The five Sullivan brothers were World War II sailors. The Sullivans enlisted in the US Navy on January 3, 1942, with the stipulation that they all serve together. All five were assigned to the light cruiser, USS Juneau (CL-52). The brothers in the photo on board Juneau; from left to right: Joseph, Francis, Albert, Madison and George Sullivan. The Sullivan brothers all died during the same incident, and its aftermath, in the sinking of the USS Juneau , the vessel on which they all served around November 13, 1942.The Sullivans were not the only brother sailors on board the ship. There were at least thirty pairs of brothers including the four Rogers brothers from New Haven, Connecticut. The five brothers were from Waterloo, Iowa.

The Navy named two destroyers "The Sullivans" to honor the brothers: The Sullivans (DD-537) and The Sullivans (DDG-68). DD-537 was the first American Navy ship ever named after more than one person. The motto for both ships was "We stick together."

Al Sullivan's son served on board the first USS The Sullivans. His grandmother christened the first ship. The second USS The Sullivans was christened by Al's granddaughter Kelly Ann Sullivan Loughren. Genevieve, their only sister, served in the US Navy WAVES.

The brothers' story was filmed as the 1944 movie "The Sullivans" (later renamed "The Fighting Sullivans") and inspired, at least in part, the 1998 film Saving Private Ryan. The Sullivans were also briefly mentioned in Saving Private Ryan.

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