Category: Our Great Kids

Tragic WWII Story of the Sullivan Brothers By Peter Suciu

Post author By Grumpy
Post date July 26, 2026
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Steven Spielberg’s 1998 film Saving Private Ryan is pure Hollywood fiction, but it was inspired by the true — and all too tragic — story of the five Sullivan brothers. The siblings enlisted/re-enlisted in the U.S. Navy following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941 and insisted they serve together on the same warship.

All were killed less than a year later when the Altanta-class light cruiser USS Juneau (CL-52) was sunk at the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal on November 13, 1942.

Sullivan brothers — The “Fighting Sullivan” brothers onboard USS *Juneau* in early 1942. Image: Naval History and Heritage Command

In total, 687 officers and sailors lost their lives as a result of the ship’s sinking, with only 10 survivors rescued after eight days in the water.

Their story was the subject of a 1944 film, while two warships have been named for brothers, and last year, New York Governor Kathy Houchul announced that the Empire State would help fund the restoration of the first of those vessels, which is now preserved as a floating museum outside Buffalo.

The Fighting Sullivans

The Sullivan brothers became national heroes, with President Franklin Roosevelt sending a letter of condolence to their parents, while Pope Pius XII sent a rosary with his message of regret.

Their story was told in the film “The Fighting Sullivans.” The semi-fictionalized account of brothers George, Frank, Joe, Matt, and Al saw them from their upbringing in Waterloo, Iowa, to their enlisting in the Navy after learning of the death of their friend Bill Ball — also boyfriend of their sister Genevive — while aboard USS Arizona (BB-39) during the Pearl Harbor attack.

USS Juneau — The USS *Juneau* (CL-52) in New York Harbor, during February 1942. Image: Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives

The film didn’t get all the details right, but that didn’t matter. Their sacrifice was no less great.

As noted by the U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command, George and Francis (Frank) had previously enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1937 and served on the destroyer USS Hovey (DD-208) but were discharged before the attack on Pearl Harbor. The Sullivans were also not the only brothers serving on the same ship, and according to The Medal of Honor Hall of Fame there may have been as many as 30 groups of siblings on the USS Juneau.

“The Fighting Sullivans” (spoilers) erroneously suggested that the brothers died together, likely for dramatic effect — although the film leaves the details vague. According to the survivors, Frank, Joe, and Matt were killed instantly when the USS Juneau was struck by a torpedo fired by the Imperial Japanese Navy destroyer Amatsukaze. The torpedo is believed to have hit the thinly armored light cruiser near its ammunition magazine, which caused the ship to blow in half and quickly sink.

USS The Sullivans patch — This emblem of USS *The Sullivans*, seen here as an embroidered patch, was in use in 1962. Note the motto, “we stick together,” and three-leaf clover. Image: Naval History and Heritage Command

Around 100 of the U.S. warship’s crew survived the explosion and were even spotted by a U.S. Army Air Force’s Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress. The aircraft was under strict orders not to break radio silence, and it wasn’t able to report the location of the survivors until after it landed several hours later.

Even worse, due to a mix-up with paperwork, a rescue operation was delayed by several days. Had the message been relayed earlier, it is possible that brother Al, the only one to be married and with a child, and brother George may have been saved.

Instead, Al drowned a day after the warship sank.

George Sullivan is reported to have survived for four or five days in the water, until he likely suffered from delirium from hypernatremia, and jumped out of a life raft and was never seen again. It has been suggested that he may have been “driven insane with grief” after the loss of his brothers and possibly the guilt of being the only one left.

Rogers Brothers — The four Rogers brothers also served on the USS *Juneau*. Weeks before the ship went down, Joseph and James transferred off, avoiding the sinking that claimed their brothers Patrick and Louis, and all five Sullivan brothers. Image: U.S. Navy

Due to wartime security, the U.S. Navy did not reveal the loss of USS Juneau — or other ships, for that matter so as not to provide information to the enemy. After several weeks of not hearing from them, in January 1943, Alleta Sullivan (mother of the five brothers) wrote to the Bureau of Naval Personnel. Soon after, on January 12, the family was told of their fate.

