The USS The Sullivans (DD-537) is a legendary Fletcher-class destroyer that carries one of the most poignant and meaningful names in American military history. Commissioned in September 1943, she was the first United States Navy vessel ever named to honor more than a single individual, paying tribute to the five Sullivan brothers from Waterloo, Iowa, who tragically perished together when their ship, the USS Juneau, was sunk during the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal in late 1942. Proudly bearing the family's defiant motto, "We Stick Together," the destroyer served with immense valor in the Pacific Theater during World War II. She screened aircraft carriers during major operations, shot down eight Japanese aircraft, and heavily bombarded enemy positions at Iwo Jima and Okinawa, ultimately earning nine battle stars for her wartime service before going on to earn two more during the Korean War.
After being decommissioned for the final time in 1965, The Sullivans began a new chapter in 1977 when she was donated to the Buffalo and Erie County Naval & Military Park in Buffalo, New York. Standing as a centerpiece of the waterfront museum and a designated National Historic Landmark, the ship has faced significant preservation challenges in recent years due to the region's harsh winter weather. In April 2022, the aging destroyer suffered a severe hull breach below the waterline that caused her to temporarily list and partially sink into the Buffalo River. Following an extensive, multi-million dollar community and government emergency response to patch and right the vessel, The Sullivans was successfully refloated and stabilized, ensuring that this irreplaceable monument to family sacrifice and the "Silent Service" era continues to educate visitors for years to come.
