Post Scripts: The Sullivans

When Hollywood re-created the sinking of USS Juneau, the cruiser was shown being torpedoed and sunk at night to broaden the drama. Actually, the ship was sunk in broad daylight. Nearly 700 U.S. sailors died in the aftermath of a naval battle off Guadalcanal November 14, 1942. Aboard the vessel were all five Sullivan brothers from Waterloo, Iowa: George, Francis. Joseph, Madison and Albert.

This was a tragedy that burdened the hearts of millions around the world.

All five had enlisted in the Navy January 3, 1942, when they heard their friend, Bill Ball, had been killed aboard the USS Arizona at Pearl Harbor. When the brothers enlisted they told the recruiter they must serve together. The Navy agreed and nine months later the brothers reported aboard the USS Juneau, a new 6,000-ton warship. By dawn, November 13, the Juneau had been badly damaged by a Japanese torpedo with the crew trying to nurse the ship to safety.

Soon, the ship was making 19 knots and everyone was taking a breather from the strain of battle and damage control. At that moment Gunner’s Mate Second Class Allen Clifton Heyn prepared to relieve a shipmate on an anti-aircraft gun. Heyn said to his shipmate, "Are you all set?" The sailor barely had time to reply when there was a massive explosion.

On the nearby USS Fletcher all aboard heard the most tremendous explosion anyone could imagine. Officers dashed out of the chart house and looked aft to see a huge mushroom cloud where the Juneau had been. A 5-inch gun mount came flying by and someone shouted: "My God, the workmen must have touched off a magazine!"

Those on the Helena saw the Juneau explode. Some said it looked like pictures of an atomic bomb. Aboard Juneau Heyn was thrown against his gun mount, with one foot pinned against the gun shield. He grabbed a life jacket and took a deep breath as the seas closed around him. Suddenly the steel holding his foot was gone and he floated to the surface.

In less than a minute Juneau had disappeared into the sea, leaving little but smoke and debris as far as half a mile away. Officers on the Helena saw little chance of survivors but a bit later about 100 survivors were located bobbing in the water. A B-17 bomber swooped down to check and an officer on the Helena sent it a visual signal, "Ship down, send rescue." The plane did not toss out any life rafts since they did not see the few survivors struggling in the water.

Some of the men in the water were severely burned and afloat in a thick layer of oil. Three life rafts eventually popped to the surface. Unfortunately, messages of the disaster did not reach anyone, and the plane landed at Guadalcanal but the information did not get past the base operations shack. No help was received for three days. The survivors suffered sunburn by day and chill by night. Food ran out in three days as well. Men weakened and died. Search planes couldn’t find them.

Seven days after Juneau went down, a plane spotted survivors. There were only 14 survivors and 683 sailors gone forever. Eventually a new ship took to the sea named USS The Sullivans. Today this vessel is a memorial in Buffalo, New York, dedicated to the brothers. The Sullivans left another legacy. It is no longer permissible for brothers to serve on the same Navy ship or in the same Army unit. The film, "Saving Private Ryan," is the most recent reminder of a most sad and painful tragedy.