Three men in uniform went to the family house, and the naval officer told Tom Sullivan, “I have some news for you about your boys.”

“Which one,” Tom Sullivan asked.

“I’m sorry,” was the response. “All five.”

“We Stick Together”

Following the deaths of the five Sullivan brothers, the United States Navy announced it would honor their memory by naming a Fletcher-class destroyer in their honor. Originally laid down as Putnam just a month before the sinking of USS Juneau, the ship’s name was initially changed to Sullivan. At the behest of President Roosevelt, the name was changed to honor all five brothers.

USS The Sullivans (DD-537) became the first vessel commissioned by the United States Navy to honor more than one person. Alleta Sullivan was the ship’s sponsor, and the destroyer was given the most fitting of mottos: “We Stick Together.”

DD-537 was commissioned in September 1943 and, following a shakedown and training operations, joined Battleship Division (BatDiv) 9 in early 1944, where she was part of the U.S. Navy’s protective screen for the aircraft carriers USS Essex (CV-9), USS Intrepid (CV-11), and USS Cabot (CVL-22) as the flattops launched nearly continuous raids on the Japanese-held Kwajalein Atoll.

The warship went on to see action in the Battle of the Philippine Sea, engaging Japanese aircraft, and later supported the Leyte landings. The destroyer took part in the U.S. Navy’s invasion of Okinawa while then serving as an escort for USS Enterprise (CV-6).

Her last combat operations of World War II occurred in May 1945, after which USS The Sullivans returned to Mare Island, California, for an overhaul — missing the final combat activity of the war.

Sent to the Pacific Reserve Fleet after the end of World War II, USS The Sullivans was recalled to duty during the Korean War, serving in the screen of fast carriers that supported United Nations (UN) ground forces. As part of the U.S. Navy’s Cold War fleet, the destroyer took part in the U.S. naval blockade of Cuba in October 1962 and was among the vessels that played a role in the investigation following the loss of the nuclear-powered submarine USS Thresher (SSN-593) off the coast of Boston in April 1963.

USS The Sullivans was decommissioned on January 7, 1965 — but remained in the reserve fleet until she was stricken from the Naval Vessel Register in December 1974. The destroyer named for the five brothers who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country received nine battle stars for World War II service and two more for Korean service.

Among the U.S. Navy sailors to serve on USS The Sullivans was James Sullivan, son of youngest brother Al.

Saved as a Museum Ship

In 1977, the retired destroyer — along with the cruiser USS Little Rock (CG-4) were sent to the city of Buffalo, New York, to serve as a floating museum. Today, USS The Sullivans is one of just four surviving Fletcher-class destroyers, along with USS Kidd (DD-661), which is now in Baton Rouge, Louisiana; USS Cassin Young (DD-793), in Boston; and the Greek Navy’s Velos (D16), the former USS Charrette (DD-581), in Palaio Faliro, Greece.

USS The Sullivans deployed on a Mediterranean cruise in 1960 — This photo of the USS *The Sullivans* was taken during a deployment to the Mediterranean Sea in September 1960. Image: National Archives

However, the nearly five decades in the water, along with Buffalo’s harsh winters and hot summers, had taken their toll on the historic vessel. In April 2022, the situation became so bad that USS The Sullivans partially sank at her mooring at the Buffalo & Erie County Naval and Military Park. Though the destroyer was eventually refloated and multiple holes in her hull were patched, it was clear more needed to be done.

At issue was the cost.

Last fall, Governor Hochul announced the Empire State would provide $10 million, helping the military park reach the estimated $21 million needed to send the ship and its Gato-class submarine USS Croaker (SS-246) to dry-dock for much-needed repairs.

Current plans call for the vessels to head to a repair facility in the fall of 2025, with the work expected to be completed by the spring of 2026. The efforts will ensure USS The Sullivans continues to pay homage to the brothers, as well as the other sailors who served in the U.S. Navy during World War II, Korea, and the Cold War.

