View source for USS The Sullivans (DD-537)

{{short description|Fletcher-class destroyer}}
{{other ships|USS The Sullivans}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2021}}
{{More citations needed|date=October 2013}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
| Ship image = Photo USN1063617 USS The Sullivans. 29 Oct. '62.jpg
| Ship caption = USS ''The Sullivans'' on 29 October 1962
}}
{{Infobox ship career
| Hide header = 
| Ship flag = {{USN flag|1965}}
| Ship name = ''The Sullivans''
| Ship namesake = [[Sullivan Brothers|The Sullivan brothers]]
| Ship ordered = 
| Ship builder = [[Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation]]
| Ship laid down = 10 October 1942
| Ship launched = 4 April 1943
| Ship sponsor = Mrs. Thomas F. Sullivan
| Ship commissioned = 30 September 1943
| Ship decommissioned = 7 January 1965
| Ship struck = 1 December 1974
| Ship sank = 13 April 2022
| Ship honors = [[USS The Sullivans (DD-537)#Awards|See ''Awards'']]
| Ship identification = *[[Maritime call sign|Call sign]]: NIDU
*{{ICS|November}}{{ICS|India}}{{ICS|Delta}}{{ICS|Uniform}}
*[[Hull number]]: DD-537
| Ship status = [[Museum ship]] at [[Buffalo Naval & Military Park]]
| Ship motto = ''We Stick Together''
| Ship notes = 
| Ship badge = [[File:Emblem of USS The Sullivans (DD-537).png|150px]]
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
| Hide header = 
| Header caption = 
| Ship class = {{sclass|Fletcher|destroyer}}
| Ship displacement = {{cvt|2050|LT|lk=on}}
| Ship length = {{cvt|376|ft|6|in}}
| Ship beam = {{cvt|39|ft|8|in}}
| Ship draft = {{cvt|17|ft|9|in}}
| Ship power = *4 × oil-fired [[Babcock & Wilcox boiler]]s
*{{cvt|60000|shp|lk=on}}
| Ship propulsion = *2 × [[General Electric]]-geared [[steam turbine]]s
*2 × shafts
| Ship speed = {{convert|35|kn}}
| Ship range = {{cvt|6500|nmi}} at {{convert|15|km}}
| Ship complement = 336
| Ship sensors = 
| Ship EW = 
| Ship armament = *(as built)
*5 × [[5-inch/38-caliber gun|{{cvt|5|in}}/38-caliber guns]],
*10 × [[Bofors 40 mm L/60 gun|{{cvt|40|mm}} Bofors AA guns]] (5 × 2),
*7 × [[Oerlikon 20 mm cannon|{{cvt|20|mm}} Oerlikon AA cannons]] (7 × 1),
*10 × {{cvt|21|in}} [[torpedo tube]]s (2 × 5),
*6 × [[K-gun]] depth charge throwers,
*2 × depth charge tracks
*(as preserved)
*4 × 5 in/38 caliber guns,
*2 × [[3-inch/50-caliber gun|{{cvt|3|in}}/50-caliber guns]] (1 × 2),
*4 × 40 mm Bofors AA guns (2 × 2),
*4 × 20 mm Oerlikon AA cannons (2 × 2),
*2 × [[Mark 32 Surface Vessel Torpedo Tubes|Mark 32 triple torpedo tubes]],
*2 × [[Hedgehog (weapon)|Hedgehog]],
*1 × depth charge track
| Ship notes = 
}}
{{Infobox NRHP
| embed = yes
| name = [[Buffalo and Erie County Naval & Military Park]]
| nrhp_type = nhl
| image = USS THE SULLIVANS (destroyer) 2013-09-22 07-37-32.jpg
| image_size = 300
| caption = 
| coordinates = {{coord|42.8777|-78.8806|region:US-NY_type:landmark|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
| locmapin = New York
| map_width = 300
| location = Buffalo, New York
| designated_nrhp_type = 14 January 1986
| added = 14 January 1986
| refnum = 86000085|
}}
|}

'''USS ''The Sullivans'' (DD-537)''' is a retired [[United States Navy]] {{sclass|Fletcher|destroyer}}. The ship was named in honor of the five [[Sullivan brothers]] (George, Francis, Joseph, Madison, and Albert) aged 20 to 27 who died when the [[light cruiser]], {{USS|Juneau|CL-52|6}}, was sunk by a Japanese submarine during the [[Naval Battle of Guadalcanal]] on 13 November 1942. This was the greatest military loss by any one American family during [[World War II]].<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.navy.mil/ah_online/ftrStory.asp?id=81205 |title=One Family's Sacrifice: The Story of the Sullivans |last=Timberlake |first=Amara |date=26 May 2014 |magazine=[[All Hands]] |access-date=30 May 2014 |archive-date=28 May 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140528151350/http://www.navy.mil/ah_online/ftrStory.asp?id=81205 |url-status=dead }}</ref> She was also the first ship commissioned in the Navy that honored more than one person.

After service in both World War II and the [[Korean War]], ''The Sullivans'' was assigned to the [[United States Sixth Fleet|6th Fleet]] and was a training ship until she was decommissioned on 7 January 1965.

