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| USS The Sullivans (DD-537) | |
|---|---|
| Name | USS The Sullivans (DD-537) |
| Ship namesake | George Sullivan; Francis Sullivan; Joseph Sullivan; Madison Sullivan; Albert Sullivan |
| Ship class | Fletcher-class destroyer |
| Builder | Bethlehem Steel Corporation, Staten Island |
| Laid down | 22 December 1942 |
| Launched | 29 May 1943 |
| Commissioned | 4 September 1943 |
| Decommissioned | 10 December 1965 |
| Fate | Museum ship at Buffalo and Erie County Naval & Military Park |
| Displacement | 2,050 long tons (standard) |
| Length | 376 ft 6 in |
| Beam | 39 ft 8 in |
| Draft | 17 ft 9 in |
| Propulsion | 60,000 shp; 2 propellers; GE turbines |
| Speed | 35 knots |
| Complement | 273 officers and enlisted |
| Armament | 5 × 5 in/38 cal guns; 10 × 40 mm AA; 7 × 20 mm AA; 10 × 21 in torpedo tubes |
USS The Sullivans (DD-537) was a Fletcher-class destroyer of the United States Navy named in honor of the five Sullivan brothers—George, Francis, Joseph, Madison, and Albert—who were lost when the light cruiser USS Juneau (CL-52) sank during the Guadalcanal Campaign. Commissioned in 1943, she served with distinction in the Pacific War, performed escort and shore bombardment missions during key operations such as the Gilbert and Marshall Islands campaign, the Marianas campaign, and the Battle of Okinawa, and later continued active service throughout the Cold War before becoming a preserved museum ship.
The ship was laid down at the Bethlehem Steel Corporation shipyard on Staten Island and launched on 29 May 1943 with sponsorship linked to the Sullivan family, reflecting public attention after the Naval Homecoming controversies following the Juneau sinking. Constructed under United States Navy wartime shipbuilding programs, the vessel completed fitting out and trials before being commissioned on 4 September 1943 with a crew drawn from diverse ports including Norfolk Navy Yard and Boston Navy Yard. Early shakedown training included exercises with units of the 3rd Fleet and the 5th Fleet to prepare for Pacific deployment.
After transiting the Panama Canal, The Sullivans joined operations in the Central Pacific, screening aircraft carriers such as USS Enterprise (CV-6) and USS Lexington (CV-16) during carrier strikes against Tarawa, Makin, and targets in the Marshall Islands. She performed anti-submarine patrols, plane guard duties, and shore bombardment in support of United States Marine Corps and United States Army amphibious landings. The destroyer saw action during the Marianas Turkey Shoot-era operations supporting strikes on Saipan and Tinian and later provided escort during Leyte Gulf-era movements. During the Philippine campaign (1944–45), The Sullivans aided damaged vessels, rescued survivors from air and surface actions, and conducted night torpedo attacks against Japanese shipping. In 1945 she participated in pre-invasion bombardments and anti-aircraft defense during the Battle of Okinawa, countering kamikaze attacks while escorting convoys between Ulithi and the Ryukyu Islands.
Following Japan's surrender in August 1945, The Sullivans took part in occupation duties, escorting transports to Tokyo Bay and supporting demobilization movements. Decommissioned briefly in the immediate postwar drawdown, she was recommissioned for Cold War service amid rising tensions in Europe and the Pacific Basin. Assigned to the Atlantic Fleet and later alternating between Atlantic and Pacific deployments, the destroyer operated out of ports including Norfolk, San Diego, and Pearl Harbor, conducting NATO exercises, midshipmen training cruises, and patrols during crises such as the Korean War era and early Vietnam War build-up. Modernization refits improved anti-aircraft and anti-submarine capabilities, integrating advances from Naval Ordnance and Shipboard Radar developments. The Sullivans also escorted nuclear-capable task groups and participated in goodwill port visits to Australia, Japan, and Brazil.
The ship was decommissioned on 10 December 1965 and entered the Atlantic Reserve Fleet before being stricken from the Naval Vessel Register in the following years. Recognized for her historical significance tied to the Sullivan brothers and extensive wartime service, preservation advocates arranged for transfer to civilian custody. The Sullivans became a museum ship at the Buffalo and Erie County Naval & Military Park in Buffalo, New York, where she is displayed alongside other naval vessels. As a museum, she serves as an educational resource for visitors exploring World War II naval history, Naval Heritage programs, and the legacy of the Sullivan family; preservation efforts have involved volunteers, naval historians from institutions such as the Naval Historical Center, and municipal partners to maintain hull integrity and interpretive exhibits.
As a Fletcher-class destroyer, The Sullivans featured a flush deck hull and engineering plant capable of 35 knots, powered by high-pressure steam turbines and geared reduction systems developed by General Electric and Westinghouse Electric Corporation contractors. Original armament included five 5 in/38 caliber dual-purpose guns in single mounts, ten 40 mm Bofors anti-aircraft guns in twin mounts, seven 20 mm Oerlikon cannons, and ten 21 in torpedo tubes in two quintuple mounts, supported by depth charge projectors and racks for anti-submarine warfare derived from Hedgehog developments. Electronics suites installed during refits incorporated radar sets from RCA, fire control systems from Mark 37 Gun Fire Control System programs, and sonar transducers typical of mid-century destroyer ASW configurations. Crew accommodations reflected wartime standards with a complement of approximately 273 officers and enlisted personnel and communications gear compatible with Fleet Radio Unit Pacific operations.
Throughout her service, The Sullivans received multiple campaign and unit awards, including Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal streamers for campaigns such as Gilbert and Marshall Islands campaign, Marianas operations, and Okinawa campaign, as well as the World War II Victory Medal and Navy Occupation Service Medal. Postwar recognitions included National Defense Service Medal eligibility for Cold War service periods and unit commendations for specific actions. The ship’s museum status and association with the Sullivan family have been commemorated by local and national veterans' organizations and memorial events at sites including the Sullivan Brothers monuments.
Category:Fletcher-class destroyers Category:Ships built in Staten Island Category:Museum ships in New York