1. GEORGIA'S BEST-KEPT SECRET
The town can best be described as 'The Way A City Oughta Be', a visually delicious city in the process of downtown preservation and restoration, where history is a living presence. Brick-lined pathways are bordered with azaleas while her streets are widely divided with rows of Cypress and Elm trees sweeping above the sidewalks, lending them an elegant shading. Her architecture abounds with wrought-iron balconies, fences and ornamental work that lend her buildings a reflection of Southern grace, gentility and craftmanship, the latter being a missing ingredient in functional city and government structures, North and South. In the Historic District one cannot drive two blocks without encountering a park square through which motorists must slowly negotiate. But Georgia's best-kept secret is her large Irish community in Savannah, a town with long links to Wexford.
Beginning in the mid-1830's a mass of Irish came in direct response to work opportunities. Ill-fated canal projects and the 1830 Central of Georgia Railroad project, completed in 1843, contributed to a fifteen year expansion of the regional economy. The majority of Savannah's Irish came from only six of Ireland's thirty-two counties, Wexford, Cork, Mayo, Tipperary, Cavan and Kerry. The strong link to Wexford provided "acquaintance, kinship and remittances."
By 1850 nearly half of the foreign-born and 55% of the Irish born were living in the middle Atlantic states; 13% of the foreign-born and 10% of the Irish-born were living in the South. Settling in Savannah, the Irish found two communities to make an adjustment to - the black community and the white, the former being quite a complicated relationship. While living in the same parts of the city, they had a limited socialization; it is reported they were extremely complicated. They lived in the same parts of the city where they engaged in a underground economy (black market) in which alcohol was reportedly the most important commodity. Tobacco, linens, foodstuffs and the like were undoubtedly bartered as well.
The upper class Irish, most of whom arrived much earlier than the working-class Irish, apparently shared the racial outlook of their social/economic peers among native-born Southerners. The Irish working-class were a bit closer to the earth. They departed from the their church's pro-slavery teachings and seemed to willingly "punch holes in the restrictions of the law and custom that separated white from black." Because the Irish 'knew their place' as they moved in this social structure, they suffered no successful, extensive nativist backlash. However, they were condemned for "trading with slaves and for fighting with freed blacks."
Savannah grew in the quarter century before the Civil War. "The relative shortage of free black or slave labor in the city created employment opportunities in which the Irish immigrants eagerly took up. Thus in some respects they did not have to fully compete with slave labor. By 1860 the southern share of foreign-born actually declined to 12% while the proportion of Irish-born in the South increased to 11%. 1840 to 1852 were peak years of immigrant arrivals. By 1850 Irish-born were 10% of Savannah's population and 19% of it's white population. By 1861 the Irish were 'neither masters nor slaves in most cases but no longer strangers either.
A Hibernian Society had been established and on March 17, 1813 they marched in a procession to the Independent Presbyterian Church. Speaking of their St. Patrick's Day Parade, Don Fallin said, "In Georgia we've never had enough Pipe Bands to make it a happy a parade as we wish it to be; we could use a few more," he said. "In the local area we don't have participation of units in the area like there are in the North and the Northeast." Fallin knows that many available pipe bands want to go to New York City or other large cities on St. Patrick's Day but feels that "if we can entice people to come down and go to another Southern parade, there are three; one within 35 or 40 miles, one within 125 and another within 250 miles; if we can get 'em to come down and participate in two parades, maybe that would be an enticement." Any other enticements for pipe bands to come to Savannah for St. Patrick's Day? Fallin smiled and said, "It's sportcoat weather here on St. Patrick's Day."
History is alive in Savannah. The city played an important role in the Revolutionary War and the "War of Northern Aggression" is never far from the conscious. Those with family members who fought with the Confederacy's Army of Northern Virginia or the Western Army are fully aware of their family's contribution and loss during this momentous event. The 'Jasper Greens' were named after Irish-American Sgt. William Jasper, mortally wounded during the 1778 siege of Savannah. When the Civil War began they went off to fight. The 'Montgomery Guards' became a part of the First Volunteer Regiment of Georgia. One third of this unit were Irish.
John Mahoney, originally from Shelby, NC, has resided in Savannah for twenty years. "My dad, a lawyer and a judge, was a 'Southie' from Boston. We were the only Mahoneys in North Carolina." From 1962 to 1971 he actually ran a St. Patrick's Day Parade in Savannah that consisted of only the Mahoney family." Working as a volunteer at a recent Savannah Irish Festival, Mahoney said, "It's brought together the eleven Irish groups in Savannah. We're doing this to bring the Irish culture to the community." Like many other areas of the country, everybody drank green beer and wore plastic green hats. "That's not the case here," said Mahoney. "Traditional Irish music is brought in regularly at Kevin Barry's Irish Pub on River Street and the Ancient Order of Hibernians (AOH) sponsors 'The Thistle and Shamrock' radio show. That takes a good deal of our effort to do it but we think it's really important to bring the culture to the community." The show is heard in Savannah every Saturday at 8pm, 9l.1. "Anybody reading the Irish Echo Newspaper is invited to next year's Festival.
Southern hospitality and a friendly Irish community here will make anyone feel comfortable." As Part of the Savannah Festival the Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians sponsors a poster contest for schoolchildren, awarding prizes and honorable mention in several categories. It involves youngsters in their Irishness as well as current events in the Irish community, and provides festival-goers with an art exhibit, all of which is colorful and impressive. It's the first time this writer has seen anyone do this and I certainly encourage other festivals to do likewise.
Robert Buttimer (Bobby) is past-Chairman of the Festival committee. He is quoted in Savannah's 'Scene' magazine: "The Savannah Irish Savannah Festival focuses more on the arts, on educating people in Irish culture. The parade committee has made great efforts in years to stop the commercialization of the parade. What we would like to be is a complement to the parade, never to compete. We open the St. Patrick's Day season the third weekend in February. Every weekend from then on is filled with local Irish events." Kevin Barry's is definitely the center of the trad music scene in Savannah.
Owned and operated by Queens, N.Y. native Vic Powers, we were treated to his rendition of 'Kelly, the boy from Killane.' After each evening's Festival performance the crowd gathered at Barry's for impromptu performances by musicians that have included the Makem Brothers. A new act (for this writer) was the Dady Brothers, John and Joe, from Rochester, NY Their musical talent is spread between fiddle, guitar, tin whistle and bodhran but it's their on-stage antics that freshen a stage and bring smiles to young and not-so-young alike. We'd love to see them at an Ohio Irish festival. While there were many talented performers, honorable mention goes to the Buddy O'Reilly Band, who put in a fine performance of traditional Irish music. And, of course, it's always fun to meet one's namesake.
We met John and Mary Ellen Sullivan, who reside in Savannah. And then there was the lively and talkative Jack Sullivan, proprietor of an Irish shop in Lafayette, NJ. Introducing myself he said, "I knew you were a Sullivan. You can tell a Sullivan by the eyebrows." I guess he was referring to those new, black Savannah curly strands growing from mine. Hmmm, they say when I reach puberty that'll stop. As our Irish luck would have it, we didn't see sunshine from Friday through Monday. When we left on Tuesday the sun peeked through the clouds. However, it certainly didn't dampen the Irish spirit in the least. The Irish community, as well as the vast crowd of visitors, is large, active and spirited. And John Mahoney is right. Between Southern hospitality and Irish friendliness, we felt right at home in Savannah.
2. SAVANNAH'S MOST INTERESTING IRISH-AMERICAN
Throughout our lives we meet 'Irish' people. Some are native-born, some are Irish-Americans. Some we soon forget, some we can never forget. Savannah's Irish poet laureate, Jimmy Buttimer, falls into this latter category. At this writing he was enrolled in a Masters Program (History), a subject he's always been interested in.
During the last few years of his life, the entire family took care of their grandfather, Patrick Joseph Buttimer. They talked a great deal about his childhood in Savannah. "He knew his grandfather, the original emigrant from Cork, and his name was also Patrick Joseph. So I started to research a lot to do with the family and a lot of the records I found intact on his life were his service records in the Confederate Army."
Jimmy followed the history of his regiment and found a diary of one of the members that had some really remarkable passages in there about the Irish in the unit. They made up about a third of it. "I went ahead from there and added imagination to the facts that I found but my poetry is all based on primary sources and materials. He was in a unit called the First Georgia Regulars. They were a unique regiment, probably the crackerjack regiment. They were sent from Georgia to Virginia early in the war," Buttimer said. He continued. "They had professional discipline; the officers were from the best, well-known families in the State. They were very strict in their discipline and training and so they were much more professional than many other units in existence at the beginning of the war. They were recruited, a large number of them, from Irish dockworkers here in Savannah. Instead of a regional pool they were created statewide and sent up to Virginia in service of the Army of Northern Virginia (Confederate)."
One evening during Savannah's recent Irish Festival Buttimer took the stage at Kevin Barry's Pub on River Street. A hush fell over the crowd and a shh went out from them in an attempt to deaden the chatter from the next door bar. "To Have A History," is a tribute to his great-great grandfather. Speaking with a brogue that an American would be hard pressed to discern as not being native to Ireland, he begins.
"Now I have heard the different camps proclaim their honor and these same men would seek to find the first wrong on a field of carnage. So as to say that one was Cain, the other Abel. But I was there to live the hate, to smell the fear and heed the slaughter and here's the Hell of it.
We murdered them and they murdered us and that was our war in the Deep South when we were fighting the Negroes.On John's Island we were pressed by a vast host of Negroes. They carried the works on our right flank and murdered the wounded Stono Scouts before our eyes.But their victory was short as we counterattacked and the men went red-eyed mad with rage.
We shot the captives where they stood or hunted them down in the tall grass to finish them off with clubbed rifles and bayonets.And we would have killed them all but for our officers who beat us with their swords."
Midway through his poem Buttimer pauses to catch his breath and compose himself, temporarily overwhelmed by the deep emotions he feels. Flashing eyes reveal the inner passion of his deeply-felt West Cork Irish roots. After a few moments he continues.
"In quiet moments long removed that hellish day is with me. 'Twas there I heard the sound of blood lapping from throat to earth and saw the bodies arch and heave with each fresh gout of blood.And now I'm back in the Old Fort with the Negroes and the Irish as before the war.
