In November 1942, the five Sullivan brothers from Waterloo, Iowa, died when the Navy cruiser USS Juneau was sunk in the South Pacific. Their deaths brought the reality of the war home to America. John Satterfield tells the story of the brothers, The Battle of Guadalcanal and the impact of the tragedy on the family, community and nation.
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Editorial Reviews
Review
"... Satterfield presents an interesting narrative of denial: the brothers' denial of inherent danger, the Navy's denial of the potential loss of ship and crew, the Sullivan famiy's psychological denial of the deaths, and the community's denial of the stages of grief. From the beginning, no one wanted to belieeve such a catastrophe could happen, and once it occurred, no one knew how to deal with it. As the author well documents, the military sanitized and mythologized the Sullivan family personalities and history, the family set aside their own grief to participate fully in the national solemnization of the deaths, and Waterloo repudiated the significance of the disaster. The Sullivan calamity is not just about five brothers; it is a tragic chapter in the annals of America and Iowa. -- Stephen D. Regan, The Annals of Iowa, Spring, 1996
"A new book about Waterloo's five Sullivan brothers is an attempt to depict them as they were: Ordinary guys from an average town who, together with millions of other ordinary Americans, performed extraordinary service during the largest, most terrible war in world history." -- Pat Kinney, Waterloo Courier, February 17, 1995
"A stirring account of perhaps the most famous Navy family of the war." -- Sea Power, June 1995
"Early in his book, Satterfield gives a riveting account of the moment when Tom Sullivan was told his five sons were lost at sea. The elder Sullivan was up early, preparing to go to work on the railroad when he saw three men in uniforn-a lieutenant commander, a doctor and a chief petty officer-approach his front door. "I have some news for you about your boys," the naval officer said. "Which one?" asked Tom. "I'm sorry," the officer replied. "All five." -- Ed Gebhart, Delaware County Daily Times, June 16, 1996
"A new book about Waterloo's five Sullivan brothers is an attempt to depict them as they were: Ordinary guys from an average town who, together with millions of other ordinary Americans, performed extraordinary service during the largest, most terrible war in world history." -- Pat Kinney, Waterloo Courier, February 17, 1995
"A stirring account of perhaps the most famous Navy family of the war." -- Sea Power, June 1995
"Early in his book, Satterfield gives a riveting account of the moment when Tom Sullivan was told his five sons were lost at sea. The elder Sullivan was up early, preparing to go to work on the railroad when he saw three men in uniforn-a lieutenant commander, a doctor and a chief petty officer-approach his front door. "I have some news for you about your boys," the naval officer said. "Which one?" asked Tom. "I'm sorry," the officer replied. "All five." -- Ed Gebhart, Delaware County Daily Times, June 16, 1996
About the Author
Jack Satterfield is a public relations manager for The Boeing Company in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He is a graduate of Swarthmore College and holds advanced degrees from North Carolina State University and the U.S. Naval War College. A private pilot, Satterfield is also an officer in the U.S. Naval Air Reserve, specializing in anti-submarine warfare. He enjoys writing about aircraft, military and naval history. Father of four, including a midshipman at the U.S. Naval Academy, he lives near Wilmington, Delaware.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
30 of 31 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
The Real Family behind "Saving Private Ryan",
By Kenneth E. Seguin (Dallas, Texas USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: We Band of Brothers: The Sullivans and World War II (Paperback)
As one of eight children growing up in Michigan, I wasmesmerized in 1962 when I first saw "The FightingSullivans," by that time already an 18-year old black & whitemovie. Like my Dad (a WWII veteran wounded in Europe while with the103rd Inf Div) and my two older brothers, I entered into the militaryservice during the Vietnam War, married a WAF (the daughter of a NavyWWII vet aboard the USS Sigourney and USS Duluth), and have nowwatched four of our own eight children enter the Army and Air Force.As a Catholic, I strongly identify with the large family of theSullivans, their religion, and their commitment to military service.While I enjoyed the 20th Century Fox movie, I especially appreciatedthe even-handed and fair treatment that Commander Satterfield usedwhile writing this book. It's the only one I know of whichcomprehensively covers the family. It is well-researched from both amilitary documents viewpoint and that based upon newspaper articlesand family and friend interviews. He presents the family as they were--- not saints, just ordinary Americans growing up in the midwest withcommon family problems. Both the author and the Mayor of Waterloo, IA(a nephew of Katherine Mary Rooff Sullivan) were receptive to emailinquiries I sent. I heartily recommend this book to all butespecially to those whose interests center on family militaryservice...
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Inside This Book
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First Sentence:
Tom Sullivan woke before dawn on Monday, January 11, 1943, and dressed quietly in the bedroom of the house on Adams Street. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
freight conductor, damage control parties, torpedo planes Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Pearl Harbor, United States, Captain Swenson, New York, Adams Street, George Sullivan, Tom Sullivan, Henderson Field, World War, San Diego, Wyatt Butterfield, Des Moines, Harpers Ferry, Lester Zook, Espiritu Santo, Red Sullivan, Illinois Central, Allen Heyn, Ironbottom Sound, Lunga Point, Grout Museum, Navy Yard, President Roosevelt, San Cristobal, Admiral Halsey New!
Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Tom Sullivan woke before dawn on Monday, January 11, 1943, and dressed quietly in the bedroom of the house on Adams Street. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
freight conductor, damage control parties, torpedo planes Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Pearl Harbor, United States, Captain Swenson, New York, Adams Street, George Sullivan, Tom Sullivan, Henderson Field, World War, San Diego, Wyatt Butterfield, Des Moines, Harpers Ferry, Lester Zook, Espiritu Santo, Red Sullivan, Illinois Central, Allen Heyn, Ironbottom Sound, Lunga Point, Grout Museum, Navy Yard, President Roosevelt, San Cristobal, Admiral Halsey New!
Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
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