Special Sub-Topic: The Fighting Sullivans Click Here To Play: The Fighting Sullivans

Where were the Sullivans Brothers from?

Waterloo, Iowa.

Of the following names, which one is NOT one of the brothers' names?

Peter. It was George, Frank, Joe, Matt, and Al in that order by birth.

What was the occupation of Tom Sullivan, the father of the bunch?

Railroad Engineer. He served on the Illinois Central Railroad for over 33 years without ever missing a day of work. Not even the day he heard the tragic news of his boys' ill-fated voyage in the South Pacific!

Of what national descent were the Sullivan Brothers? (Think about it).

Irish. The Fighting Irish!

Which of the five sons was the first to marry?

Al. Al, being the youngest of the five bros, was the first to marry when he was merely 19 years old. He had a baby boy before he left for war.

Which branch of the armed services did the Sullivan Bros. serve?

Navy. The boys were self-proclaimed sailors from an early age, so it was no question that they would join the Navy in the war.

When did the brothers enlist in the war effort?

January 2, 1942. The day after the attack on Pearl Harbor, FDR gave his famous speech to the nation, declaring war.

What was the name of the ship that their neighborhood friend, Bill Ball, was on when it was sunk at Pearl Harbor?

USS Arizona. Bill was on the Arizona when it was attacked and perished along with many others. The Sullivans had a new reason to fight in the war!

What was the full name of the brothers' only sister?

Genevieve. Gen, for short, was the older sister of the bunch.

In what famous battle did the Sullivans fight and die in World War II?

The Battle of Guadalcanal.

What was the name of the Sullivans' ship?

USS Juneau. The Juneau was a new ship and the Sullivans were proud of it. But it was merely an anti-aircraft vessel, not capable of withstanding the attacks inflicted by enemy destroyers.

How did the ship sink?

Torpedo shot. The torpedo, fired by the Japanese submarine, I-26, hit the ammunitions pile on one of the lower decks and the ship went up in a ball of fire. It took 5 minutes for the ship to explode after the torpedo hit.

What was the second leading cause of death to the sailors of the ship?

Shark Attacks. About 100 sailors survived the initial explosion, but rescuers only retrieved 6 after days of searching. The sharks got the rest, including George Sullivan.

What was ironic about the day on which the Sullivan brothers were killed?

It was Friday the 13th. Friday, November 13, 1942 - George died two days later, however, from the sharks after searching for his brothers aboard a piece of their ship. None of them were ever found.

What did the Navy do to salute the brothers and their efforts in the war?

Named a ship after them. The USS The Sullivans was christened a year after their death, by their mother. It served in Korea and retired shortly after.