And my neighbor comes from Africa with ritual scars upon his face as a sign of his people.And now his son runs with my son as two-legged pups through the dusty lanes.
And I often stop and wonder...at the quareness of it all. At times like these my heart is troubled and I walk the few blocks to the river. And I watch its currents moil.'Tis a great, muddy beast of a river...'Tis the lifeblood of God, and it carries the sins of the world.
What was it drove my hand to murder?Was it truly the love of one thing and the hatred of another? Or did the priest say more than he knew? We are made in His image. We are made in His image.So ye that would seek the first wrong on a field of carnage content yourself with what ye find.
But I would tell ye as ye do not know, that murder is murder and a history is a hard thing to have."
Buttimer has begun a series of poems that will be melded to other prints he has in mind that will relate to Irish service in the Army of Northern Virginia. "I've taken the life of my great-great grandfather more as a template and added my own imagination as to how the Irish might have felt in a particular situation and I chronicled their mingling with the black population that they lived with in Savannah, as well as the native white population, the 'crackers.' (From the Irish world Craic - meaning fun). "They fought in every state from Maryland to Florida and they're the only unit I know that had done that. They served two years in Virginia and came back just prior to the Gettysburg Campaign. Out of the 660 men that left, 150 came back. They regrouped with conscripts."
When asked why they fought, Buttimer doesn't provide you with a simple answer. "They deemed they were a uncommonly hard lot. When they came here during the years of the 'Great Hunger' and dispersal, exile and mass starvation, they were the survivors of that very horrible and brutal holocaust. When they got to Savannah there was a very caring priest here, Fr. Jeremiah O'Neil. He helped establish a fund for the support of Daniel O'Connell and his campaign to repeal the union with Great Britain."
Buttimer reported that the local Irish raised a large sum of money, which he thinks was particularly noteworthy since their community was living in poverty. "At this stage what the Irish saw of the situation of the slaves was they were better fed, in better health, better clothed, better cared for, possessing a rich cultural life. The Irish didn't see themselves being in any better position and, in fact, many of them were in much worse shape, and so when Fr. O'Neil met the 'Great Emancipator' in Ireland, O'Connell upbraided him on his silence on the issue of slavery. Fr. O'Neill told him he needed to concentrate on raising the living standards of the Irish peasantry to the level of the black slaves in Savannah. So, it's a very complex issue. They saw this not as an issue of slavery. They were more or less viewed suspiciously by the native population, wondering where their sympathies were. It was basically a 'are you for us or agin us?' They signed up in record numbers and supported the efforts of their new found communities."
The Buttimer family hails from West Cork. "They took care of me when I visited them and made me feel very welcome. I did meet the Buttimers around Kilmichael and Dunmanway in West Cork." He's attempted to pick up the traces of when the great dispersal occurred but it was so massive and so many records have been destroyed or lost it's difficult to find out exactly where in West Cork the family is from. Buttimer says the first mention of the name in Irish records is 1601. "There was a group of 'Whiteboys', who were pardoned by Queen Elizabeth. "One of 'em was a Buttimer from Cork" It is interesting to note that one of the nationalist groups in Ireland the A.O.H. is descended from is the "Whiteboys".
The name (Bottymer) is also familiar around the Lake country in England. "I think the Buttimers might have originally been part of a failed plantation in Cork in the mid 16th century and became 'more Irish than the Irish themselves.' They're very staunch Republicans, the very salt of the earth. Very strong religious vocations.And we love sports. What I've seen in Ireland they're very active in sports and in the community," he said. Sounding like he's family, I commented that I didn't know if the Sullivans had Buttimer blood or the Buttimers had Sullivan blood. Not surprisingly, Buttimer said, "Let me tell you, my great-great grandmother, the wife of Patrick Joseph, was Mary Sullivan from Kerry. She was born in transit in the ship in the ocean. This has survived in the oral history of our family so there's no records of it."
Being a full-time student didn't provide Buttimer with a lot of time nor funds to promote his work. However, interested readers can obtain a print of 'Irish Rebels in the First Georgia Regulars, the Evacuation of Savannah, December 20, 1864', by Stephen Schildbach. On this print is another of Buttimer's poems, 'The Partings.' Interested readers can obtain a copy by contacting him in Savannah.
Sources for Savannah-Irish History:
History of the Hibernian Society of Savannah, 1812-1912, Savannah, Braid & Hutton, 1912.
Hibernia America, Dennis Clark, The Irish and Regional Cultures, Contributions in Ethnic Studies, Westport, CN, Greenwood Press, 1986.
"The South's Irish Catholics, A case of cultural confinement", Catholics in the Old South, Editor Randall N. Miller & Jon L. Wakelyn. Macon Mercer University Press, 1983.
'Strangers & Citizens, Irish Community in Savannah, 1837-1861', UMI Disseration Information Service, a Bell & Howell; Howell Information Company, 300 North Zeeb, Ann Arbor, MI 48106 313 761 4700,
Thursday, October 1, 2009
FATHER'S DAY
by
J C Sullivan, Ohio, USA
Each year the month of June usually tells me warm weather is here for real. And it's the month that celebrates a day that continues to make me confront conflicting feelings - Father's Day. Although I knew more than one man as my father, each occupied the same physical body. Memories are bittersweet and span many years.
True to his Scorpio nature, Da was an enigma to his family and perhaps to himself as well. We never knew much about his youth; he shared few memories about growing up. Maybe his youth, like mine, contained many bittersweet or painful memories and feelings. A family member once told me that when his younger sister Kitty died during the flu epidemic of 1918, during World War One, his mother told him it should've been him who died instead of her.
We know that after graduating from Cathedral Latin High School in 1929 he disappeared from Cleveland, never telling anyone in the family what he was planning. They eventually heard from him; he'd hitchhiked,or rode rails, West with a friend. While there he attended the University of New Mexico and apparently fell ill with a mysterious malady. We don't know if it was of a physical or spiritual nature, perhaps it was both. He returned home to Ohio when he recovered.
We've a photograph of him in his Army uniform, wearing a Sam Browne Belt and packing a forty-five caliber pistol. It was taken during the Depression years when work for most American men just wasn't available. While on temporary duty at Fort Knox, Kentucky, at a U.S.O. dance, he met a bright, spirited and beautiful Irish-American lass from Louisville. Later, against the wishes of her family, because she was so young, they married in Louisville's St. Patrick's Church, in the Irish district called Portland, and he brought her home to Cleveland. His bride, from a city at least as old as Cleveland, was insulted when my grandmother attempted to explain to her what traffic signals were.
The first father I remember was a quiet, fearless hero. He had an athletic build and was darkly handsome. During, or immediately after World War Two, a fire broke out on our street, Shelley Court, in the Berea projects where we lived. With a blanket over him for protection, he crawled in and rescued two sisters. Unfortunately, their mother, whose husband was away in the Navy, died in the fire. I still have the framed oil the sisters painted and later presented to him in gratitude for his selfless act. My mother told me she'd been upset the following day when the newspaper story mispelled Da's name.
This first father, the one who enjoyed taking his sons with him, occupies my first conscious memories. Shortly after the end of World War Two he took my brother and me through the 'bomber plant', which is now Brookpark's I-X Center. We felt privileged among our peers, as if a heretofore secret world had been revealed to us. We'd seen part of the adult world; bodies of aircraft in various stages of construction; we saw what some people did 'at work.'
This first father enjoyed taking his sons on the bus to Hopkins International Airport. Together we watched aircraft take off and land. Da would identify the planes as they taxied. "That's a C-47, the military version of the DC-3," he would say, pointing out an olive-drab colored warbird. We people-watched bodies scurrying to and from important places, where we imagined they did important things. He topped-off our day of simple pleasures with lunch with at the airport restaurant. That made US feel important, as if we were part of a bigger world, and had only paused in Cleveland to refuel our bodies.
This was the father that made my brother and me Cleveland Browns football fans. The first 'real' fight we ever witnessed was in the 'Dawg Pound', the bleacher section at Cleveland Stadium. In those days, when the Browns were perennial champions, there was never a screen raised behind the goal posts to prevent the football from going into the stands. If you caught the football after it was kicked there, you kept it. After one such kick, two men were violently disagreeing on who was going to keep the football. My memories with this father are treasures, before our family grew to nine children, and life's stresses apparently molded him into another man.
This later father sought activities in which perhaps he sought personal therapy and relevance, or even flight from personal demons. He no longer included his sons in activities. I can't recall that he ever attended one of my baseball or basketball games. Nor did he share his feelings about things. Except when he was angry or upset about something, which seemed to be frequent. We never had a one-on-one dialogue, the kind of talk in which fathers reveal to their sons how men naturally communicate and express feelings to each other. Instead, he seemed to retreat to other activities and adult toys that occupied his time, talent and energy; like the black Royal manual typewriter perched atop his basement desk. I often think how he would love using my personal computer, word-processing software and Seikosha printer.
From his subterranean desk, his solitude next to the furnace, a few feet from the ever-present mound of soiled clothing from our family of nine children, he banged out letters on his old black, Underwood typewriter and wrote - the White House, Congress and friends around the world, especially missionary friends in Patna, India. During the '50s he was published in an international Catholic newspaper when he'd written that, in an attempt to convert him, Americans should send Russia's Joe Stalin a Christmas card. The editor, apparently sensing there would be reaction, added his postscripts about what the "guy named Sullivan" was had to say. The editor's instincts were right on the money because reaction, indeed, came in - from all over the world. Most suggested Da needed psychiatric counseling.
In what must have been a half-hearted venture, he apparently ran for political office once. I recall seeing a letter offering him condolences of sort on his unsuccessful run for Governor of Ohio. No one else in the family knew about this.
As I left my teen years, I departed home for the first time. Later came marriage and eventually children, three daughters. As Da and I both grew older our relationship improved somewhat. He was certainly more laid back after his retirement. My younger brother says Da even attended his own baseball games. However, as men, Da and I were still unable to communicate feelings to each other than those that were on the surface every day. As a result, we blocked ourselves from a fully human relationship.
