USS Juneau (CL-52)

USS Juneau (CL-52) was a United States Navy light cruiser of the ''Atlanta''-class, named for the city of Juneau, Alaska. Commissioned in early 1942, she served in the Pacific Theater during World War II. The ship is most tragically remembered for her catastrophic loss during the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal in November 1942, which resulted in the deaths of nearly all hands, including the five Sullivan brothers.

Construction and commissioning

The vessel was laid down at the Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company yard in Kearny, New Jersey. She was launched on 25 October 1941, sponsored by Mariette K. Driskell, the wife of Alaska's territorial commissioner. The new cruiser was commissioned on 14 February 1942 at the New York Navy Yard, under the command of Captain Lyman K. Swenson. Following her shakedown cruise in the Atlantic, she transited the Panama Canal to join the U.S. Pacific Fleet.

Service history

Upon arrival in the Pacific, Juneau was immediately assigned to Task Force 18, operating near New Caledonia and the New Hebrides. In August 1942, she provided escort and fire support for the initial landings on Guadalcanal. The cruiser participated in the Battle of the Eastern Solomons as part of the screen for the aircraft carrier USS ''Enterprise''. In October, she fought in the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands, protecting USS ''Hornet'' before that carrier was sunk. Her final assignment was with Task Force 67, a mixed force of cruisers and destroyers under Rear Admiral Richmond K. Turner.

Loss at the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal

During the intense night action of the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal on 13 November 1942, Juneau was struck by a Type 93 torpedo from the Japanese destroyer ''Amatsukaze'', causing severe damage to her port side. Limping away from the battle the next morning alongside other damaged ships like USS ''San Francisco'', the task force was attacked by the Imperial Japanese Navy submarine I-26. A torpedo struck Juneau near her previous damage, triggering a massive explosion that broke the ship in half. She sank in less than a minute at a position south of the Solomon Islands. Believing there were no survivors and fearing further submarine attacks, the remaining U.S. forces did not conduct an immediate search, leaving many men in the water.

The Sullivan brothers

Among the approximately 687 men lost were the five Sullivan brothers: George, Francis, Joseph, Madison, and Albert Sullivan. Their deaths became a national symbol of sacrifice and prompted a major War Department policy change, the Sole Survivor Policy, to prevent multiple family members from serving in the same combat unit. The story was widely covered in American media, including ''Life'' magazine, and was referenced by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Discovery of the wreck

The wreck of Juneau was located on 17 March 2018 by the expedition crew of R/V ''Petrel'', a vessel owned by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen. The ship was found resting in over 4,200 meters of water off the coast of the Solomon Islands, broken into two main sections. The discovery provided closure and confirmed historical accounts of the ship's violent end. The site is considered a war grave and is protected under international maritime law.