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Military Info of Black Hawk County, Iowa

World War II

This picture was taken aboard the U.S.S. Juneau.
Picture Submitted by: Erny Long

“The Sullivan Brothers”

In the aftermath of Juneau's loss, the Navy notified Mr. and Mrs. Thomas F. Sullivan of Waterloo, Iowa, that all five of their sons were missing in action. Two of the brothers had served previous four-year enlistments in the Navy and so, when all five brothers enlisted together on 3 January 1942, the Navy was the obvious choice. They had also insisted on serving together on the same ship. Although the accepted Navy policy was to separate family members, the brothers had persisted and their request was approved.

It was later learned, through survivors' accounts, that four of the brothers died in the initial explosion. The fifth, George Thomas, despite being wounded the night before, made it onto a raft where he survived for five days before succumbing either to wounds and exhaustion or a shark attack.

The brothers received the Purple Heart Medal posthumously and were entitled to the American Defense Service Medal, Fleet Clasp; Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with four engagement stars and the World War II Victory Medal. They had also earned the Good Conduct Medal.

They were survived by their parents, Mr. Thomas F. Sullivan and Mrs. Alleta Sullivan, a sister, Genevieve Sullivan, and by Albert Leo Sullivan's wife, Katherine Mary Sullivan. Their son, James Thomas, was twenty-two months old at the time of his father's death.

The service record transcripts for the five Sullivan brothers, as written on 16 January 1943 by the Bureau of Naval Personnel follow below.

(1) Albert Leo Sullivan Seaman Second Class, V-6, USNR

1-3-1942	Enlisted in the U.S. Naval Reserve, Class V-6, as Apprentice Seaman to serve for two (2) years at the Naval Recruiting Station, Des Moines, Iowa
1-3-1942	Transferred to the Naval Training Station. Great Lakes, Illinois.
2-3-1942	Transferred to the receiving ship, New York, for duty in USS Juneau detail and on board when commissioned.
5-3-1942	Rating changed to Seaman second class.
11-14-1942	Reported missing in action.

Date of birth: July 8, 1922
Place of birth: Waterloo, Iowa

(2) Francis Henry Sullivan, Coxswain, V-6, USNR

5-11-1937	Enlisted in the U.S. Navy as Apprentice Seaman, to serve for four (4) years at the Navy Recruiting Station, Des Moines, Iowa and transferred to the Naval Training Station, San Diego, California, for recruit training..
9-11-1937	Rating changed to Seaman second class.
9-15-1937	Transferred to the USS Hovey.
3-25-1938	Transferred to the U.S. Naval Hospital, Navy Yard, Mare Island, California, for treatment
4-9-1938	Transferred to the USS Hovey.
2-16-1939	Rating changed to Seaman first class.
3-18-1939	Transferred to the USS Melville for temporary duty involving medical treatment.
4-22-1939	Transferred to the USS Hovey.
5-13-1941	Transferred to the USS Dunlap for transportation to the West Coast and further transfer to the Receiving Ship on that coast for discharge.
5-20-1941	Received at the Receiving Station, San Diego, California.
5-27-1941	Issued an honorable discharge by reason of expiration of enlistment.
1-3-1942	Enlisted in the U.S. Naval Reserve, Class V-6, as Coxswain to serve for two (2) years at the Naval Recruiting Station, Des Moines, Iowa.
1-3-1942	Transferred to the Naval Training Station. Great Lakes, Illinois.
2-3-1942	Transferred to the receiving ship, New York, for duty in the USS Juneau detail and on board when commissioned.
11-14-1942	Reported missing in action.

Date of birth: February 18, 1916
Place of birth: Waterloo, Iowa

(3) SULLIVAN, George Thomas, Gunner's Mate Second Class, V-6, USNR

5-11-1937	Enlisted in the U.S. Navy as Apprentice Seaman, to serve for four (4) years at the Navy Recruiting Station, Des Moines, Iowa and transferred to the Naval Training Station, San Diego, California, for recruit training.
9-11-1937	Rating changed to Seaman second class.
9-15-1937	Transferred to the USS Hovey.
10-11-1937	Transferred to the USS Melville for treatment.
10-15-1937	Transferred to the USS Hovey for duty.
10-16-1939	Rating changed to Seaman first class.
2-16-1941	Rating changed to Gunner's Mate third class.
4-22-1941	Transferred to the USS Santee for transportation to the West Coast and further transfer to the Receiving Ship, San Diego, California, for discharge.
4-30-1941	Received at the Receiving Ship, San Diego, California.
5-16-1941	Issued an honorable discharge by reason of expiration of enlistment.
1-3-1942	Enlisted in the U.S. Naval Reserve, Class V-6, as Gunner's Mate second class to serve for two (2) years at the Naval Recruiting Station, Des Moines, Iowa.
1-3-1942	Transferred to the Naval Training Station. Great Lakes, Illinois.
2-3-1942	Transferred to the receiving ship, New York, for duty in the USS Juneau detail and on board when commissioned.
11-14-1942	Reported missing in action.

Date of birth: December 14, 1914
Place of birth: Waterloo, Iowa

(4) SULLIVAN, Joseph Eugene, Seaman Second Class, V-6, USNR

1-3-1942	Enlisted in the U.S. Naval Reserve, Class V-6, as Apprentice Seaman to serve for two (2) years at the Naval Recruiting Station, Des Moines, Iowa.
1-3-1942	Transferred to the Naval Training Station. Great Lakes, Illinois.
2-3-1942	Transferred to the receiving ship, New York, for duty in the USS Juneau detail and on board when commissioned.
5-3-1942	Rating changed to Seaman second class.
11-14-1942	Reported missing in action.

Date of birth: August 28, 1918
Place of birth: Waterloo, Iowa

(5) SULLIVAN, Madison Abel, Seaman Second Class, V-6, USNR

1-3-1942	Enlisted in the U.S. Naval Reserve, Class V-6, as Apprentice Seaman to serve for two (2) years at the Naval Recruiting Station, Des Moines, Iowa.
1-3-1942	Transferred to the Naval Training Station. Great Lakes, Illinois.
2-3-1942	Transferred to the receiving ship, New York, for duty in the USS Juneau detail and on board when commissioned.
5-3-1942	Rating changed to Seaman second class.
11-14-1942	Reported missing in action

Date of birth: November 8, 1919
Place of birth: Waterloo, Iowa

Source: Department of Navy—Naval History, http://www.history.navy.mil/
Submitted by: Cathy Danielson