After an absence of fifteen years he visited me recently in a dream. An overwhelming and indescribable feeling of love filled me when I saw him return. He was with two others; all were engaged in important work, just like his homicide and undercover Detective work in Cleveland had been. They couldn't stay, they didn't have a lot of time. As in life, we two Scorpios still didn't have the right words for each other. Sensing this, and reading my heart, my father took the lead and broke the long silence before leaving again. "But you KNEW I loved you," he said.
"Yes, Dad, I knew," I said, "but you never told me."
My children, now young adults, know I love them...I continue to tell them so.
J C Sullivan, Ohio, USA
Each year the month of June usually tells me warm weather is here for real. And it's the month that celebrates a day that continues to make me confront conflicting feelings - Father's Day. Although I knew more than one man as my father, each occupied the same physical body. Memories are bittersweet and span many years.
True to his Scorpio nature, Da was an enigma to his family and perhaps to himself as well. We never knew much about his youth; he shared few memories about growing up. Maybe his youth, like mine, contained many bittersweet or painful memories and feelings. A family member once told me that when his younger sister Kitty died during the flu epidemic of 1918, during World War One, his mother told him it should've been him who died instead of her.
We know that after graduating from Cathedral Latin High School in 1929 he disappeared from Cleveland, never telling anyone in the family what he was planning. They eventually heard from him; he'd hitchhiked,or rode rails, West with a friend. While there he attended the University of New Mexico and apparently fell ill with a mysterious malady. We don't know if it was of a physical or spiritual nature, perhaps it was both. He returned home to Ohio when he recovered.
We've a photograph of him in his Army uniform, wearing a Sam Browne Belt and packing a forty-five caliber pistol. It was taken during the Depression years when work for most American men just wasn't available. While on temporary duty at Fort Knox, Kentucky, at a U.S.O. dance, he met a bright, spirited and beautiful Irish-American lass from Louisville. Later, against the wishes of her family, because she was so young, they married in Louisville's St. Patrick's Church, in the Irish district called Portland, and he brought her home to Cleveland. His bride, from a city at least as old as Cleveland, was insulted when my grandmother attempted to explain to her what traffic signals were.
The first father I remember was a quiet, fearless hero. He had an athletic build and was darkly handsome. During, or immediately after World War Two, a fire broke out on our street, Shelley Court, in the Berea projects where we lived. With a blanket over him for protection, he crawled in and rescued two sisters. Unfortunately, their mother, whose husband was away in the Navy, died in the fire. I still have the framed oil the sisters painted and later presented to him in gratitude for his selfless act. My mother told me she'd been upset the following day when the newspaper story mispelled Da's name.
This first father, the one who enjoyed taking his sons with him, occupies my first conscious memories. Shortly after the end of World War Two he took my brother and me through the 'bomber plant', which is now Brookpark's I-X Center. We felt privileged among our peers, as if a heretofore secret world had been revealed to us. We'd seen part of the adult world; bodies of aircraft in various stages of construction; we saw what some people did 'at work.'
This first father enjoyed taking his sons on the bus to Hopkins International Airport. Together we watched aircraft take off and land. Da would identify the planes as they taxied. "That's a C-47, the military version of the DC-3," he would say, pointing out an olive-drab colored warbird. We people-watched bodies scurrying to and from important places, where we imagined they did important things. He topped-off our day of simple pleasures with lunch with at the airport restaurant. That made US feel important, as if we were part of a bigger world, and had only paused in Cleveland to refuel our bodies.
This was the father that made my brother and me Cleveland Browns football fans. The first 'real' fight we ever witnessed was in the 'Dawg Pound', the bleacher section at Cleveland Stadium. In those days, when the Browns were perennial champions, there was never a screen raised behind the goal posts to prevent the football from going into the stands. If you caught the football after it was kicked there, you kept it. After one such kick, two men were violently disagreeing on who was going to keep the football. My memories with this father are treasures, before our family grew to nine children, and life's stresses apparently molded him into another man.
This later father sought activities in which perhaps he sought personal therapy and relevance, or even flight from personal demons. He no longer included his sons in activities. I can't recall that he ever attended one of my baseball or basketball games. Nor did he share his feelings about things. Except when he was angry or upset about something, which seemed to be frequent. We never had a one-on-one dialogue, the kind of talk in which fathers reveal to their sons how men naturally communicate and express feelings to each other. Instead, he seemed to retreat to other activities and adult toys that occupied his time, talent and energy; like the black Royal manual typewriter perched atop his basement desk. I often think how he would love using my personal computer, word-processing software and Seikosha printer.
From his subterranean desk, his solitude next to the furnace, a few feet from the ever-present mound of soiled clothing from our family of nine children, he banged out letters on his old black, Underwood typewriter and wrote - the White House, Congress and friends around the world, especially missionary friends in Patna, India. During the '50s he was published in an international Catholic newspaper when he'd written that, in an attempt to convert him, Americans should send Russia's Joe Stalin a Christmas card. The editor, apparently sensing there would be reaction, added his postscripts about what the "guy named Sullivan" was had to say. The editor's instincts were right on the money because reaction, indeed, came in - from all over the world. Most suggested Da needed psychiatric counseling.
In what must have been a half-hearted venture, he apparently ran for political office once. I recall seeing a letter offering him condolences of sort on his unsuccessful run for Governor of Ohio. No one else in the family knew about this.
As I left my teen years, I departed home for the first time. Later came marriage and eventually children, three daughters. As Da and I both grew older our relationship improved somewhat. He was certainly more laid back after his retirement. My younger brother says Da even attended his own baseball games. However, as men, Da and I were still unable to communicate feelings to each other than those that were on the surface every day. As a result, we blocked ourselves from a fully human relationship.
After an absence of fifteen years he visited me recently in a dream. An overwhelming and indescribable feeling of love filled me when I saw him return. He was with two others; all were engaged in important work, just like his homicide and undercover Detective work in Cleveland had been. They couldn't stay, they didn't have a lot of time. As in life, we two Scorpios still didn't have the right words for each other. Sensing this, and reading my heart, my father took the lead and broke the long silence before leaving again. "But you KNEW I loved you," he said.
"Yes, Dad, I knew," I said, "but you never told me."
My children, now young adults, know I love them...I continue to tell them so.
LENEGHAN BOYS BUILD TREE HOUSE
by
J C Sullivan, Ohio, USA
What a grand summer night 'twas. Two Cleveland Indians baseball tickets in hand, me beautiful blond bride of thirty years at me side, crusin' and takin' a detour to check out Cleveland's newest pub before the game. To say the establishment is unique wouldn't do it justice. The Tree House is a creation - of Scott Gurko and brothers Tom and Pete Leneghan, and fueled by a passion to fulfill a dream. They've interspersed plenty of hard work to turn a ninety-year old former bank into a contemporary 'Libation Arboretum.' "Our father gave us our vision and work ethic," said Tom Leneghan, referring to the late Bartley Leneghan, a native of Ballycroy. Their mother is Bridget Campbell Leneghan of Cleveland. "It was unfortunate that he passed away before he could see this project come about. He would've been down here giving us a lot of help. We owe what we have to his upbringing and his good help." The boys father first American pub was the Pride of Erin, which he co-owned with brother-in-law John Campbell. His uncle Chris Campbell, along with cousin Tom McGowan, own the Blarney Stone Tavern, both of which are popular Irish pubs on Lorain Avenue.
"Pete always came over to Ireland," said Pete Leneghan. That's 'Irish Pete' from Westport being quoted, not to be confused with his cousin 'American Pete.' "I befriended him and we ended up being best buddies. We talked about this project in a Dublin pub about five years ago. That day he said to me, 'Someday Pete, I'm going to build a bar. Then one day they rang me up and said, 'Come on over to America. It's happening - we're building it. I came over to give 'em a hand" And it was "Irish Pete" who came up with the name The Tree House.
The Cleveland Leneghan boys have come a long way from their first pub, Westie's Tavern on Cleveland's West 25th Street. We stopped in there once for a cold one and to wish the boys well in what was their new endeavor at the time. We didn't see them that day but a customer from Puerto Rico happened in while we were there. Inquiring of our heritage, we informed him we were Irish. "Oh," he said, "you're the people who ride horses and buggies." Amish and Irish - that's about as close as it got in his world view.
Actually the Puerto Rican fellow wasn't far off the mark if he'd been talking to 'American Pete', who does own a horse and buggy business in New York City, a trade that's dominated by the Irish there. "He's owned the Shamrock Stable for at least seven years," said Bridget Campbell Leneghan. "They work the area of Central Park. The day half of the business is being run by John McGowan (no relation) and another guy works the night half. Pete worked it himself for six years," she said.
'American Pete' is thinking of going back to New York shortly to work the business for the balance of this year. "Christmas and New Year," said brother Tom. "Jimmy Campbell, John's brother, was the owner of the stable. That's how he got involved in the business." Pete worked hard and was able to save some money and buy the day half of the business. "A year or two later he was able to buy the night half. So now he owns the whole medallion." 'American Pete', forever the entrepreneur, recently purchased a new carriage and sent it to New York. "He already brought the old carriage to Cleveland. We're going to refurbish it and put it downtown," Tommy concluded.
So, you've been thinking, why have they named the Cleveland establishment The Tree House? There's a couple of answers to the question. The area in which it's been built - Tremont, is on Cleveland's near West Side. It sits at the corner of College and Professor Avenues, across from St. John Cantius Church. "We decided that the place was a little too nice and we didn't want to intimidate anyone with a stuffy name so my cousin Pete came up with the idea making it sound like a fun place but having nice decor", said Tom's brother 'American Pete ' Leneghan. "It's a comfortable place," brother Tom interjected, "and we have a fun name to go along with that." Tommy recommends Mayo folks who visit Cleveland see the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame and Museum or attend a Cleveland Indians baseball game. "Stop in at The Tree House for a cold one ," he said. "Should they stop before or after the game?" I asked. "Before and after."
The Tree House menu and chef keep within the international tradition the boys have established in getting the project off the ground. Their Palestinian chef is Ayman (no lie) and his menu lists Black Sea Caviar, Mediterraneo and Moroccan Couscous. Lest any visitors bemoan a lack of American fare he also offers the good ole Juicy Greasy Burger. Yee Haw! 'All delicacies are served on a piece of lumber,' the menu reads. 'Prices are up to you! After your meal, you decide!' Well boys, for the sake of yer pocketbook, I hope none of my relatives show up!
