Famous WWII Wreck of Sullivan Brothers Discovered

USS Juneau found off the coast of the Solomon Islands by Paul Allen's crew
By Arden Dier,  Newser Staff
Posted Mar 20, 2018 12:00 PM CDT

Another remarkable find for Paul Allen: The billionaire Microsoft co-founder funding the search for missing warships has discovered the USS Juneau resting 2.5 miles below the surface of the Pacific Ocean off the coast of the Solomon Islands, reports the Guardian. Japanese torpedoes sank the ship in November 1942 during the Battle of Guadalcanal, killing 687 men, including the five Sullivan brothers (George, Francis, Joseph, Madison, and Albert) from Waterloo, Iowa, who would later have two warships named in their honor. One torpedo is believed to have struck the ship's weapons magazine, leading to a massive explosion that ripped the Juneau in two, reports the Navy Times. The brothers were posted together after refusing to serve in separate Navy units.

"We certainly didn't plan to find the Juneau on St. Patrick’s Day," says the director of Allen's oceanic searches. Allen's website explains that an autonomous underwater vehicle first spotted the wreck, before a remotely operated underwater vehicle confirmed its identity. A video notes "Juneau" is seen on the ship's stern. After the Juneau went down 76 years ago, the Sullivans became war heroes. The first ship to be named in their honor is now a museum in Buffalo, NY. The second, USS The Sullivans, remains in operation. A commander of that ship celebrated the discovery, saying "the story of the USS Juneau crew and Sullivan brothers epitomize the service and sacrifice of our nation’s greatest generation." (Allen has also found the USS Lexington and USS Indianapolis.)

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