destroyers conducted a torpedo attack from the northern flank. Torpedo hits damaged cruiser USS Portland and sank destroyer USS Barton. Gunfire from these and other Japanese warships turned USS Monssen into a smoking wreck and damaged both cruiser USS San Francisco and destroyer USS Aaron Ward. In return, by the time the fifteen-minute battle ended, destroyer Yudachi was a burning hulk and battleship Hiei was left crippled, steering an erratic course to the northwest. By the following afternoon, owing to scuttling charges or damage, Atlanta, Cushing, and Monssen had all sunk. Two Japanese ships soon joined them when Yudachi exploded under shell fire from Portland, and Hiei went under following bomb and torpedo hits delivered by Navy and Marine aircraft.    The light cruiser Juneau (CL-52), in which the five Sullivan brothers were surviving, suffered a different fate. Just a few minutes into the battle, Juneau was hit by a Japanese torpedo on the port side near the forward fire room. The shock wave from the explosion buckled the deck, shattered the fire control computers, and knocked out power. The cruiser limped away from the battle, down by the bow and struggling to maintain 18 knots.She rejoined the surviving American warships at dawn on 13 November and zig-zagged to the southeast in company with two other cruisers and three destroyers. About an hour before noon, the task force crossed paths with Japanese submarine I-26. At 1101, the submarine fired a three torpedoes at San Francisco. None hit that cruiser, but one passed beyond and struck Juneau on the port side very near the previous hit. The ensuing magazine explosion blew the light cruiser in half, killing most of the crew. A message from USS Helena to a nearby B-17 search plane reported that Juneau was lost at latitude 10 degrees South and longitude 161 degrees East and that survivors were in the water. The sinking location was subsequently modified to 10 degrees South and 161 degrees East. Owing to the risk of another submarine attack and because the sections of Juneau sank in only a few minutes, the American task force did not stay to check for survivors. However, approximately 215 of Juneau's crew survived the explosion. But, as Helena's message unfortunately did not reach Noumea and there remained uncertainty about the number of Japanese ships in the area, rescue efforts did not begin for several days. Because of the coordinates being modified, it took anoter 5 days to find the location.  One or more of the Sullivan Brothers survived the attack and were able to get their life vests on and abandon ship. Many of the crewmen of the USS Juneau were either burned in the explosion or injured. The sea around the sinking ship was tainted with blood. The burned, seeking releif from the pain found none in the sea, as the salt penetrated their wounds. They screamed in agony and prayed for death, but death did not come quickly. Next came the greatest terror to befall mankind, that of being eaten alive! As lone swimmers tried in vain to repel the circleing sharks, one by one they were pulled under, screaming in fear, only to bob up in a little while, missing arms, legs and heads. Those were the lucky ones, being attacked by the big Tiger Sharks and the Oceanic White Tips. Others were attacked by the smaller Black Tipped and White Tipped Reef Sharks, that would tear out a smaller portion of flesh, and come back again and again. The main group of survivors, about 150, felt that there would be more safety in numbers, and joined together in a group circle. At first, the sharks kept their distance, circleing outside the group. They felt that hopefully they could hold off the sharks for several hours until the rescue boats arrived. The sharks kept circleing, hour after hour, and without notice, would dart into the group of men, and drag one away, then another, then another. The men prayed for rescue, some died of pure freight, but hour after hour, day after day, the shark attacks whittled down the number of survivors. Only ten men were rescued from the water eight days after the sinking.

DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER 805 KIDDER BREESE SE -- WASHINGTON NAVY YARD WASHINGTON DC 20374-5060 The Sullivan Brothers: Report on Loss of USS Juneau (CL-52) [Copy of original document held by Textual Reference Branch, National Archives and Records Administration, 8601 Adelphi Road, College Park, MD 20740, except ship names were italicized and unfamiliar terms are explained in brackets]   USS Helena November 17, 1942. From: Senior Known Survivor, USS Juneau (Lieutenant Roger O'Neill, MC-V(G), U.S. Naval Reserve). To: Commander in Chief, United States Pacific Fleet. Via: Commanding Officer, USS Helena. Subject: Report of USS Juneau Activity from November 11 to 13, 1942, inclusive. Ref: (a) U.S. Navy Regulations, 1940, Arts. 712 and 874(6). (b) PacFlt Conf. Ltr. 24CL-42. 1) In accordance with references (a) and (b) the following report covering the activity of the USS Juneau from November 11 to 13, 1942 inclusive is submitted. November 11 Occupied our positions in formation of Task Force. Nothing of unusual note occurred aboard ship. November 12 Captain and Gunnery Officer are very much satisfied with antiaircraft performance during afternoon air attack by Japanese planes. They felt that we had accounted for a good percentage of planes destroyed. Planes were described as twin engine bombers of Mitsubishi type and very large. There were no casualties on board the Juneau during this attack. At nightfall we were on our way out the channel and to the best of my knowledge we were outside the channel about 2230. We reentered with the Task Force sometime later, approximately between 2300 and 2400. We had radar contact about 2400 which was at first thought to have been enemy contact but later found to be land. We were advised on station at approximately 0130 of November 13 to expect enemy contact momentarily. Scene of action illuminated by star shells, searchlights, and some of Juneau personnel thought also enemy planes dropping flares. We commenced firing somewhere in the vicinity