'Irish Pete' designed the round tables and the stools that folks sit on. He also laid the patio chessboard. "It'll be one of the first outdoor chessboards in Cleveland. The pieces will be about two feet in height. There'll be two tall chairs on either side of the board. Whoever's playing next will move your pieces."
"He designed a lot of it sitting 'round the bar talkin'," added cousin Tom. 'Irish Pete' responded by saying "Things are hard to do in Ireland but Tom and Pete made it so easy for me over here I just want to thank them."
'Irish Pete's' father, John, is a contractor in Dublin. "He taught me everything I know. My mother, is Mamie (Corrigan) Leneghan from Doona, Ballycroy." Pete's unmarried brother John is a carpenter living in Dublin. His sister Maureen Doyle lives in Dublin as well. Brothers Gerry and Noel, both tradesmen, are married and living in Westport.
"I've learned some more good things about life since I came over," said 'Irish Pete.' "We have a good life in Ireland but we don't realize how good it is until you come over to America; the richness of having land, having freedom; having the ocean right beside you. And I only realized that when I came over here. Everybody's dreams are to go back to Ireland and retire and they just work over here . But they have family - that's what keeps them over here. It just makes me think an awful lot about how much I miss home.
Pete's father was the only one of his family to stay in Ireland. "All his brothers came over. They're doing pretty good. I'm the only one out of my family to come over here and try to make a living. Everybody over here made it good and I think they're more Irish than we are over there. They're keepin' the culture alive over here - it's unbelievable. There's more culture over here than there is in Ireland. That's what I see. The parades, the flags flying outside the houses; I know that's easy to say coming from Ireland but we don't have to do it because we're Irish. We don't realize how much people think about us over in America. Coming over here - it's so easy 'cause everybody wants to help you. And that's nice 'cause if you go over to Ireland we're there for you, too.
"Tremont is the perfect locale for people who are looking for a good time with a variety of places to stop into, places that are at once happening and sophisticated, yet comfortable and congenial," said manager Mike Hurley, as quoted in Downtown Tab magazine. "Tremont is the place they're discovering and The Tree House is one of the jewels in the crown."
J C Sullivan, Ohio, USA
What a grand summer night 'twas. Two Cleveland Indians baseball tickets in hand, me beautiful blond bride of thirty years at me side, crusin' and takin' a detour to check out Cleveland's newest pub before the game. To say the establishment is unique wouldn't do it justice. The Tree House is a creation - of Scott Gurko and brothers Tom and Pete Leneghan, and fueled by a passion to fulfill a dream. They've interspersed plenty of hard work to turn a ninety-year old former bank into a contemporary 'Libation Arboretum.' "Our father gave us our vision and work ethic," said Tom Leneghan, referring to the late Bartley Leneghan, a native of Ballycroy. Their mother is Bridget Campbell Leneghan of Cleveland. "It was unfortunate that he passed away before he could see this project come about. He would've been down here giving us a lot of help. We owe what we have to his upbringing and his good help." The boys father first American pub was the Pride of Erin, which he co-owned with brother-in-law John Campbell. His uncle Chris Campbell, along with cousin Tom McGowan, own the Blarney Stone Tavern, both of which are popular Irish pubs on Lorain Avenue.
"Pete always came over to Ireland," said Pete Leneghan. That's 'Irish Pete' from Westport being quoted, not to be confused with his cousin 'American Pete.' "I befriended him and we ended up being best buddies. We talked about this project in a Dublin pub about five years ago. That day he said to me, 'Someday Pete, I'm going to build a bar. Then one day they rang me up and said, 'Come on over to America. It's happening - we're building it. I came over to give 'em a hand" And it was "Irish Pete" who came up with the name The Tree House.
The Cleveland Leneghan boys have come a long way from their first pub, Westie's Tavern on Cleveland's West 25th Street. We stopped in there once for a cold one and to wish the boys well in what was their new endeavor at the time. We didn't see them that day but a customer from Puerto Rico happened in while we were there. Inquiring of our heritage, we informed him we were Irish. "Oh," he said, "you're the people who ride horses and buggies." Amish and Irish - that's about as close as it got in his world view.
Actually the Puerto Rican fellow wasn't far off the mark if he'd been talking to 'American Pete', who does own a horse and buggy business in New York City, a trade that's dominated by the Irish there. "He's owned the Shamrock Stable for at least seven years," said Bridget Campbell Leneghan. "They work the area of Central Park. The day half of the business is being run by John McGowan (no relation) and another guy works the night half. Pete worked it himself for six years," she said.
'American Pete' is thinking of going back to New York shortly to work the business for the balance of this year. "Christmas and New Year," said brother Tom. "Jimmy Campbell, John's brother, was the owner of the stable. That's how he got involved in the business." Pete worked hard and was able to save some money and buy the day half of the business. "A year or two later he was able to buy the night half. So now he owns the whole medallion." 'American Pete', forever the entrepreneur, recently purchased a new carriage and sent it to New York. "He already brought the old carriage to Cleveland. We're going to refurbish it and put it downtown," Tommy concluded.
So, you've been thinking, why have they named the Cleveland establishment The Tree House? There's a couple of answers to the question. The area in which it's been built - Tremont, is on Cleveland's near West Side. It sits at the corner of College and Professor Avenues, across from St. John Cantius Church. "We decided that the place was a little too nice and we didn't want to intimidate anyone with a stuffy name so my cousin Pete came up with the idea making it sound like a fun place but having nice decor", said Tom's brother 'American Pete ' Leneghan. "It's a comfortable place," brother Tom interjected, "and we have a fun name to go along with that." Tommy recommends Mayo folks who visit Cleveland see the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame and Museum or attend a Cleveland Indians baseball game. "Stop in at The Tree House for a cold one ," he said. "Should they stop before or after the game?" I asked. "Before and after."
The Tree House menu and chef keep within the international tradition the boys have established in getting the project off the ground. Their Palestinian chef is Ayman (no lie) and his menu lists Black Sea Caviar, Mediterraneo and Moroccan Couscous. Lest any visitors bemoan a lack of American fare he also offers the good ole Juicy Greasy Burger. Yee Haw! 'All delicacies are served on a piece of lumber,' the menu reads. 'Prices are up to you! After your meal, you decide!' Well boys, for the sake of yer pocketbook, I hope none of my relatives show up!
'Irish Pete' designed the round tables and the stools that folks sit on. He also laid the patio chessboard. "It'll be one of the first outdoor chessboards in Cleveland. The pieces will be about two feet in height. There'll be two tall chairs on either side of the board. Whoever's playing next will move your pieces."
"He designed a lot of it sitting 'round the bar talkin'," added cousin Tom. 'Irish Pete' responded by saying "Things are hard to do in Ireland but Tom and Pete made it so easy for me over here I just want to thank them."
'Irish Pete's' father, John, is a contractor in Dublin. "He taught me everything I know. My mother, is Mamie (Corrigan) Leneghan from Doona, Ballycroy." Pete's unmarried brother John is a carpenter living in Dublin. His sister Maureen Doyle lives in Dublin as well. Brothers Gerry and Noel, both tradesmen, are married and living in Westport.
"I've learned some more good things about life since I came over," said 'Irish Pete.' "We have a good life in Ireland but we don't realize how good it is until you come over to America; the richness of having land, having freedom; having the ocean right beside you. And I only realized that when I came over here. Everybody's dreams are to go back to Ireland and retire and they just work over here . But they have family - that's what keeps them over here. It just makes me think an awful lot about how much I miss home.
Pete's father was the only one of his family to stay in Ireland. "All his brothers came over. They're doing pretty good. I'm the only one out of my family to come over here and try to make a living. Everybody over here made it good and I think they're more Irish than we are over there. They're keepin' the culture alive over here - it's unbelievable. There's more culture over here than there is in Ireland. That's what I see. The parades, the flags flying outside the houses; I know that's easy to say coming from Ireland but we don't have to do it because we're Irish. We don't realize how much people think about us over in America. Coming over here - it's so easy 'cause everybody wants to help you. And that's nice 'cause if you go over to Ireland we're there for you, too.
"Tremont is the perfect locale for people who are looking for a good time with a variety of places to stop into, places that are at once happening and sophisticated, yet comfortable and congenial," said manager Mike Hurley, as quoted in Downtown Tab magazine. "Tremont is the place they're discovering and The Tree House is one of the jewels in the crown."
O'Donnell Family Continues Christmas Tradition of Giving Back
by J C Sullivan, Ohio, USA
They're like combat veterans in a sense, uncomfortable talking about themselves and what they've experienced. And, like soldiers receiving their deserved decorations, it's left to somebody else to tell you of their deeds. In the case of Cleveland's O'Donnell family, that somebody is me.
For eight years the family has hosted a Christmas get-together where friends and family donate gifts and/or money to underprivileged children and the Catholic Church. What began in their home has expanded to the point that they now rent a hall to accommodate it. This year it will be in the Church Hall of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel on Cleveland's West side. It makes one wonder how it all came about.
"We used to work the soup kitchen at St. Patrick's on Bridge Avenue," said Barbara O'Donnell. "My sister Trish ran it and on the holidays, for about four or five years, the rest of the family all went down there to help where we could. Once we graduated from college there just wasn't any time. So we decided, just for the kids, once a year we'd put this together and accept gifts for underprivileged children or cash for the church if we could."
Trish O'Donnell-Gallagher readily gives credit to their many friends who help stage the ever-growing event. "Everybody does a small little part," she said. "One person's doing coffee, another pastry, another silverware. It's really a shared effort by a lot of friends. That's what makes it work. Everybody helps."
For years, O'Donnell-Gallagher and her sister Maureen ran the Wednesday night free meal program at St. Patrick's Hunger Center. "Little kids would come around and ask if they could help so we'd find little things for them to do. As it got closer to Christmas we'd do things for the kids, like take them sled riding. And we'd say, 'Oh, you better be good.' You know that suburban saying, 'If you're good Santa will come and he'll be good to you."
