Explorershave found the remains of the World War II battleship that carried Iowa’s five Sullivan Brothers. The wreckage of the USS Juneau now lies on the bottom of the Pacific Ocean off the coast of the Soloman Islands.
A team of researchers backed by Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist Paul Allen used sonar and a remote underwater camera to find the site of the wreckage, confirming their discovery on St. Patrick's Day.
A Japanese torpedo sank the USS Juneau in 1942 during the Battle of Guadalcanal. The ship exploded and disappeared beneath the water in a matter of minutes, killing many crew members instantly. A total of 687 died in the destruction, including the five Sullivan brothers from Waterloo.
Christy Decker is with the Grout Museum District in Waterloo, which manages the Sullivan Brothers Iowa Veterans Museum. She says the discovery is bittersweet.
"My initial reaction was excitement, like 'Oh my gosh! This really happened!' It almost felt like it was a movie or something. The innovation and technology is exciting," Decker said.
But she says the discovery is sobering as well.
“That kind of a memory, the day that you find out that the ship had sunk and that your loved one is indeed deceased, that’s not a day that you ever forget," Decker said. "This is kind of one of those days I think that does bring it back, but also provides that…maybe that feeling of closure."
Only 10 sailors survived the sinking. Due to lapses in communication and fears of a subsequent attack, it took U.S. forces eight days to rescue them. The Navy estimates 100 others died waiting to be rescued. Decker says her thoughts are with the families and loved ones of those who were affected by the tragedy.
“Whether at this point it’s a grand…grandchild or maybe even a sister or a brother or a spouse that is still living today 75 years later. It’s…you just really wonder how they’re reacting and how’s it affecting them," Decker said.
You can watch USS Juneau survivor Seaman First Class Wyatt Butterfield recall his experiences here.
George, Francis, Joseph, Madison and Albert Sullivan insisted on serving together, despite a military policy against it. In a letter requesting permission for the placement, George wrote in part "As a bunch, there is no-body that can beat us." When the brothers died, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt personally sent his condolences to the Sullivan family in Waterloo.