of 0140 to 0150, at which time we were on the port side of the San Francisco. I understand that she ordered us to get out of the way in order that she might get a broadside on a heavier Japanese warship on the port side. We proceeded to pick up speed, cross the San Francisco's bow, and came back on her starboard side where we were when hit by an enemy torpedo which I feel was originally intended for the San Francisco. We had fired a very small amount of ammunition. I would say appropriately 25 rounds of 5" plus some 20 mm and 1.1" ammunition. The torpedo hit was of sufficient concussion to buckle the deck just aft of turret 8 plus throwing 3 depth charges overboard. The port motor whaleboat was also torn to pieces and lost by the impact of that hit. I should say that the torpedo hit somewhere between frames 42 and 45 on the port side and entered the forward fireroom. The hit was below armor belt and above rolling chalks. All hands, approximately 17 inside, were lost immediately. Immediately forward to the forward fireroom was the plotting room, and later on I learned from Ensign Kloter, who had been there, that they were thrown to the floor but were protected from the forward fireroom by a double bulkhead. The first one had given away and the second had buckled somewhat and was leaking in spots at seams. The deck had also buckled and oil fumes were coming through. They attempted to carry on but had to secure a short time following this. The Chief Engineer was quoted as having said that in his opinion the torpedo hit had broken the keel. Immediately following the hit the ship seemed to rise and settle deeper and listed somewhat to port. All lighting forward of after mess hall was lost. I understood that immediately following the hit we shifted to the after engine room generators for power but that they could not carry the load, so we shifted immediately back to emergency diesel for our power. We had lost all fire control of our turrets. We immediately left the scene of action; to the best of my knowledge proceeded through Sealark channel, and headed northeast for Malaita Island. I had occasion to do some minor surgery on the Navigator and Chief Engineer about dawn. I had occasion to overhear their discussion from which I was given to understand that we were running on our after fire and engine room and doing approximately 20 knots. We were headed towards Malaita where Captain Swenson had hopes of finding a cove which might offer sufficient shelter to enable us to accomplish temporary repairs before making a dash for Button ["Button" was the code name for Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides Islands]. By dawn we had accomplished sufficient repairs so that we had local fire control in one turret at a time. This was previous to sighting the remainder of the Task Force - Helena, San Francisco, etc. We sighted them about dawn on our starboard side until which time we thought we were alone. We were not sure at this time whether they were friendly or enemy ships. Also at dawn there was evidence the Juneau was 10 to 12 feet down by the bow with approximately 2 degrees list. I understood this remark was attributed to the First Lieutenant. We had also lost suction in the main feed pump causing reduced pressure and the ship to go dead in the water several times about dawn. We were making turns for 27 knots and doing approximately 20, according to Dennis, who was a throttleman in the after engine room. Due to the excessive casualties on the San Francisco, the senior medical officer of the latter asked for assistance. My senior medical officer, Lieutenant Commander James G. Neff, (MC), USN, who had struck his head at the time of the first torpedo hit, asked me if I would care to go over. The destroyer O'Bannon a short time later, sent over a boat and I took three of my corpsmen, namely Theodore D. Merchant, Orrel G. Cecil, and William T. Sims, plus some medical supplies, and proceeded to the San Francisco. I was in the Admiral's cabin just donning a mask prior to assisting Lieutenant Commander Lowe to operate on Captain Young of the San Francisco, when the Juneau was torpedoed the second time at approximately 1101, November 13th. In view of the fact that the Admiral's cabin is located on the port side, and the Juneau was on the starboard side when hit, I did not see the actual hit. However, the San Francisco swung to the starboard side and within 30 seconds of the hit I saw the spot where the Juneau had been. The only things visible were tremendous clouds of gray and black smoke. I could not see any debris in the water but I was at least two to three thousand yards distant. Later on I questioned men on the San Francisco, who had been on watch on the starboard side and had witnessed the incident, from the gist of which I gathered that three torpedoes had been fired. The first crossed the San Francisco's bow and just missed astern of the Juneau. The second appeared to come from beneath the San Francisco and its wake was not visible immediately. The third came aft of both ships. It was the second torpedo that struck Juneau on its port side very close to the location of the first torpedo hit in the early morning. It was impossible for San Francisco to inform Juneau of its imminent attack, and if the Juneau actually saw the torpedo wake I am of the belief that it was impossible to heel hard starboard because of its broken keel and the possibility of breaking the ship in two. The men told me that the Juneau appeared to explode instantaneously and appeared to break in two, both segments of which sunk within 20 seconds. The debris from the explosion flew many feet in the air, one portion of which struck the number 1 gun of the San Francisco, putting it out of commission. The signalmen on the bridge of the Helena was in the process of taking a message from the Juneau and had his glass trained on the signalman of that ship and reports that the signalman was blown at least 30 feet into the air. 2) I wish to state emphatically, that during the operations described above, my shipmates conducted themselves magnificently. Roger W. O'Neil