One year, after Christmas, a particular little boy, about four or five years old, said, 'I must not have been good 'cause Santa didn't come.' "We were dumfounded by what he said", said O'Donnell-Gallagher. "According to the youngster's mother, their family 'fell through the cracks' of then-current programs. So we decided that because our family is so very fortunate that we have each other and hold decent employment, the least we can do is make another child's Christmas."
Despite the O'Donnell family's success, they are no stranger to hardship and sacrifice. They were all quite young when their father died. "I remember liftin' a Christmas tree from somebody's field because we couldn't afford one," said O'Donnell-Gallagher. "We cut it down and hauled it home. If you can make a difference to one person's life...the great thing about this event is nobody knows you're doing it. You can wrap a gift that's five bucks or one that you always wanted that costs seventy. But nobody knows who gave what. All these people here tonight are doing this rally together for the same reason - 'cause we believe."
Matriarch of this energetic, creative and spirited clan is Fran Coyne-O'Donnell, a native Clevelander and first-generation Irish-American. "The three oldest were baptized at St. Patrick's; we lived in the parish. Their father lived nearby when he was growing up in what was called the 'Angle' neighborhood. I'm really pleased to see them putting back into the community."
Recipient, or rather distributor, of the gifts from the O'Donnell family and friends is Father Mark DiNardo, St. Patrick's parish. "We really like Father Mark,' said Barbara O'Donnell. "He's a real good egg, a true priest. He's pretty anonymous and he keeps it anonymous." O'Donnell believes that many want to give at holiday time but they're unsure of who to give because of mistrust.
"The O'Donnells have been a fantastic group people," said Fr. DiNardo. "For a long time, instead of having a Christmas party on their own, where they exchange gifts, they turned the money they would've expended on gifts into contributions for making a Christmas toys or parcels for other families. It's a wonderful, wonderful way that this parish of ours is the recipient of generosity that completely blows my mind. They're super, super people; I love them dearly."
A visitor to last year's rally was local Irish radio personality, Mayo-born Jerry Quinn. The following morning, on his Irish Radio Show, he talked about the O'Donnell party. "They don't publicize it or anything; they just do it out of the goodness of their heart." When he was driving from the party he thought, "With all of the bad things we hear about in the world; it's refreshing to hear that a lot of the people that I know are so good and charitable." He added Eddie O'Donnell appeared to be in charge. "I asked him if he was," said Jerry, "and he said, 'No, not really. We're all working on this together.'" Quinn added that he thought the O'Donnells and friends should be commended for doing such a wonderful thing. "All these people get together, they pay for everything themselves and buy gifts for less fortunate kids at St. Patrick's and they don't publicize or advertise it."
Kati has been the most-recent O'Donnell to visit Ireland. While there she stayed with cousin Annie "Ginger" Lynch and her daughter Margaret Campbell of Achill.
They're like combat veterans in a sense, uncomfortable talking about themselves and what they've experienced. And, like soldiers receiving their deserved decorations, it's left to somebody else to tell you of their deeds. In the case of Cleveland's O'Donnell family, that somebody is me.
For eight years the family has hosted a Christmas get-together where friends and family donate gifts and/or money to underprivileged children and the Catholic Church. What began in their home has expanded to the point that they now rent a hall to accommodate it. This year it will be in the Church Hall of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel on Cleveland's West side. It makes one wonder how it all came about.
"We used to work the soup kitchen at St. Patrick's on Bridge Avenue," said Barbara O'Donnell. "My sister Trish ran it and on the holidays, for about four or five years, the rest of the family all went down there to help where we could. Once we graduated from college there just wasn't any time. So we decided, just for the kids, once a year we'd put this together and accept gifts for underprivileged children or cash for the church if we could."
Trish O'Donnell-Gallagher readily gives credit to their many friends who help stage the ever-growing event. "Everybody does a small little part," she said. "One person's doing coffee, another pastry, another silverware. It's really a shared effort by a lot of friends. That's what makes it work. Everybody helps."
For years, O'Donnell-Gallagher and her sister Maureen ran the Wednesday night free meal program at St. Patrick's Hunger Center. "Little kids would come around and ask if they could help so we'd find little things for them to do. As it got closer to Christmas we'd do things for the kids, like take them sled riding. And we'd say, 'Oh, you better be good.' You know that suburban saying, 'If you're good Santa will come and he'll be good to you."
One year, after Christmas, a particular little boy, about four or five years old, said, 'I must not have been good 'cause Santa didn't come.' "We were dumfounded by what he said", said O'Donnell-Gallagher. "According to the youngster's mother, their family 'fell through the cracks' of then-current programs. So we decided that because our family is so very fortunate that we have each other and hold decent employment, the least we can do is make another child's Christmas."
Despite the O'Donnell family's success, they are no stranger to hardship and sacrifice. They were all quite young when their father died. "I remember liftin' a Christmas tree from somebody's field because we couldn't afford one," said O'Donnell-Gallagher. "We cut it down and hauled it home. If you can make a difference to one person's life...the great thing about this event is nobody knows you're doing it. You can wrap a gift that's five bucks or one that you always wanted that costs seventy. But nobody knows who gave what. All these people here tonight are doing this rally together for the same reason - 'cause we believe."
Matriarch of this energetic, creative and spirited clan is Fran Coyne-O'Donnell, a native Clevelander and first-generation Irish-American. "The three oldest were baptized at St. Patrick's; we lived in the parish. Their father lived nearby when he was growing up in what was called the 'Angle' neighborhood. I'm really pleased to see them putting back into the community."
Recipient, or rather distributor, of the gifts from the O'Donnell family and friends is Father Mark DiNardo, St. Patrick's parish. "We really like Father Mark,' said Barbara O'Donnell. "He's a real good egg, a true priest. He's pretty anonymous and he keeps it anonymous." O'Donnell believes that many want to give at holiday time but they're unsure of who to give because of mistrust.
"The O'Donnells have been a fantastic group people," said Fr. DiNardo. "For a long time, instead of having a Christmas party on their own, where they exchange gifts, they turned the money they would've expended on gifts into contributions for making a Christmas toys or parcels for other families. It's a wonderful, wonderful way that this parish of ours is the recipient of generosity that completely blows my mind. They're super, super people; I love them dearly."
A visitor to last year's rally was local Irish radio personality, Mayo-born Jerry Quinn. The following morning, on his Irish Radio Show, he talked about the O'Donnell party. "They don't publicize it or anything; they just do it out of the goodness of their heart." When he was driving from the party he thought, "With all of the bad things we hear about in the world; it's refreshing to hear that a lot of the people that I know are so good and charitable." He added Eddie O'Donnell appeared to be in charge. "I asked him if he was," said Jerry, "and he said, 'No, not really. We're all working on this together.'" Quinn added that he thought the O'Donnells and friends should be commended for doing such a wonderful thing. "All these people get together, they pay for everything themselves and buy gifts for less fortunate kids at St. Patrick's and they don't publicize or advertise it."
Kati has been the most-recent O'Donnell to visit Ireland. While there she stayed with cousin Annie "Ginger" Lynch and her daughter Margaret Campbell of Achill.
SULLIVANS JOIN US NAVY
by J C Sullivan, Ohio, USA
December 7, 1941 was the "day that will live in infamy, the Japanese bombing of the US Naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. "I remember I was crying a little, Aletta Abel Sullivan said, as reported in the Waterloo Sunday Courier. "Then George said, Well, I guess our minds are made up, aren't they fellows? And, when we go in, we want to go in together. If the worst comes to the worst, why we'll all have gone down together. Serving together in the US Navy became a term of the brothers' enlistment.
Both Gunner's Mate George Sullivan, 27, and Coxswain Francis Sullivan, 25, had four years of prior Navy service. Joe (Red), 23, Matt, 22 and Al., 19, became seamen, second class , when they enlisted and were assigned to the new $13,000,000 light cruiser, Juneau, the first American war ship commissioned in camouflage. Nine months later, during the Battle of Guadacanal, near the Solomon Islands, she was steaming toward base when an explosion sent her to the bottom. Later reports said she'd been torpedoed by a Japanese submarine.
"It just happened all at once and the Juneau was gone, reported an officer who witnessed it from another ship. One of the most extraordinary tragedies which has ever been met by any family in the United States., spoke Henry A. Wallace, Vice President of the United States, referring to the sinking . The Navy issued a statement: "Loss of the five Sullivan brothers ranks as the greatest single blow suffered by any one family since Pearl Harbor and probably in American Naval history. In peacetime the Navy has allowed brothers to serve together but in wartime it has been Navy policy to separate members of the same family. Presence of the five Sullivans aboard the USS Juneau was at the insistence of the brothers themselves and in contradiction to the repeated recommendations of the ship's executive officer. Serving together had been one condition of their enlistment.
The lads were the sons of Thomas F. and Aletta Sullivan., 98 Adams Street. Mr. Sullivan was born on a farm in Taylor Township, Allamakee County, Iowa, near Harpers Ferry, Iowa.
On January 12, 1943 the headlines of the Waterloo Daily Courier screamed SULLIVANS MISSING!
The family were parishioners at St. Mary's Church. A sister, Genevieve, survived them. Al was the only brother to marry. In February, 1941, his wife Katherine bore him a son, James T., who lives today in Waterloo. Quite naturally, he is a Navy veteran.
In their honor a U S Naval Destroyer was named The Sullivans. It earned nine battle stars in the Pacific and two battle stars for action in Korea. The 376-foot, 2,050 ton destroyer has since been decommissioned and in 1977 was dedicated as part of the Naval and Servicemen's Park, Buffalo, New York. Attending the dedication was James Sullivan, his spouse Sally, and their two children, John and Kelly. The ship had been towed from Philadelphia, manned by volunteer crews and financed with a $250,000 state grant to Buffalo's Urban Renewal Agency.
In Iowa a memorial was constructed at Waterloo's 8-acre Sullivan Brothers Memorial Park, Fourth and Adams Street, in which the family homesite is incorporated. It honors the five Sullivan brothers and all of America's fighting men who die in the cause of freedom throughout the world. A pentagonal concrete dais topped with a circular polished granite base supports a bronze shamrock, insignia from the destroyer USS The Sullivans. Today, the Five Sullivan Brothers AOH Division 1 in Waterloo holds an annual ceremony at Sullivan Park following St. Patrick's Day Mass.
