Page 1 - ed9- april 1 2021

Honoring Those Who
Honoring Those Who Have So Bravely ServedHave So Bravely Served This Country May 1, 2021 1
This Country
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VOL. 23 No. 9

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ALLETA SULLIVAN

FOR MOTHER’S DAY

MEMORIES

■ Dr. Tom Waters Lt. Col. USAF (Ret)

DESTROYER USS THE SULLIVANS VFW NATIONAL Page
AUXILIARY PRESIDENT
tially restricted from going to Vietnam VISITE NV 2
because my brother had been killed the
year earlier but, as soon as I volunteered,
I received orders to report to Bien Hoa
Air Base, Vietnam, in July 1966. As I
stated earlier, losing a child (even in war)
is a sad day for any mother, but to lose
FIVE sons at one time is unbearable.

MR AND MRS SULLIVANS This almost takes us back to the mov-
ie, “Saving Private Ryan.” It was based

on the loss of five brothers of the Sul-
livan family. TRICARE DENTAL Page
PREMIUMS INCREASING
Alleta Sullivan wrote a letter to the SOON 10
Navy inquiring on the whereabouts of

her five sons who were serving aboard
s we approach Mothers’ Day in the the USS Juneau. She and her husband,
year 2021, let us remember ALL Thomas, had heard rumors about town
Amothers with gratitude and love. that the boys were missing.
I was asked by the owner/editor of the The five Sullivan brothers were World

Veteran Reporter Newspaper to write War II sailors of Irish American descent On Nov. 13, 1942, Waterloo’s five

an article about a mother of an Ameri- who, serving together on the light cruis- Sullivan brothers -- George, Francis, Jo-
can Veteran. With that guidance, I could er USS Juneau, were all killed in action seph, Madison, and Albert -- died aboard
have easily selected my mother or the when it was destroyed and sunk around the USS Juneau when the ship was tor-
mothers of any one of the veterans who November 13, 1942. pedoed and sunk off Guadalcanal dur-
have served the United States of Amer- ing World War II. It remains the greatest US CENSUS BUREAU Page

ica. The five Sullivan brothers (Albert, combat-related loss of life by a single 8
Francis, George, Joseph, and Madison) family at one time in American military
However, I reached back into my served together as shipmates aboard the history. All but 13 of the nearly 700 Ju-
memories of military history and se- cruiser USS Juneau after requesting spe- neau crew members perished.
lected Mrs. Alleta Sullivan. I’m sure you cial permission from the Secretary of the
remember her and her husband Thomas Navy. Among the losses on Juneau was the

but, since we’re approaching Mothers’ five brothers from Iowa, the Sullivans:
Day, let’s talk about the saddest day for The Juneau was sunk on November George, 27; Francis, or “Frank,” 26; Jo-
any mother when they lose a child. 13, 1942, off the island of Guadalcanal seph, known as “Red,” 24; Madison, or
by Japanese submarine I-26. Of the crew “Matt,” 23; and Albert, or “Al,” 20. It
The Sullivan family — parents Thom- of over 600 sailors, only 11 survived. was - and remains - the single greatest

as and Alleta, brothers George, Francis, wartime sacrifice of any American fam-
Joseph, Madison, and Albert, and sister, The decision of the military was that ily.
Genevieve lived in this house at 98 Ad- no siblings could serve in the same the- (Continues on page 2)
ams St. in Waterloo, Iowa. ater of war at the same time. I was ini-

Serving Veterans In Las Vegas, Henderson, Boulder City, North Las Vegas, Laughlin, Creech Air Force Base,
Indian Springs, Searchlight, Tonopah, Amargosa Valley, Moapa Valley, Nellis Air Force Base, Mesquite, Pahrump, Beatty