The Second USS The Sullivans

Though USS The Sullivans was the first U.S. warship to be named for more than a single person, it wasn’t the last — and a second vessel honoring the brothers is now in service.

USS The Sullivans DDG-68 Arleigh Burker class guided missile destroyer — The *Arleigh Burke*-class guided-missile destroyer USS *The Sullivans* (DDG-68) departs Naval Station Mayport in 2024. Image: MC2 Alexa H. Trafton/U.S. Navy

The Arleigh Burke-class Aegis guided-missile destroyer (DDG-68) was built by Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine, and launched in 1995 with Kelly Ann Sullivan, granddaughter of Al Sullivan, as the ship’s sponsor. The vessel was among the escorts of the Royal Navy’s flagship, HMS Queen Elizabeth, during her 2021 deployment to the Indo-Pacific. USS The Sullivans (DDG-68) has been among the U.S. Navy warships sent to the Middle East to bolster the deterrence posture in the region.

battle flag of USS The Sullivans — The battle flag for the USS *The Sullivans* features five gold stars against a white background with a red border to honor the five brothers. Image: MC2 Alexa H. Trafton/U.S. Navy

As with the now-retired destroyer, the motto of the current USS The Sullivans remains “We Stick Together.”

Manly Stuff Our Great Kids

U.S. Air Force Pararescuemen Execute Cargo Drop and Tandem Jump

Post author By Grumpy
Post date July 18, 2026
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Leadership of the highest kind Manly Stuff Our Great Kids Real men Stand & Deliver This great Nation & Its People War

Aviation Icon and American Hero: Chuck Yeager By Friedrich Seiltgen

Post author By Grumpy
Post date July 14, 2026
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Born into poverty in the woods of West Virginia, Charles E. “Chuck” Yeager was a World War II aircraft mechanic, fighter pilot, double ace, military commander, and a test pilot who broke the sound barrier. His journey from Army private to USAF Brigadier General is an inspiration to all.

Yeager began his Air Force career in September 1941 as a private in the U.S. Army Air Corps, serving as an aircraft mechanic. While he wanted to be a pilot, that career path was initially closed to him due to his age and lack of education, as the Air Corps required two years of college and a minimum age of 20.

Chuck Yeager stands in front of Bell X-1 — Chuck Yeager stands in front of the Bell X-1 named *Glamorous Glennis*. He named all his assigned aircraft in some variation of his wife’s name. Image: NARA

After Pearl Harbor, however, the standards were revised due to the urgent need for pilots, and Yeager was accepted into the flight officer program. While Yeager had excellent eyesight and other attributes for flight training, his first few flights were memorable for another reason: Yeager vomiting in the cockpit.

With time, the queasiness went away, and Yeager excelled at flying. He graduated from pilot training at Luke A.F.B. in March 1943. He then transferred to the 363rd Fighter Squadron at Tonopah, NV, and was trained with the Bell P-39 Airacobra. Once while he was showboating, he clipped a farmer’s tree during a training mission and was grounded for a week.

Chuck Yeager P-51 Mustang — Chuck Yeager’s P-51D Mustang that he flew for the majority of his aerial combat victories during World War II. Image: National Museum of the U.S.A.F.

In November 1943, the unit shipped out to RAF Leiston and began training with the P-51 Mustang.

Shot Down

On his eighth mission, Yeager, who had one aerial victory so far when he took out a Me-109 on the way to Berlin, was shot down over occupied France. He bailed out and hit the ground running for the tree line, evading the Nazis.

Captain Charles E Yeager in 1943 — Capt. Charles E. “Chuck” Yeager in an official photograph from the U.S. Army Air Forces, circa 1943. Image: NARA

Initially, he trained the French Resistance (Maquis) in the use of explosives and timers, which he learned from his father, who worked in the gas fields. He escaped to Spain with the help of the resistance while helping another wounded aviator over the Pyrenees. He then spent time in Malta before returning to England.

A Talk With Eisenhower

After his downing, Yeager’s days of combat were over. Or were they? At that time, there was a regulation that prohibited downed pilots (evaders) from flying over enemy territory again. This was to prevent the resistance groups from being compromised if the pilot was captured and interrogated.