On April 17, 1997 Kelly Ann Sullivan Loughren and John Sullivan, grandchildren of Albert and the daughter of James and Sally Sullivan, was a present at Stapleton Pier, Staten Island New York for the formal commissioning into the US Navy of the second The Sullivans (DDG68). Kelly is a schoolteacher at Southdale Elementary School in Cedar Falls, Iowa. The Arleigh Burke Class destroyer, with a crew of 26 officers and 315 sailors, will be commanded by Commander Gerard D. Roncolato. Last year Commander Roncolato visited Waterloo and was escorted by Mike Magee, AOH Five Sullivan Brothers Division 1, Waterloo.
The commissioning week schedule of events began with the arrival of the ship in the vicinity of Verrazano Narrows Bridge on Monday April 14, 1997. New York Stadium hosted Sullivans Day beginning at 7:30pm. April 17th from 2 - 6:30pm was Sullivans Day at Manhattan's Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum (NLUS).
The evening before the commissioning ceremony we visited Staten Island's Sullivan's Pub, owned by the genial former New York City fireman Charley Sullivan. While at Sullivans Pub we personally met some of the USS Sullivans crew who were on liberty that evening. One of them was FC3 Christopher M. Diedrich, Smithville, Texas. Even though he calls himself "Peon", in a self-deprecating fashion, he nonethless possesses a security clearance to work in the Tomahawk Missile area of the ship. "We were off the coast of Maine practicing the drills that would allow us to pass certification to travel the seas," he said. " At the moment that Commander Roncolato announced to us over the loudspeaker that we had indeed passed certification, crewmembers on deck noticed an American bald eagle circling the mast of the ship. It caused all to have their hearts raise up into their throats."
The following morning, April 20, 1997, we sat not more than five miles from where the five Sullivan brothers ship, the Juneau, was commissioned in 1942. We sat among thousands who were there to witness the commissioning of the new USS the Sullivans, DDG 68. It carries the motto of the Sullivan Brothers - "We Stick Together."
We were honored to meet the great-grandchildren of the late Thomas Sullivan. Thomas, father of the five lads, was a railroader and belonged to a Chicago Hibernian Division as there were none in Waterloo at the time. Kelly-Sullivan Loughren and John Sullivan are the children of James and Sally Sullivan. James is the son of Albert, the only one of the five brothers who married. "The five Sullivans were common men who made an uncommon sacrifice," Sullivan-Loughren said. "I wish to thank those who decided the ship's name, and also those who have worked so hard to bring her to where she is today, the greatest ship ever built. ...I send my love and prayers to the commander and his crew. May the luck of the Irish always be with you and your crew."
The Commander of the ship, G.D. Roncolato, spoke to the assemblage in an emotion-laden voice. "Today is one of the most significant days in the life of this new warship - she comes alive! Thank you for being here for his memorable occasion. The motto of the Sullivan Brothers, "We Stick Together," lives today in this ship and crew. These young people, two-thirds of whom had never been to sea before and whose average age is a little over 20 years old, have stuck together in a way that has been an inspiration to everyone that has seen them in action. In an era when we are bombarded with bad news about the status and future of our society, you need look no further than this crew to see what is right in America."
Roncolato addressed two survivors from the Juneau sinking, Frank Holmgren, Eatontown, N.J. and Lester Zook, Springfield, Ore. "Your courage is an inspiration to us, he said. He then led the crowd and crew in three cheers for them. Zook later said, "It seems like a long time ago. The Juneau was forgotten for a long time and still would be if it wasn't for the five brothers."
Also on hand was the O'Sullivan, James O'Sullivan, the Master, Droum House, Castletownbeare¸ County Cork. He made a special presentation to Commander Roncolato on behalf of the Sullivan/O'Sullivan clan in Ireland. "I was delighted to come as I'm the chieftain of the O'Sullivans in Ireland and I thought it my duty. I believe their ancestors came from Harjole, Castletownbeare, Co. Cork. There's an old road left there, just a few stones. It's known as Johnny O'Johns. There was a man who had a pub there, Mark Sullivan. He's long since deceased and he always claimed he was related to the five Sullivan Brothers. I've asked Mike Magee of Waterloo to go to the headstone down at Harper's Creek, Iowa and find out if it shows the age at which he died. This would be the grandfather of the five boys. Thomas emigrated with his wife Bridget Agnes and his brother Owen in 1849.
Commenting on the U.S., which he's visited five times, O'Sullivan said, "I like this country. You can talk your mind out without any restrictions. O'Sullivan presented Commander Roncolato with a map of Bantry Bay, a video and a map of Ireland and hopes to greet the ship in Ireland at some point in time. Commander Roncolato hopes that is the case too.
The following morning we all sat dockside on the Stapleton Pier and watched the ship come alive as the she was placed into commission and the crew, in dress uniforms, ran single file off the pier and onboard the ship.
The National President of the AOH in America, Edward J. Wallace, was there for a special presentation. It was his second experience with the commissioning of US Navy vessel. "I was at the USS Barry commissioning two years ago in Alabama, coming from O'Sullivan lineage, it's a personal pleasure for me to participate and meet some of the dignitaries who are here." Wallace added that he was very happy to learn the father of the Sullivan Brothers was a Hibernian. " That makes this day all the more special," he added.
"This is a wonderful day honoring five brave American boys who made the ultimate sacrifice, said Kevin McKernan, Staten Island. "It's a great honor that the Navy has seen fit to bestow on these boys, as well as all Irish Americans."
Chip McLean offered his feelings. "My brothers here on Staten Island are thrilled to have the commissioning of the Sullivans occurring here. We're happy to see so many Hibernians from throughout the nation and extend our hospitality to the National President and those others present here."
Eddie Sullivan, Boland-Berry Division, Cleveland, offered a little humor. "My brother told me we were going out on a boat. I never dreamed it was a Destroyer," he kidded. "I was impressed with the crew and how they understood the history of the original USS Sullivans 537 and the relation to the new ship, DD68. It seems to have brought them together in a family spirit similar to that of the five Sullivan Brothers. They recognize the historical and modern day importance of the unity aboard the vessel."
The Shield. The dark blue and gold represent the sea and excellence. They are also the Navy's tradition colors. Red is emblematic of courage and sacrifice. The five interlaced swords honor the five Sullivan brothers killed in action during WW II and commemorate their spirit of teamwork and patriotism. The upright points of the swords allude to the present ship's combat readiness and its missile system. The boarder reflects unity and the eleven stars represent the battle stars earned by the first USS THE SULLIVANS; nine for WW II and two for the Korean War. The Crest The trident, symbol of sea prowess, symbolizes DDG 68's modern warfare capabilities; the AEGIS and vertical launch system. The fireball underscores the fierce battle of Guadalcanal where the five brothers courageously fought and died together and highlights its firepower of the past and present USS THE SULLIVANS. The inverted wreath, a traditional symbol of the ultimate sacrifice, is in memory of the Sullivan brothers. The shamrock recalls the Irish heritage. The Seal The arms are blazoned in full color upon a white oval enclosed by a dark blue collar edged on the outside with a gold rope and bearing the name "USS THE SULLIVANS" at the top and "DDG 68" in the base in gold.
Working very hard since January has been a member of the Five Sullivan Brothers Division in Waterloo, Iowa , Mike Magee "I feel very privileged to be here. It's a day I've been looking forward to for a long time. I'm looking forward to seeing a lot of people I met in Waterloo in 1992 when we dedicated the Sullivan Convention Center. As a matter of fact, I'm enjoying everything." He introduced us to the mayor of Waterloo.
"We have nearly one hundred people here from our fine city," said Mayor John Rooff. "We think it's an honor to be here on behalf of the citizens of Waterloo to present the silver service to Commander Roncaloto and the USS the Sullivans and to be part of this historic moment. We're pleased to represent all the people of the City of Waterloo, the home of the Sullivans."
The service was acquired and engraved as a result of an initiative by Waterloo attorney Ed Gallagher, Jr., a Navy veteran who organized a 1992 event commemorating the 50th anniversary of the brothers' sacrifice. Gallagher, a member of Waterloo's Five Sullivan Brothers Division, said, as reported in the Waterloo Courier, "...silver service is a traditional gift to naval ships and the service from the original USS The Sullivans, commissioned in 1943 and now decommissioned and docked at a Buffalo, NY military naval park, could not be located." ' Virginia Brown Hogan , Ladies AOH Chairlady of Catholic Action, and Joan Barry Hughes, President of the LAOH on Staten Island, were also dockside. "This is really wonderful. I'm really honored to be here on behalf of the Ladies AOH." Barry-Hughes, a direct descendant of Commodore Barry, was pleased to personally meet Commander Roncolato.
Any doubters of what's best in and about America would have had their eyes and faces brightened by inner and outer light if they, too, had the privilege of seeing and hearing what we saw and heard. America's best were on Staten Island, New York this weekend. No doubt about that!
December 7, 1941 was the "day that will live in infamy, the Japanese bombing of the US Naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. "I remember I was crying a little, Aletta Abel Sullivan said, as reported in the Waterloo Sunday Courier. "Then George said, Well, I guess our minds are made up, aren't they fellows? And, when we go in, we want to go in together. If the worst comes to the worst, why we'll all have gone down together. Serving together in the US Navy became a term of the brothers' enlistment.
Both Gunner's Mate George Sullivan, 27, and Coxswain Francis Sullivan, 25, had four years of prior Navy service. Joe (Red), 23, Matt, 22 and Al., 19, became seamen, second class , when they enlisted and were assigned to the new $13,000,000 light cruiser, Juneau, the first American war ship commissioned in camouflage. Nine months later, during the Battle of Guadacanal, near the Solomon Islands, she was steaming toward base when an explosion sent her to the bottom. Later reports said she'd been torpedoed by a Japanese submarine.
"It just happened all at once and the Juneau was gone, reported an officer who witnessed it from another ship. One of the most extraordinary tragedies which has ever been met by any family in the United States., spoke Henry A. Wallace, Vice President of the United States, referring to the sinking . The Navy issued a statement: "Loss of the five Sullivan brothers ranks as the greatest single blow suffered by any one family since Pearl Harbor and probably in American Naval history. In peacetime the Navy has allowed brothers to serve together but in wartime it has been Navy policy to separate members of the same family. Presence of the five Sullivans aboard the USS Juneau was at the insistence of the brothers themselves and in contradiction to the repeated recommendations of the ship's executive officer. Serving together had been one condition of their enlistment.
