Long-Lost WWII Shipwreck Where The Five Sullivan Brothers Died Finally Located

Sometimes a bit of closure can arrive late. But, as the saying goes, it’s usually better than never. Such is the case for the Sullivan family.

The Sullivan brothers on board the USS Juneau. From left to right: Joseph, Francis, Albert, Madison and George. Credit: paulallen.com

On Nov. 13, 1942, five brothers — George, Francis, Joseph, Madison and Albert Sullivan — died together aboard the USS Juneau during the Battle of Guadalcanal.

The wreck had been lost until this past St. Patrick’s Day, when a team on the research vessel Petrel finally discovered the sunken remains of the ship.

The R/V Petrel’s research mission was spearheaded by Vulcan, Inc., a company created by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen. The crew initially dispatched an autonomous underwater vehicle, which first discovered the shipwreck by use of its side scan sonar on March 17. They then deployed a remotely operated vehicle to confirm the sighting and capture images. The team found the Juneau, an Atlanta-class light cruiser, 4,200 meters (roughly 2.6 miles) below the surface off the coast of the Solomon Islands in the South Pacific Ocean.

The ROV captured stunning underwater footage of the ship, which is now home to sea life and covered with algae and anemones.

It’s quite fitting that the discovery occurred on St. Patrick’s Day because of the Sullivans’ Irish-American heritage.

“We certainly didn’t plan to find the Juneau on St. Patrick’s Day,” said Robert Kraft, director of sub-sea operations for Paul Allen. “The variables of these searches are just too great. But finding the USS Juneau on Saint Patrick’s Day is an unexpected coincidence to the Sullivan brothers and all the service members who were lost 76 years ago.”

The Sullivan brothers died while serving on the same ship, despite a Navy policy that explicitly prohibited family members from serving on the same vessel. The Sullivans reportedly refused to serve unless they could do so together and were eventually granted permission.

The USS Juneau had a short-lived service history. It sunk just slightly less than a year after it was commissioned. During its final battle, two Japanese torpedoes struck the Juneau. The second torpedo cut the ship in half and killed most men on board. The ship sunk in less than 30 seconds. Due to the risk of continued Japanese attacks, the American task force did not remain to search for possible survivors.

Apparently, approximately 115 Juneau crew members survived that damaging explosion, possibly even two of the Sullivan brothers. But naval forces did not employ rescue efforts for many days. Only 10 men were saved from the water eight days following the ship’s demise. In all, 687 servicemen, including the five Sullivan brothers, died.

Image of the USS Juneau taken by the ROV
Credit: livescience.com

The tragic story of the Sullivan brothers was a sensational headline when it initially broke. President Franklin D. Roosevelt wrote a letter to their mother, offering “the condolence and gratitude of our country,” asserting that “we, who remain to carry on the fight, must maintain the spirit in the knowledge that such sacrifice is not in vain,” according to the Naval History and Heritage Command.

Remembering The Five Brothers

The Navy eventually named two destroyers after the Sullivan brothers. According to the NHHC, on Feb. 10, 1943, the Navy officially renamed the Putman destroyer The Sullivans while it was under construction. USS The Sullivans (DD-537) served until its final decommissioning on Jan. 7, 1965.

The second The Sullivans (DDG-68) destroyer was launched on Aug. 12, 1995. It was sponsored by Kelly Sullivan Loughren, granddaughter of Albert Sullivan, one of the five brothers. The motto of the ship is “We Stick Together.”

“I had the opportunity to visit The Sullivans earlier this month, and I can tell you the fighting spirit of the Sullivan brothers…lives on through the fantastic crew that mans the ship today,” said Vice Adm. Rich Brown, commander, Naval Surface Forces. “The crew embodies the ship’s motto, ‘We Stick Together’ each day. My time on The Sullivans and the relationship I formed with the ship’s sponsor, Kelly, the granddaughter of Albert, are some of my most cherished memories.”

Those of us who are not members of a military family can only imagine what it would be like to lose a loved one during wartime. Losing a single loved one is tough enough, but five in one day, during the same event, would be absolutely devastating.

Now that the USS Juneau has been located, the memory of its servicemen, particularly the Sullivan brothers, has been rekindled and brought to the conscience of a new generation. And thanks to the efforts of the Navy, the service and bravery of the Sullivan brothers will not be forgotten soon.