Yeager’s desire to fly again was so intense that he spoke with Supreme Allied Commander General Dwight D. Eisenhower to request a return to combat status. Actually, Yeager wrote in his memoir that “I raised so much hell that General Eisenhower finally let me go back to my squadron.”

Flight Officer Yeager US Army Air Corps — An early photo of Flight Officer Charles Yeager in the U.S. Army Air Corps. The Army Air Corps was reorganized as the U.S. Army Air Forces in 1941 and then U.S. Air Force in 1947. Image: NARA

When they met, “Eisenhower said, ‘I’ve got guys shooting themselves in the foot to go home. What is the matter with you?” Yeager replied, “General, I haven’t done my job. I don’t want to leave my buddies after only eight missions. It just isn’t right. I’ve got a lot of fightin’ left to do.”

Eisenhower told him that it was the War Department’s policy, but he would ask for permission to send Yeager back. While waiting, Yeager was limited to short-range missions, but managed to bag a Junkers Ju-88 bomber flying over the English Channel for his second kill.

In August 1944, Yeager returned to combat status and was issued a P-51C Mustang with a Malcom Hood canopy and, almost immediately, a P-51D, which he christened Glamorous Glen III, after his future wife, Glennis Dickhouse. On Oct 12, 1944, Yeager made squadron history when he became their first “Ace in a Day” with five kills of Luftwaffe Me-109’s.

On November 27, 1944, Yeager continued his hot streak, downing four Fw-190 fighters. He would also score one of the first victories of a Me 262 jet fighter and end the war with 13 kills. On January 15, 1945, he flew his last mission and returned to the U.S., having completed 61 missions in total.

Chuck Yeager in NF-104 — Chuck Yeager prior to a test flight in the NF-104. The NF-104 was a rocket-powered F-104 Starfighter. Image: U.S.A.F.

Due to his status as an Evader, Yeager was given his choice of assignments and chose to be a functional test pilot of repaired aircraft at Wright Field.

Test Pilot

With the war now over, Yeager graduated from the Flight Performance School and landed a dream job as a test pilot at Muroc Army Airfield (Edwards A.F.B.)

After a Bell Aircraft Test pilot demanded $150,000 to break the sound barrier with their new rocket-powered X-1, Col. Albert Boyd, the chief of the Flight Test Division, successfully lobbied to get the X-1 project under his command. Boyd had already assembled a team of the best test pilots around. Now, Yeager was selected to be the first to break the sound barrier.

Chuck Yeager in Bell X-1 — Chuck Yeager in the X-1 *Glamorous Glennis*, which he flew to break the sound barrier. Image: NARA

Two days before the record-breaking flight attempt of the X-1, Yeager was out horseback riding with Glennis and broke two ribs. Yeager, certain the injury would get him scrubbed from the mission, found a civilian doctor in nearby Rosamond to patch him up.

Now comes the hard part. In order to close the hatch on the X-1, Yeager had to hold it down and slam down a lever to seal it. This was not going to happen with two broken ribs. He asked his pilot/flight engineer friend, Jack Ridley, to help him come up with a solution.

Ridley chopped off a section of broom handle, and the pair tested it on the ground. The next day, the broomstick hatch tool worked perfectly, and Yeager was on his way to the history books. Yeager broke the sound barrier with a speed of Mach 1.05 at an altitude of 45,000 feet.

The 50’s

Yeager was the first American pilot to fly a MIG-15 due to the defection of a North Korean Pilot. In 1953, Yeager was a part of the X-1A team in search of breaking the Mach 2 barrier. Yeager set a new speed record in December 1953 when he flew the X-1A to Mach 2.44, breaking a recent Navy record and spoiling their planned celebration of the event.

Major Yeager in the Cockpit of the Bell X1A — Maj. Chuck Yeager in the cockpit of the Bell X-1A. The X-1A was a larger, second-generation rocket-powered plane. Image: U.S.A.F.

