USS Juneau (CL-52)

"I have some news for you about your boys."

"Which one?"

"I'm sorry. All five."

George, Frank, Joe, Matt and Al Sullivan all joined the Navy together(George and Frank had previously served as well) on January 3, 1942, with the stipulation that they be allowed to serve together. The Navy had a policy of separating siblings, but it was not strictly enforced. All five Sullivan Brothers were accepted and assigned to the USS Juneau.

They served during all actions that the Juneau took part in, including Santa Cruz and Guadalcanal. The ship earned four battle stars. It was during the Battle of Guadalcanal that disaster struck the Juneau. During the incredible, point blank (for Naval battle standards) battle, the Juneau was hit by a torpedo and started to list badly enough to have to withdraw from the battle. As she and two other ships, the USS Helena (CL-50) and USS San Francisco (CA-38) steamed toward Espirito Santo in Vanuatu for repairs, the Juneau was hit by a second torpedo and almost immediately broke in half and sank. The other two ships, damaged and fearing further attack, radioed to report the sinking, but negated to stop and search for any survivors, of which there were more than 100. The rescuers didn't arrive for eight days. By that time, only ten survivors remained.

All five of the Sullivan Brothers perished. This is an incredible tragedy for the family for sure, but also for a nation. It became a huge story and has since become a widely told one.

As tragic as the loss of the Sullivan's was, we must also remember that there were 682 others who died in those days. We lost 687 men on the USS Juneau. All of them had families that had to hear the terrible news of their passing, just the same way that Mr. and Mrs. Sullivan, their sister, Genevieve, and Albert's wife and son had to hear it. Devastating for each and every one of them.

While the Sullivan story is undeniably heartbreaking, we must never forget that each and every person that has made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country has a story as well. Each one of them leaves someone behind who loves them, who sees them as a very dear part of life and who will forever be changed by the loss. I can't imagine losing five at the same time, largely, because I can't imagine losing just one of my boys.

Abraham Lincoln's (debate about the veracity not needed) letter to Lydia Bixby during the Civil War is as poignant now as it was then. It could very easily be intended for the family of ANY single service member lost.

The Bixby letter reads:

Dear Madam,

I have been shown in the files of the War Department a statement of the Adjutant General of Massachusetts that you are the mother of five sons who have died gloriously on the field of battle. I feel how weak and fruitless must be any word of mine which should attempt to beguile you from the grief of a loss so overwhelming. But I cannot refrain from tendering you the consolation that may be found in the thanks of the Republic they died to save. I pray that our Heavenly Father may assuage the anguish of your bereavement, and leave you only the cherished memory of the loved and lost, and the solemn pride that must be yours to have laid so costly a sacrifice upon the altar of freedom.

Yours, very sincerely and respectfully,

A. Lincoln

Let us never forget ANY of them.

L-R- Joe, Frank, Al, Matt, and George Sullivan

Đông Hà

Dong Ha was the northernmost city in South Vietnam. Camp Spillman, or Dong Ha Combat Base was located there, only 6 miles south of the DMZ near a major intersection of highways and rail lines. It was a highly sought, strategic location. 

Given its close proximity to the North, it was a frequent target of their rockets and artillery. Such was the case on October 30, 1968, when some 40 artillery shells rained down on the 3rd Marines stationed there. This is pure speculation on my part, but the NVA must have had some intelligence about where and when to strike on this particular evening. From the declassified command chronology monthly report, the attack claimed 5 casualties in a 1,5 hour time period, the lowest in rank being sergeants.

Sergeant John J Sapienza, and Gunnery Sergeants, James A Vance and Franklin B Gamlin all received wounds from shrapnel. All three survived these wounds. 

Killed in the attack were Master Gunnery Sergeant John Vernon Berg and Sergeant Major Harlan Lee Graham. Also killed, from another Marine unit, was Cpl Richard Eugene Turner.

Berg had served the Marines for 28 years. He was on Guadalcanal and Iwo Jima during World War 2, he fought in Korea, and he was on his third tour in Vietnam. He was a highly respected Marine and had served with distinction and valor. As you can tell by his ribbon rack, he was a Marine's Marine! You will not be forgotten by those who fought along beside you or by those left behind. There is no shortage of very fond remembrances of Berg. His loss affected the lives of many.

Berg 

Graham

There is not much information about Graham and Turner other than a few remembrances, all of which paint them as loved, honorable and missed. There is no doubt that they served their country well. All three of these men who lost their lives that afternoon 48 years ago will be remembered and loved dearly by those they left behind. Let us not forget what they did, how they fought and what they sacrificed for freedom. 

