D6 | Friday, November 10, 2017
SULLIVAN BROTHERS 75TH COMMEMORATION HONORING HEROISM
AP FILE PHOTO
The USS The Sullivans, named for the five Waterloo brothers killed during World War II, was commissioned in 1997.
Gone but not forgotten Years of Waterloo, Navy, national honors for Sullivan brothers PAT KINNEY
pat.kinney@wcfcourier.com
WATERLOO — In the 75 years since Waterloo’s five Sullivan brothers died during World War II, honors, recognition and memorials to their sacrifice have been numerous and widespread. Following is a non-comprehensive list of just some of the recognition the brothers have brought upon themselves, their family, community and state. ÌÌ Each of the five Sullivan brothers were awarded the Purple Heart, a medal given military personnel killed or wounded in combat, along with other theater and service decorations. The Juneau and the Sullivans earned four battle stars for engagements in which they were involved. ÌÌ Two Navy ships were named USS The Sullivans — a World War II era destroyer, DD-537, now decommissioned and docked at a Buffalo, N.Y., military park, and the present USS The Sullivans DDG-68, an Arleigh Burke-Class Aegis guided missile destroyer, still on active duty. The brothers’ mother, Alleta Sullivan, christened and sponsored the first ship; their granddaughter and grandniece, Kelly Sullivan, serves in the same capacity for the second vessel. Each ship is emblazoned with an Irish shamrock, a nod to the brothers’ heritage. A silver table service, paid for with funds raised by residents of Waterloo, including students from St. Mary’s Catholic School which the Sullivan brothers attended, was donated to the second USS The Sullivans during its 1997 commissioning in New York. ÌÌ Sullivan Brothers Memorial Park, containing a five-sided memorial marker adorned with an Irish shamrock for the brothers and a mast-shaped flagpole, is located at East Fourth and Adams streets and also takes in the site of the Sullivan family home, identified by a large stone and historic marker. The part was dedicated in 1964, replacing the previously named park at Maxwell and Stratford avenues, now Galloway Park. ÌÌ Five Sullivan Brothers Convention Center, soon to be Waterloo Convention Center at Sullivan Brothers Plaza and originally ConWay Civic Center, was renamed for the brothers in 1988 largely as a result of efforts by Waterloo attorney and Navy veteran Ed Gallagher Jr. and retired U.S. Navy Rear Adm. James D. Ramage, a Waterloo native of the Highland area in east Waterloo and former Courier paperboy who commanded the dive bomber squadron of the USS Enterprise during World War II. The entire block, including the convention
COURTESY PHOTO
This memorial to the Sullivan brothers was installed at St. Mary’s Catholic Church and School in Waterloo. It now is displayed at COURTESY PHOTO Columbus High School. Thomas and Alleta Sullivan are presented with Purple Hearts for each of their five perished sons. Persian Gulf during the Iran-Iraq war, President Ronald Reagan to the Grout Museum District, said: “And none of us who were opened in November 2008 after alive then can forget the special more than three years of planning burden of grief borne by Mr. and and fundraising. The $11.5 million Mrs. Thomas Sullivan of Watermuseum honors all Iowa veterans loo, Iowa. They would remember and is a repository for hundreds forever the autumn afternoon of their video-recorded oral his- they learned that their sons — tories. George, Francis, Joseph, Madison, ÌÌ The Sullivan Brothers Out- and Albert — the Five Sullivans as standing Military Family award we knew them then, would not be is given annually by the Grout coming home.” ÌÌ In 2001, five memorial markMuseum District to families who have had multiple members in the ers for each of the Sullivan brothmilitary who also have been active ers were placed at Arlington National Cemetery. It was the result in community service. ÌÌ The Sullivan Brothers Award of efforts by U.S. Army veteran of Valor for police officers and Harry Burtner of Maumers, N.C., firefighters is offered by the Iowa who was inspired to petition Arlington’s superintendent to erect Department of Public Safety. ÌÌ Stapleton Pier at Staten Is- the markers after seeing a doculand, N.Y.,where the USS The Sul- mentary on the brothers which livans was commissioned in 1997, was part of the “Histories MysCOURIER FILE PHOTO was renamed USS The Sullivans teries” television series on The In this May 1, 1959, Courier photo, the park at the corner of Maxwell Street Pier. History Channel. and Stratford Avenue was dedicated to and named after the Sullivan ÌÌ The Sullivan brothers in part ÌÌ The brothers’ surviving sister, Brothers. In 1963, an area on East Fourth Street closer to the Sullivan inspired the 1998 movie “Saving Genevieve Sullivan Davidson, who home and on a busier thoroughfare would become the new Sullivan Park. Private Ryan” and Steven Spiel- died in 1975, had her wartime serberg paid tribute to them in ac- vice in the Navy WAVES recorded center, is to be renamed Sullivan ÌÌ The local organization of cepting a Oscar for Best Director at the Women in Service to America Brothers Plaza as part of a renova- the Ancient Order of Hibernians, for that film. In one scene of the memorial, dedicated in 1997 and lotion of the convention center and an Irish heritage group, is known movie, U.S. Army Chief of Staff cated at Arlington’s Memorial Gate, adjacent hotel. as the Sullivan Brothers Division George C. Marshall, played by not far from the grave of President ÌÌ Sullivan Brothers Veterans of I chapter. In 2012, the Sullivan actor Harve Presnell, is informed Kennedy. Many other local womForeign Wars Post 1623 in Water- brothers were inducted into the by officers that the fictitious Ryan en’s service is recorded there. ÌÌ A Department of Defense loo honors the brothers, as does organization’s Irish American Hall brothers of Paton, Iowa, were diSullivan-Hartogh-Davis Post 730, of Fame, joining other individu- vided up into different units “after Sullivans American Elementary which helps organize Cedar Val- als including composer George M. the Sullivan brothers went down School is located on the island of ley Honor Flights of veterans to Cohan, former U.S. Speaker of the on the Juneau.” Okinawa, Japan, and The SulliÌÌ In a May 21, 1987, memorial vans School is located on Yokosuka Washington D.C. The post also is House Thomas P. “Tip” O’Neill named for two local soldiers killed and President John F. Kennedy. service for 37 sailors killed aboard Navy Base in Yokosuka, Japan. ÌÌ The Sullivan Brothers Iowa the frigate USS Stark when an in Vietnam, Dave Hartogh and 00 Veterans Museum, an addition Iraqi jet fired missiles at it in the Dave Davis. Please see HONORS, Page D7 1