The new flight record, however, almost killed Yeager. Just before reaching Mach 2.44, the X-1A became uncontrollable when it experienced “inertia coupling,” a condition that caused the aircraft to pitch, roll and yaw simultaneously. The X-1A dropped from 51,000 feet to 29,000 feet in less than a minute before Yeager regained control of the plane.

The 60’s

In 1962, Yeager, now a full colonel, became the first commandant of the USAF Aerospace Research Pilot School. The school was the first stop for pilots wishing to become astronauts. While Yeager was arguably the best pilot at the time, his lack of a college degree kept him from serving as an astronaut.

rocket powered NF-104 — The 6,000-pound thrust rocket engine enabled the NF-104 Starfighter to reach an altitude of 100,000 feet. Pilots would experience up to 90 seconds of weightlessness before re-entry. Image: U.S.A.F.

In December 1963, Yeager began test flights of the M2F1 “Lifting body, also known as the “Bathtub”. You may recognize this aircraft from the opening crash scene of the “Six Million Dollar Man” television series. It was here that Yeager suffered his most serious injury.

Another program in the works at the time was the NF-104, which was a rocket-assisted Lockheed F-104 Starfighter. It was one of the first programs created to train pilots for astronaut duties.

Yeager took off and reached nearly 100,000 feet when the aircraft became unresponsive and entered a flat spin. The Starfighter lost approximately 95,000 feet of altitude with Yeager attempting to gain control all the way down. At one point, Yeager deployed the Starfighter’s drag chute in hopes of straightening the aircraft and restarting the engine.

Chuck Yeager and Gus Lindquist and James Fitzgerald 1947 photo — Chuck Yeager, Gus Lundquist and Jim Fitzgerald stand next to the Bell X-1 *Glamorous Glennis*. Image: U.S.A.F.

With only a few seconds left, Yeager ejected from the Starfighter. During the ejection sequence, the ejection seat base struck him in the head, and the hot rocket motor broke his faceplate, which caused the oxygen supply to catch fire and severely burn his face. Yeager suffered through numerous operations for his facial burns. This was the end of his test flight career.

Vietnam, Retirement and Beyond

In 1966, Yeager assumed command of the 405th Fighter Wing at Clark Air Base, Philippines, which rotated throughout Southeast Asia and South Vietnam, flying 127 missions.

In the early 1970’s, Yeager was assigned as the air attaché to the Pakistani Air Force, assisting them with integrating the AIM-9 Sidewinder missile onto their fighter aircraft.

Chuck Yeager flight in F-15 Eagle — U.S.A.F. Brig. Gen. Charles E. “Chuck” Yeager, retired, poses for photographers after returning from a flight aboard a 65th Aggressor Squadron F-15D Eagle in 2012. Image: DVIDS

In March 1975, Yeager finally retired with 34 years of service. Not one to sit around, Yeager kept busy with a variety of projects. He made a cameo appearance as Fred the bartender in the movie “The Right Stuff,” which, in part, told his story of breaking the sound barrier. He drove a Corvette pace car at the Indianapolis 500. He flew an F-15D Eagle in celebration of the 50th anniversary of his record-breaking flight. He was a spokesman for AC Delco auto parts and a consultant to Northrop Grumman for the F-20 Tigershark.

Yeager passed away on Pearl Harbor Day, 2020, at the age of 97.

Legacy

His military decorations and awards include the Distinguished Service Medal, Silver Star with oak leaf cluster, Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, Distinguished Flying Cross with two oak leaf clusters, Bronze Star Medal with “V” device, Air Medal with 10 oak leaf clusters, Air Force Commendation Medal, Purple Heart, Distinguished Unit Citation Emblem with oak leaf cluster, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award Ribbon, and the Congressional Medal of Freedom.

Chuck Yeager retired at air show in 2018 — Chuck Yeager smiles at the crowd during the Yeager Airport 2018 Salute To Our Veterans and First Responders Air Show held in Charleston, West Virginia, Oct. 14, 2018. Image: DVIDS

Yeager was a command pilot and had flown more than 12,000 hours in 361 different makes and models of military aircraft in service to his country.