We also want to honor those that survived the attack that day. You are no less highly thought of. You have lived with what happened and had to endure it over and over again. Nothing can replace the friends and leaders you lost. Nothing can replace the time that you've spent mourning and dealing with everything you saw while serving. Nothing I can say could ever come close to making things better for you, but we want you to know, as much as we can, we thank you. 

USS Jarvis (DD-393)

The USS Jarvis was one of eight Bagley-class destroyers(all of which had a rich history) built for the US Navy. It was the second ship named for James C Jarvis, a 13 year old mid-shipman who was killed during the Quasi War with France(his story is hard to believe in itself). It was launched in May of 1937. It was armed with few guns, four 5 inch guns and four .50 cal guns, but it was also armed with two depth charge racks and twelve 21 inch torpedo tubes.

The Jarvis was present during the attack on Pearl Harbor. She was there undergoing minor repairs when the attack started. As much as we know about the disaster that took place that day, the entry in the ship's deck log by Ensign W. F. Greene seems almost comically oblivious to what was happening. It simply said, "0758, hostilities with Japan commenced with air raid on Pearl Harbor. Went to general quarters". The Jarvis actually engaged and shot down four planes that fateful day and received only minor damage before being sent out with others on Anti Submarine Warfare patrols.

She was attached to Task Force 14 and sent to help the Marines defending Wake Island until that operation was cancelled. She was then part of the force including the carrier Lexington, when the oiler USS Neches, dispatched to refuel the group, came under torpedo attack. That attack resulted in the sinking of Neches and the death of 57 of her crew. The Jarvis rescued 182 survivors from that tragedy. She spent the next 4 months escorting around Australia until recalled to the group heading to Guadalcanal.

Jarvis supported troop landings and patrolled the area south of Savo Island until news of an impending attack came in. She then moved out into Ironbottom Sound between Guadalcanal and Florida Island. As the torpedo bombers appeared, the Jarvis fired with all guns. The defense of US ships allowed only 9 of 26 bombers to make it through. As she had maneuvered to protect the, soon doomed, Vincennes, she shot down one of the bombers, but not before it had released a torpedo, which found its mark. The explosion stopped her dead in the water and killed 14 of her crew. She was safely towed to Tulagi and sent 7 injured crewmen to safety.

Heavily damaged, sporting a 50 foot gash in her side, but considered seaworthy, she was ordered to proceed to New Hebrides for repair. Apparantly, because of damaged radios, they never got the order. the skipper decided to head towards Australia for repair and was unnoticed by any other ships as he departed. As she limped near Savo Island, the incoming Japanese attack noticed her and engaged but did no damage. That Japanese group would moments later do major damage to America's fleet in the Battle of Savo Island.

She was spotted just after 3 am by the USS Blue, but waived of help(still no radio communications). A US plane also spotted her just after dawn. That would be the last Americans that saw the USS Jarvis. The Japanese spotter here, and mistaking her for an escaping cruiser from Savo, dispatched 31 planes to intercept. The hit the Jarvis with a barrage of bombs, bullets and torpedoes. According to Japanese records, the Jarvis broke apart and sank at 1 pm on August 9, 1942. None of the 233 men who remained on board survived.

We will never forget those who served and died aboard the USS Jarvis. That last action, while deadly for all aboard, likely saved many others, on damaged ships at Savo, who were the intended target of those 31 planes. As it happened, they were all able to make it to port. The crew of the USS Jarvis laid down their lives in defense of freedom and those others who were fighting for that same cause.

USS Jarvis (DD-393)

USS Quincy (CA-39)

The third ship of our Savo Island group is the USS Quincy. Like her sister ships, the Astoria and the Vincennes, she was a New Orleans Class heavy cruiser. She was slightly smaller than her sister ships, carrying only 807 men, and slightly fewer smaller guns. Launched June 19, 1935, she spent much of her early years in the Atlantic. Protecting American interests during the Spanish Civil War, she helped to evacuate many refugees. She took part in goodwill tours up and down the South American coasts. She also took part in several Fleet Problems, large-scale naval exercises conducted between 1923 and 1940. 

When World War 2 erupted, the Quincy was used from the northern Atlantic to the tip of Africa escorting convoys until the U.S. was drawn in. Upon that, she was retro-fitted and sent to the Pacific as part of the battle group headed for Guadalcanal. Once there, prior to the Marine landing, she destroyed multiple Japanese installations, including an oil field. During the landing, she provided fire support for the 11,000 Marines going ashore.

