The U.S. Navy prohibited family members from serving on the same ship during World War II.
Protecting families
This provision was put in place to protect families from losing numerous members in the event of an emergency. The five brothers, however, had different plans. The Sullivan brothers and sisters vehemently objected to serving together on the same ship. The Navy eventually relented and let all five brothers board the USS Juneau.
Abnormality
A Japanese torpedo struck the USS Juneau on November 13, 1942, while she was engaged in combat in the Battle of Guadalcanal. Everyone on board, including Francis, George, Joseph, Albert, and Madison Sullivan, perished when the ship sank.
The whereabouts of the ship remained a mystery for 76 years. However, in 2018, a research crew was informed of an abnormality by sonar pulses that later turned out to be the long-lost vessel. In the South Pacific Ocean, it was discovered close to the Solomon Islands. At a depth of 4,200 metres (3,700 feet), the shipwreck is nothing more than a decaying ruin inhabited by marine life.
Did you subscribe to our newsletter?
It’s free! Click here to subscribe!
Source: List Verse