All About Guns Our Great Kids

John Browning’s Hi-Power: A Tale of Innovation

Post author By Grumpy
Post date July 4, 2026
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https://youtu.be/rKosQ2GbJfc

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The Most Famous Beer Run of All Time By Jeff “Tank” Hoover

Post author By Grumpy
Post date June 24, 2026
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His name is Vincent Speranza. Like other members of the Greatest Generation, he was full of grit. He joined the Army after graduating from high school in 1943. As an inexperienced 19-year-old, he was assigned to H Company, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne. Shortly after completing training, Vince was shipped out to Bastogne, Belgium, as a machine gunner.

Here, he shortly found himself in the thick of battle, in a foxhole, during the dead of winter. He and his unit were freezing, hungry, scared and short on supplies and ammunition. To top it all off, they were surrounded by German troops. What could be worse?

“The first eight days we got pounded by German artillery,” Speranza recalled. “But this was the 101st. They could not get past [us]. They never set one foot in Bastogne.” On the second day, his friend Joe Willis was wounded, taking shrapnel in both legs. He was pulled back to a makeshift combat hospital inside a mostly destroyed church. Vince tracked him down and asked if there was anything he could do for his friend.

The answer was simple — Joe wanted a beer. Vince told him he was crazy! It would be impossible to get beer anywhere, as the city was destroyed and the 101st was surrounded by Germans. The supply chain was shut down, and they were constantly taking artillery fire nonstop.
What remained of the town was bombarded. But Joe wanted a beer. He needed a beer to take his mind off the war.

Members of the 101st marching in Bastogne.

Beer Run Bravery

If ever there were a medal for most courageous beer run, Speranza would have earned it! Moving through town in the cover of darkness, Vince went from blown-out tavern to blown-out tavern, searching until he found a working tap.

At the third tavern, Vince pulled on a tap and beer came flowing out. What would he use to transport his found treasure? Speranza filled his helmet — the same one used as a makeshift shovel and porta-potty in the foxhole — with all the beer he could handle and returned to the hospital.

Mission accomplished! Vince triumphantly poured beer from his helmet for Joe and the other wounded men around him. When the beer ran out, they asked him to go for more. So, what did Vince do? He made a second dangerous beer run. Surely, he was deserving of a second medal for such heroic actions.

The streets of Bastogne as they appeared in 1945,
when Speranza made his beer run.

Dangers of War

As he returned to the hospital the second time, Vince was confronted by a Major demanding to know what he was doing. Vince sheepishly said, “Giving aid and comfort to the wounded” was the paratrooper’s simple answer. A truer statement never uttered!

After an ass chewing about the dangers of giving beer to men with gut and chest wounds, Vince put his helmet back on, beer pouring down his uniform, and headed out. While that could have been the end of the story, the story continued for 65 years when Vince returned to Bastogne for an anniversary celebration.

Vince Speranza in front of the namesake beer he inspired.

Vince Speranza showing where he was in Bastogne during a visit.

Airborne Beer

When Vince returned 65 years later for an anniversary, tour guides asked him what unit he was with. When he told them the 501, the guides knew exactly where to take Vince. “You would have been dug in right here.” Vince looked around, acknowledged them, and looked at the filled-in trench. It was very emotional for Vince, as you can imagine.

Wanting to forget the ravages of war he experienced, he started telling other stories to lighten his mood. He eventually got to his beer run story, and the tour guides were shocked and stunned. “You’re the Guy?! We thought that was a made-up story! You’re famous!” At this point, the tour guides called the waiter over!

“Waiter, 4 Airborne beers, please!” Imagine Vince’s surprise when the waiter appears, with four bottles of beer on his tray, with a label of an American paratrooper carrying his helmet full of beer. And to top it off, the bottles of beer were served with ceramic cups shaped like an American GI’s helmet.

Airborne beer is brewed by Brasserie de Bouillon in Bastogne, Belgium. Now you know the rest of the story. Vince Speranza died August 2nd, 2023, at the ripe old age of 98. You can be sure he arrived in heaven with a helmet full of beer for all his Army buddies.