When the Japanese fleet surprised the American forces patrolling the area on the night of August 9, 1942, the Quincy was just coming to general quarters. Spotlights lit her up and before her gun crews were ready to fire, she was hit. The Quincy was caught in a crossfire from three Japanese ships. As Captain Samuel Moore started turning the ship, she was hit by two torpedoes. The Quincy only managed to fire a couple of salvos before being hit heavily again, killing almost everyone on the bridge, including Moore. One more torpedo strike silenced her guns and left he dead in the water. At 2:38am, less than an hour after the first shots were fired, the Quincy slipped under the water into Ironbottom sound, the first ship sank that night.

370 men died from the USS Quincy and another 167 were wounded. Let us never forget the way these men served and paid such an incredibly heavy price. They were called to fight and they answered the call. This was the first action by almost all of them. The Quincy took part in only this one, tragically, short-lived battle. Thank you to the men who served aboard this ship. As a nation, we should be forever indebted to them and all of the others who fought for our freedoms.

USS Quincy (CA-39)

USS Astoria (CA-34)

The USS Astoria was a sister ship to the USS Vincennes that we featured yesterday. The Astoria was also a New Orleans Class heavy cruiser. She was launched on December 16, 1933. Her crew consisted of 899 men, officers and enlisted. Like the others of her class, she had nine 8 inch and eight 5 inch guns along with several smaller cannons and machine guns.

After commissioning, the Astoria took part in normal peacetime patrols as part of cruiser divisions 7 and 6. In March of 1939, she delivered the remains of Japanese Ambassador Hiroshi Saito back to Japan in an effort to express gratitude to Japan for having done the same for our deceased ambassador, Edgar Bancroft, 13 years earlier. She was then assigned to Pearl Harbor and began patrols between there and Midway. When Pearl Harbor was attack, the Astoria was about 700 miles away. Soon after, she was part of a task force sent to rescue the Marines at Wake Island. That operation was unfortunately recalled and the island fell into the hands of the Japanese and started four years of hell for those Marines and civilians stationed there. There was also a plan, soon after to bombard the island, but the oiler accompanying the force was torpedoed. Without the fuel, they had to abort that mission also.

The next series of events, culminating with Japanese landings on New Guinea, saw the Astoria being shuffle from aborted mission to aborted mission. Things changed daily in the early days of the Pacific war. There mission became threefold around New Guinea, they were to protect the flank of the carriers, to shield Port Moresby from further enemy thrusts, and to cover the arrival of the Army at Noumea. That operation sunk 4 Japanese ships and heavily damaged 6 more. It was devastating for Japan for that and for slowing the timetable for their attacks. Japan dispatched two more carriers while the US was bolstering its forces as well. This led to the Battle of the Coral Sea. During this battle, the Astoria took part in multiple battles that saw significant loss to both sides, culminating with the loss of the carrier USS Lexington. It did prevent the Japanese from achieving the objective of Port Moresby, however. After this, the Astoria departed for Pearl Harbor again. After 3 days, she left again, with the hasily repaired USS Lexington carrier group. The headed toward Midway island.

During the Battle of Midway, the men of the Astoria fought valiantly to defend the group, specifically, the carrier USS Yorktown. Volley after volley of Japanese attacks finally caused the Yorktown to succumb and abandon ship. She was left floating until after the Japanese retreat, one sub snuck in and delivered the final blow, sinking the carrier on June 7, 1942. The Astoria had scored multiple victories over enemy aircraft during the battle.

After going through repairs and re-fits at Pearl Harbor, the Astoria headed for Guadalcanal. There, she defended from multiple counter attacks as the Marines landed. The Japanese force managed to sneak up on the Astoria, which was situated as the northern watch along with the Vincennes and the Quincy off of Savo Island.

The first four salvos missed their mark, but the fifth scored a direct hit on the Astoria's superstructure. It was also quickly hit in the number one turret and the airplane hangar, which started a very bright fire that illuminated the ship. For the next 35 minutes, she was pounded severely until she lost all power and lay dead in the water. At that moment, the Japanese inexplicably turned and fled. The crew battled for over 10 hours to fight the fires and save the ship, but were unable to do so as she slipped underneath the water and into Ironbottom sound just after noon on August 9, 1942.

