[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 70 (Thursday, April 28, 2022)]
[House]
[Page H4584]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     HONORING THE SULLIVAN BROTHERS

  (Mrs. HINSON asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Mrs. HINSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the five Sullivan 
brothers of Waterloo, Iowa, as well as those who are working to 
preserve their legacy by saving the USS The Sullivans.
  On January 3, 1942, a month after the bombing at Pearl Harbor, 
George, Frank, Joe, Matt, and Al Sullivan of Waterloo, Iowa, enlisted 
in the Navy.
  At the time, Navy policy separated brothers, but they enlisted under 
the condition that they could serve their country together, and they 
did until November of that year when a Japanese torpedo sunk their 
ship, the USS Juneau.
  Nearly all the sailors aboard the USS Juneau died, including all five 
of the Sullivan brothers.
  The Sullivans weren't just heroes in Iowa; their story was told 
nationwide. In 1943, less than 3 months after their passing, a 
Fletcher-class destroyer was named in their honor. The ship's motto is 
``We Stick Together,'' a permanent symbol of the Sullivan brothers' 
commitment to each other and our country.
  But earlier this month, a leaky hull caused the ship to start sinking 
at its berth in the Buffalo Naval Park. So, Mr. Speaker, I am rising 
today to thank those who are working to refloat and repair the ship to 
ensure that the Sullivan brothers' legacy continues. Their service and 
sacrifice are emblematic of the shared experience and patriotism of 
those in the Greatest Generation.
  Freedom is fragile. We know that we must always honor those like the 
Sullivan brothers of Waterloo who fought and died for our freedoms and 
for our country.

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