The lads were the sons of Thomas F. and Aletta Sullivan., 98 Adams Street. Mr. Sullivan was born on a farm in Taylor Township, Allamakee County, Iowa, near Harpers Ferry, Iowa.
On January 12, 1943 the headlines of the Waterloo Daily Courier screamed SULLIVANS MISSING!
The family were parishioners at St. Mary's Church. A sister, Genevieve, survived them. Al was the only brother to marry. In February, 1941, his wife Katherine bore him a son, James T., who lives today in Waterloo. Quite naturally, he is a Navy veteran.
In their honor a U S Naval Destroyer was named The Sullivans. It earned nine battle stars in the Pacific and two battle stars for action in Korea. The 376-foot, 2,050 ton destroyer has since been decommissioned and in 1977 was dedicated as part of the Naval and Servicemen's Park, Buffalo, New York. Attending the dedication was James Sullivan, his spouse Sally, and their two children, John and Kelly. The ship had been towed from Philadelphia, manned by volunteer crews and financed with a $250,000 state grant to Buffalo's Urban Renewal Agency.
In Iowa a memorial was constructed at Waterloo's 8-acre Sullivan Brothers Memorial Park, Fourth and Adams Street, in which the family homesite is incorporated. It honors the five Sullivan brothers and all of America's fighting men who die in the cause of freedom throughout the world. A pentagonal concrete dais topped with a circular polished granite base supports a bronze shamrock, insignia from the destroyer USS The Sullivans. Today, the Five Sullivan Brothers AOH Division 1 in Waterloo holds an annual ceremony at Sullivan Park following St. Patrick's Day Mass.
On April 17, 1997 Kelly Ann Sullivan Loughren and John Sullivan, grandchildren of Albert and the daughter of James and Sally Sullivan, was a present at Stapleton Pier, Staten Island New York for the formal commissioning into the US Navy of the second The Sullivans (DDG68). Kelly is a schoolteacher at Southdale Elementary School in Cedar Falls, Iowa. The Arleigh Burke Class destroyer, with a crew of 26 officers and 315 sailors, will be commanded by Commander Gerard D. Roncolato. Last year Commander Roncolato visited Waterloo and was escorted by Mike Magee, AOH Five Sullivan Brothers Division 1, Waterloo.
The commissioning week schedule of events began with the arrival of the ship in the vicinity of Verrazano Narrows Bridge on Monday April 14, 1997. New York Stadium hosted Sullivans Day beginning at 7:30pm. April 17th from 2 - 6:30pm was Sullivans Day at Manhattan's Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum (NLUS).
The evening before the commissioning ceremony we visited Staten Island's Sullivan's Pub, owned by the genial former New York City fireman Charley Sullivan. While at Sullivans Pub we personally met some of the USS Sullivans crew who were on liberty that evening. One of them was FC3 Christopher M. Diedrich, Smithville, Texas. Even though he calls himself "Peon", in a self-deprecating fashion, he nonethless possesses a security clearance to work in the Tomahawk Missile area of the ship. "We were off the coast of Maine practicing the drills that would allow us to pass certification to travel the seas," he said. " At the moment that Commander Roncolato announced to us over the loudspeaker that we had indeed passed certification, crewmembers on deck noticed an American bald eagle circling the mast of the ship. It caused all to have their hearts raise up into their throats."
The following morning, April 20, 1997, we sat not more than five miles from where the five Sullivan brothers ship, the Juneau, was commissioned in 1942. We sat among thousands who were there to witness the commissioning of the new USS the Sullivans, DDG 68. It carries the motto of the Sullivan Brothers - "We Stick Together."
We were honored to meet the great-grandchildren of the late Thomas Sullivan. Thomas, father of the five lads, was a railroader and belonged to a Chicago Hibernian Division as there were none in Waterloo at the time. Kelly-Sullivan Loughren and John Sullivan are the children of James and Sally Sullivan. James is the son of Albert, the only one of the five brothers who married. "The five Sullivans were common men who made an uncommon sacrifice," Sullivan-Loughren said. "I wish to thank those who decided the ship's name, and also those who have worked so hard to bring her to where she is today, the greatest ship ever built. ...I send my love and prayers to the commander and his crew. May the luck of the Irish always be with you and your crew."
The Commander of the ship, G.D. Roncolato, spoke to the assemblage in an emotion-laden voice. "Today is one of the most significant days in the life of this new warship - she comes alive! Thank you for being here for his memorable occasion. The motto of the Sullivan Brothers, "We Stick Together," lives today in this ship and crew. These young people, two-thirds of whom had never been to sea before and whose average age is a little over 20 years old, have stuck together in a way that has been an inspiration to everyone that has seen them in action. In an era when we are bombarded with bad news about the status and future of our society, you need look no further than this crew to see what is right in America."
Roncolato addressed two survivors from the Juneau sinking, Frank Holmgren, Eatontown, N.J. and Lester Zook, Springfield, Ore. "Your courage is an inspiration to us, he said. He then led the crowd and crew in three cheers for them. Zook later said, "It seems like a long time ago. The Juneau was forgotten for a long time and still would be if it wasn't for the five brothers."
Also on hand was the O'Sullivan, James O'Sullivan, the Master, Droum House, Castletownbeare¸ County Cork. He made a special presentation to Commander Roncolato on behalf of the Sullivan/O'Sullivan clan in Ireland. "I was delighted to come as I'm the chieftain of the O'Sullivans in Ireland and I thought it my duty. I believe their ancestors came from Harjole, Castletownbeare, Co. Cork. There's an old road left there, just a few stones. It's known as Johnny O'Johns. There was a man who had a pub there, Mark Sullivan. He's long since deceased and he always claimed he was related to the five Sullivan Brothers. I've asked Mike Magee of Waterloo to go to the headstone down at Harper's Creek, Iowa and find out if it shows the age at which he died. This would be the grandfather of the five boys. Thomas emigrated with his wife Bridget Agnes and his brother Owen in 1849.
Commenting on the U.S., which he's visited five times, O'Sullivan said, "I like this country. You can talk your mind out without any restrictions. O'Sullivan presented Commander Roncolato with a map of Bantry Bay, a video and a map of Ireland and hopes to greet the ship in Ireland at some point in time. Commander Roncolato hopes that is the case too.
The following morning we all sat dockside on the Stapleton Pier and watched the ship come alive as the she was placed into commission and the crew, in dress uniforms, ran single file off the pier and onboard the ship.
The National President of the AOH in America, Edward J. Wallace, was there for a special presentation. It was his second experience with the commissioning of US Navy vessel. "I was at the USS Barry commissioning two years ago in Alabama, coming from O'Sullivan lineage, it's a personal pleasure for me to participate and meet some of the dignitaries who are here." Wallace added that he was very happy to learn the father of the Sullivan Brothers was a Hibernian. " That makes this day all the more special," he added.
"This is a wonderful day honoring five brave American boys who made the ultimate sacrifice, said Kevin McKernan, Staten Island. "It's a great honor that the Navy has seen fit to bestow on these boys, as well as all Irish Americans."
Chip McLean offered his feelings. "My brothers here on Staten Island are thrilled to have the commissioning of the Sullivans occurring here. We're happy to see so many Hibernians from throughout the nation and extend our hospitality to the National President and those others present here."
Eddie Sullivan, Boland-Berry Division, Cleveland, offered a little humor. "My brother told me we were going out on a boat. I never dreamed it was a Destroyer," he kidded. "I was impressed with the crew and how they understood the history of the original USS Sullivans 537 and the relation to the new ship, DD68. It seems to have brought them together in a family spirit similar to that of the five Sullivan Brothers. They recognize the historical and modern day importance of the unity aboard the vessel."
The Shield. The dark blue and gold represent the sea and excellence. They are also the Navy's tradition colors. Red is emblematic of courage and sacrifice. The five interlaced swords honor the five Sullivan brothers killed in action during WW II and commemorate their spirit of teamwork and patriotism. The upright points of the swords allude to the present ship's combat readiness and its missile system. The boarder reflects unity and the eleven stars represent the battle stars earned by the first USS THE SULLIVANS; nine for WW II and two for the Korean War. The Crest The trident, symbol of sea prowess, symbolizes DDG 68's modern warfare capabilities; the AEGIS and vertical launch system. The fireball underscores the fierce battle of Guadalcanal where the five brothers courageously fought and died together and highlights its firepower of the past and present USS THE SULLIVANS. The inverted wreath, a traditional symbol of the ultimate sacrifice, is in memory of the Sullivan brothers. The shamrock recalls the Irish heritage. The Seal The arms are blazoned in full color upon a white oval enclosed by a dark blue collar edged on the outside with a gold rope and bearing the name "USS THE SULLIVANS" at the top and "DDG 68" in the base in gold.
Working very hard since January has been a member of the Five Sullivan Brothers Division in Waterloo, Iowa , Mike Magee "I feel very privileged to be here. It's a day I've been looking forward to for a long time. I'm looking forward to seeing a lot of people I met in Waterloo in 1992 when we dedicated the Sullivan Convention Center. As a matter of fact, I'm enjoying everything." He introduced us to the mayor of Waterloo.
"We have nearly one hundred people here from our fine city," said Mayor John Rooff. "We think it's an honor to be here on behalf of the citizens of Waterloo to present the silver service to Commander Roncaloto and the USS the Sullivans and to be part of this historic moment. We're pleased to represent all the people of the City of Waterloo, the home of the Sullivans."
The service was acquired and engraved as a result of an initiative by Waterloo attorney Ed Gallagher, Jr., a Navy veteran who organized a 1992 event commemorating the 50th anniversary of the brothers' sacrifice. Gallagher, a member of Waterloo's Five Sullivan Brothers Division, said, as reported in the Waterloo Courier, "...silver service is a traditional gift to naval ships and the service from the original USS The Sullivans, commissioned in 1943 and now decommissioned and docked at a Buffalo, NY military naval park, could not be located." ' Virginia Brown Hogan , Ladies AOH Chairlady of Catholic Action, and Joan Barry Hughes, President of the LAOH on Staten Island, were also dockside. "This is really wonderful. I'm really honored to be here on behalf of the Ladies AOH." Barry-Hughes, a direct descendant of Commodore Barry, was pleased to personally meet Commander Roncolato.