Officially, the lives lost from the USS Astoria stands at 219. However, further research from Brent Jones, which can be found on his wonderful Astoria tribute site, has the number lost at 234. Those heros names can be found on Brent's site, USS Astoria. You can visit the entire site here. He has done a wonderful job in helping us to remember these men and those that survived the Battle of Savo Island. And that, we should do, never forget the service of these men and the price they paid for it.

USS Astoria (CA-34)

USS Vincennes (CA-44)

The Battle of Savo Island took place as part of the battle for Guadalcanal during August 8-9, 1942. During the Savo battle, three heavy cruisers were sunk and one was heavily damaged, two destroyers were also heavily damaged and 1077 men were lost.

The USS Vincennes was a New Orleans Class Heavy Cruiser launched May, 21, 1936. It was outfitted with nine 8 inch guns and eight 5 inch guns along with several other smaller guns and machine guns. It also had 4 float planes on board. The Vincennes carried a crew of 952, officers and enlisted.

The Vincennes was part of Task Force 18, built around the USS Hornet. As such, it was an escort during the famed Doolittle Raid over Tokyo on April 18, 1942. That mission didn't inflict significant materiel damage on the Japanese homeland, but it sent a very strong message, "you are not untouchable".

A few months later, during early June, the Vincennes had joined up with a large force that was approaching Midway Island. During that battle, she took part by shooting down at least two Japanese planes and taking part in what turned out to be a failed screening of the USS Yorktown. A Japanese sub eventually slipped through and torpedoed the listing Yorktown and the destroyed Hammann. Those ships lost 141 men and 80 men respectively. The Japanese lost far more ships and men in the decisive US victory.

In August, the Vincennes was part of a large group sitting offshore of Guadalcanal. She took part in the pre-landing bombardment and the defense of subsequent Japanese aerial counter-attacks. During those defenses, she shot down at least nine, including seven Japanese "Betty" GM4 bombers. Later that afternoon, US reconnaissance spotted a group of Japanese ships heading south towards the group.

The Vincennes was placed alongside her sister ships, the USS Astoria and the USS Quincy as part of a blocking force designed to protect the remaining landing craft which were going ashore. They were part of a force of 8 cruisers and 15 destroyers positioned around Savo Island. They were expecting a dawn air attacks launched from the approaching ships. Instead, the Japanese attacked during the middle of the night with the guns and torpedoes aboard their ships.

Of the ships gathered in the area, on 5 cruisers and 7 destroyers were close enough to be involved. Most of those were part of the southern point of attack, the three sister ships sat by themselves to the north. At 1:45am, the crews saw flashes and heard the guns firing to the south. They were unaware of the force headed north to engage them.

At 1:55, Japanese searchlights lit up the Vincennes. They responded with shells from her heavy guns towards the lights. Less than a minute later, the Japanese shells began falling on the Vincennes. Several key areas were hit, including the radio antenna trunks, which then prevented several orders from reaching vital operations, such as engine rooms. Without the ability to oncrease speed, the Japanese were able to stay homed in and delivered another rounds of direct hits. In an effort to evade the heavy fire, she turned starboard only to be hit with two "Long Lance" torpedoes, each carrying almost an 1100 pound warhead. Direct hits to the engine rooms. The Vincennes now sat dead in the water and began to list. She had been hit 85 times with 8 and 5 inch shells. 

At 2:10, only 15 minutes after the assault began, the Japanese turned and left. only 20 minutes later, the order to abandon ship was given by Captain Frederick Reifkohl. He would later write, "The magnificent Vincennes, which we were all so proud of, and which I had the honor to command since 23 April 1941, rolled over and then sank at about 0250, 9 August 1942, about 2½ miles east of Savo Island ... Solomons Group, in some 500 fathoms [910 m] of water."

The Vincennes lost, amazingly, only 332 men in the dark waters of Iron Bottom Sound that night. With as many shells as hit her, the survivors could truly be thankful that they were not counted as lost as well. In just a few short months, they had been part of 3 highly defining moments of the Pacific war. The Vincennes sank that night and would recieve two battle stars for her short, but dedicated service. The men of the Vincennes played a big role in the early going of World War II. We can be thankful that they what they were asked to do and did so valiantly.

I have searched for a list of the crew but have not been able to find one. Even so, we can still remember what they gave in service to their country. Many paid the ultimate price, and for that were should be forever grateful. They have taken their place in history among many others who were called to service during a time of unimaginable horrors. They answered that call. Thank you, men of the USS Vincennes. Your service will never be forgotten.

USS Vincennes (CA-44

7 Survivors, Photo by M.S. Hennessy