Any doubters of what's best in and about America would have had their eyes and faces brightened by inner and outer light if they, too, had the privilege of seeing and hearing what we saw and heard. America's best were on Staten Island, New York this weekend. No doubt about that!
'We Stick Together" - the story of the Sullivan Brothers of Waterloo, Iowa
by J C Sullivan, Ohio, USA
December 7, 1941 was the "day that will live in infamy," the Japanese bombing of the US Naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. "I remember I was crying a little," Aletta Abel Sullivan said, as reported in the Waterloo Sunday Courier. "Then George said, 'Well, I guess our minds are made up, aren't they fellows? And, when we go in, we want to go in together. If the worst comes to the worst, why we'll all have gone down together.'" Serving together in the US Navy became a term of the brothers' enlistment. Both Gunner's Mate George Sullivan, 27, and Coxswain Francis Sullivan, 25, had four years of prior Navy service. Joe (Red), 23, Matt, 22 and Al., 19, became seamen, second class, when they enlisted and were assigned to the new $13,000,000 light cruiser, Juneau, the first American war ship commissioned in camouflage. Nine months later, during the Battle of Guadacanal, near the Solomon Islands, she was steaming toward base when an explosion sent her to the bottom. Later reports said she'd been torpedoed by a Japanese submarine. On January 12, 1943 the headlines of the Waterloo Daily Courier screamed SULLIVANS MISSING.
"It just happened all at once and the Juneau was gone," reported an officer who witnessed it from another ship "One of the most extraordinary tragedies which has ever been met by any family in the United States.," spoke Henry A. Wallace, Vice President of the United States, referring to the sinking.
The Navy issued a statement: "Loss of the five Sullivan brothers ranks as the greatest single blow suffered by any one family since Pearl Harbor and probably in American Naval history. In peacetime the Navy has allowed brothers to serve together but in wartime it has been Navy policy to separate members of the same family. Presence of the five Sullivans aboard the USS Juneau was at the insistence of the brothers themselves and in contradiction to the repeated recommendations of the ship's executive officer. Serving together had been one condition of their enlistment."
The lads were the sons of Thomas F and Aletta Sullivan., 98 Adams Street. Mr Sullivan, named after his Irish-born grandfather, was born in Harpers Ferry, Dubuque County, Iowa. The family were parishioners at St. Mary's Church. A sister, Genevieve, survived them. Al was the only brother to marry. In February, 1941, his wife Katherine bore him a son, James T., who lives today in Waterloo. Quite naturally, he is a Navy veteran. In their honor a U S Naval Destroyer was named 'The Sullivans'. It earned nine battle stars in the Pacific and two battle stars for action in Korea. The 3760foot, 2,050 ton destroyer has since been decommissioned and in 1977 was dedicated as part of the Naval and Servicemen's Park, Buffalo, New York. Attending the dedication was James Sullivan, his spouse Sally, and their two children, John and Kelly. The ship had been towed from Philadelphia, manned by volunteer crews and financed with a $250,000 state grant to Buffalo's Urban Renewal Agency.
In Iowa a memorial was constructed at Waterloo's 8-acre Sullivan Brothers Memorial Park, Fourth and Adams Street, in which the family homesite is incorporated. It honors the five Sullivan brothers and all of America's fighting men who die in the cause of freedom throughout the world. A pentagonal concrete dais topped with a circular polished granite base supports a bronze shamrock, insignia from the destroyer USS The Sullivans. Today, the Five Sullivan Brothers AOH Division 1 in Waterloo holds an annual ceremony at Sullivan Park following St Patrick's Day Mass.
On April 17, 1997 Kelly Ann Sullivan Loughren, the granddaughter of Albert and the daughter of James and Sally Sullivan, will be present at Stapleton Pier, Staten Island New York for the formal commissioning in the US Navy of the second The Sullivans (DDG68). Kelly is a schoolteacher at Saint Patrick's Catholic School in Cedar Falls, Iowa. The Arleigh Burke Class destroyer, with a crew of 26 officers and 315 sailors, will be commanded by Commander Gerard D. Roncolato. Last year Commander Roncolato visited Waterloo.
The commissioning week schedule of events begins with the arrival of the ship in the vicinity of Verrazano Narrows Bridge on Monday April 14, 1997. New York Stadium will host Sullivans Day beginning at 7:30pm. On April 17th from 2 - 6:30pm there will be Sullivans Day at Manhattan's Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum (NLUS). Sullivan/O'Sullivan families or those with the bloodline are encouraged to turnout.
The formal and colorful commissioning ceremony, Saturday, at 11am (invitation only) will culminate with the invocation of the ship's spirit, followed by a Post Commissioning Reception at Stapleton Pier. There will be general ship visiting all afternoon. Navy and Civilian VIP's will be on hand, along with Newport Navy Band. An AOH contingent from the Waterloo, Iowa Five Sullivan Brothers Division #1 will be present, lead by Mike Magee. On Sunday, April 20, there will be general visiting of the ship from 1 - 4pm.
One-Time Rights to Mayo Alive
Copyright © 1997 J C Sullivan, 9240 Milford Dr, Northfield, OH 44067
Sullivan
December 7, 1941 was the "day that will live in infamy," the Japanese bombing of the US Naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. "I remember I was crying a little," Aletta Abel Sullivan said, as reported in the Waterloo Sunday Courier. "Then George said, 'Well, I guess our minds are made up, aren't they fellows? And, when we go in, we want to go in together. If the worst comes to the worst, why we'll all have gone down together.'" Serving together in the US Navy became a term of the brothers' enlistment. Both Gunner's Mate George Sullivan, 27, and Coxswain Francis Sullivan, 25, had four years of prior Navy service. Joe (Red), 23, Matt, 22 and Al., 19, became seamen, second class, when they enlisted and were assigned to the new $13,000,000 light cruiser, Juneau, the first American war ship commissioned in camouflage. Nine months later, during the Battle of Guadacanal, near the Solomon Islands, she was steaming toward base when an explosion sent her to the bottom. Later reports said she'd been torpedoed by a Japanese submarine. On January 12, 1943 the headlines of the Waterloo Daily Courier screamed SULLIVANS MISSING.
"It just happened all at once and the Juneau was gone," reported an officer who witnessed it from another ship "One of the most extraordinary tragedies which has ever been met by any family in the United States.," spoke Henry A. Wallace, Vice President of the United States, referring to the sinking.
The Navy issued a statement: "Loss of the five Sullivan brothers ranks as the greatest single blow suffered by any one family since Pearl Harbor and probably in American Naval history. In peacetime the Navy has allowed brothers to serve together but in wartime it has been Navy policy to separate members of the same family. Presence of the five Sullivans aboard the USS Juneau was at the insistence of the brothers themselves and in contradiction to the repeated recommendations of the ship's executive officer. Serving together had been one condition of their enlistment."
The lads were the sons of Thomas F and Aletta Sullivan., 98 Adams Street. Mr Sullivan, named after his Irish-born grandfather, was born in Harpers Ferry, Dubuque County, Iowa. The family were parishioners at St. Mary's Church. A sister, Genevieve, survived them. Al was the only brother to marry. In February, 1941, his wife Katherine bore him a son, James T., who lives today in Waterloo. Quite naturally, he is a Navy veteran. In their honor a U S Naval Destroyer was named 'The Sullivans'. It earned nine battle stars in the Pacific and two battle stars for action in Korea. The 3760foot, 2,050 ton destroyer has since been decommissioned and in 1977 was dedicated as part of the Naval and Servicemen's Park, Buffalo, New York. Attending the dedication was James Sullivan, his spouse Sally, and their two children, John and Kelly. The ship had been towed from Philadelphia, manned by volunteer crews and financed with a $250,000 state grant to Buffalo's Urban Renewal Agency.
In Iowa a memorial was constructed at Waterloo's 8-acre Sullivan Brothers Memorial Park, Fourth and Adams Street, in which the family homesite is incorporated. It honors the five Sullivan brothers and all of America's fighting men who die in the cause of freedom throughout the world. A pentagonal concrete dais topped with a circular polished granite base supports a bronze shamrock, insignia from the destroyer USS The Sullivans. Today, the Five Sullivan Brothers AOH Division 1 in Waterloo holds an annual ceremony at Sullivan Park following St Patrick's Day Mass.
On April 17, 1997 Kelly Ann Sullivan Loughren, the granddaughter of Albert and the daughter of James and Sally Sullivan, will be present at Stapleton Pier, Staten Island New York for the formal commissioning in the US Navy of the second The Sullivans (DDG68). Kelly is a schoolteacher at Saint Patrick's Catholic School in Cedar Falls, Iowa. The Arleigh Burke Class destroyer, with a crew of 26 officers and 315 sailors, will be commanded by Commander Gerard D. Roncolato. Last year Commander Roncolato visited Waterloo.
The commissioning week schedule of events begins with the arrival of the ship in the vicinity of Verrazano Narrows Bridge on Monday April 14, 1997. New York Stadium will host Sullivans Day beginning at 7:30pm. On April 17th from 2 - 6:30pm there will be Sullivans Day at Manhattan's Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum (NLUS). Sullivan/O'Sullivan families or those with the bloodline are encouraged to turnout.
The formal and colorful commissioning ceremony, Saturday, at 11am (invitation only) will culminate with the invocation of the ship's spirit, followed by a Post Commissioning Reception at Stapleton Pier. There will be general ship visiting all afternoon. Navy and Civilian VIP's will be on hand, along with Newport Navy Band. An AOH contingent from the Waterloo, Iowa Five Sullivan Brothers Division #1 will be present, lead by Mike Magee. On Sunday, April 20, there will be general visiting of the ship from 1 - 4pm.
One-Time Rights to Mayo Alive
Copyright © 1997 J C Sullivan, 9240 Milford Dr, Northfield, OH 44067
Sullivan
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)