In 1977, she and [[cruiser]] {{USS|Little Rock|CG-4|6}} were processed for donation to the [[Buffalo and Erie County Naval & Military Park]] in [[Buffalo, New York]]. The ship now serves as a memorial [[museum ship]] and is open for public tours. On 13 April 2022, the USS ''The Sullivans'' partially sank from a severe hull breach.

==Construction and career==
''The Sullivans'' was originally laid down as ''Putnam'' on 10 October 1942, at San Francisco by the [[Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation]]. She was initially renamed ''Sullivan'' until President [[Franklin Roosevelt]] changed the name to ''The Sullivans'' to clarify that the name honored all five Sullivan brothers.<ref>Persico, Joseph E. Roosevelt's Centurions. {{ISBN|978-1-4000-6443-4}}, page 273</ref> The name was made official on 6 February 1943, and launched 4 April 1943. The ship was sponsored by Mrs. Thomas F. Sullivan, the mother of the five Sullivan brothers. ''The Sullivans'' was commissioned on 30 September 1943.<ref>{{cite book |title = Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Vol. 7 |work = Washington: Naval Historical Center |year = 1981 |oclc = 2794587 |url = http://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/t/the-sullivans-dd-537-i.html |access-date = 2007-09-06 |archive-date = 4 January 2016 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160104215241/http://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/t/the-sullivans-dd-537-i.html |url-status = live }}</ref>[[File:Sullivanbrothers.jpg|thumb|left|The Sullivan brothers on board the cruiser {{USS|Juneau|CL-52|6}} on her commissioning date, 14 February 1942 (sunk 13 November 1942). From left to right: Joseph, Francis, Albert, Madison, and George Sullivan]]

===1944===

Following a [[Sea trial|shakedown]] cruise, ''The Sullivans'' got underway with sister ships {{USS|Dortch|DD-670|2}} and {{USS|Gatling|DD-671|2}} on 23 December 1943. The group arrived at [[Pearl Harbor]] five days later. During training operations in Hawaiian waters, the ship was assigned to [[Destroyer Squadron]] (DesRon) 52. On 16 January 1944, she steamed out of Pearl Harbor with [[Task Group 58.2]] (TG 58.2) bound for the [[Marshall Islands]]. En route to [[Kwajalein Atoll]] the group was joined by Battleship Division 9 ([[BatDiv]] 9). Two days later, as the American warships neared their target, [[Picket (military)|picket destroyers]] were sent ahead to protect the main force from the enemy. On 24 January, TG 58.2 arrived at the dawn launching point for air strikes against [[Roi-Namur|Roi]]. For two days, ''The Sullivans'' screened {{USS|Essex|CV-9|6}}, {{USS|Intrepid|CV-11|2}}, and {{USS|Cabot|CVL-28|2}} as they launched nearly continuous aerial raids. Thereafter, the destroyer continued her operations to the north and northwest of Roi and Namur Islands throughout the [[Battle of Kwajalein]] until 4 February, when TG 58.2 retired to [[Majuro]] to refuel and replenish.

Underway at noon on the 12th, ''The Sullivans'' screened (protected) the sortie of Task Group 58.2, as part of [[Task Force 58]]'s [[Operation Hailstone|raid on Truk]]. The same carriers—''Essex'', ''Intrepid'', and ''Cabot''—whose planes had attacked Roi and Namur steamed in the van now headed for the Japanese fortress-base in the Central Pacific. From the time the group arrived at its launching point on 16 February, the carriers launched what seemed to be nearly continuous air strikes against Truk. "No enemy opposition of any kind was encountered," wrote ''The Sullivans''{{'}} commander, "indicating that the initial attacks came as a complete surprise."

While the enemy may have been slow to react at the outset, they soon struck back—torpedoing ''Intrepid'' at 00:10 on the 17th. The carrier slowed to {{convert|20|kn}} and lost steering control. ''The Sullivans'', {{USS|Owen|DD-536|2}}, and {{USS|Stembel|DD-644|2}} stood by the stricken carrier and escorted her to Majuro for repairs. Reaching Majuro on 21 February, the destroyer soon sailed on to Hawaii, arriving at Pearl Harbor on 4 March for [[drydock]]ing and upkeep.

Underway again on the 22nd, ''The Sullivans'' covered the sortie of Task Groups 58.2, 58.9, and 50.15 from Majuro, bound for the [[Palau]]s, [[Yap]], and [[Woleai|Woleai Islands]]. On the evening of the 29th, while the American warships were approaching the target area, enemy aircraft attacked but were driven off by the anti-aircraft fire from the ships. The next day, ''The Sullivans'' screened the carriers during air strikes and that evening helped to beat off a Japanese air attack.

After returning to Majuro for replenishment, the warship screened TG 58.2 during air strikes on Hollandia (currently known as [[Jayapura]]), [[Tanahmerah]], [[Wakde]], and [[Aitape]] to support amphibious operations on [[New Guinea]]. Late in April, ''The Sullivans'' participated in support of air strikes on the Japanese base at Truk. On the 29th during one of these raids, the Japanese retaliated with a low-level air attack. American radar picked up four Japanese planes {{convert|16|mi}} away, coming in fast at altitudes varying from 10 to {{convert|500|ft}}. When the planes came within range, ''The Sullivans'' opened up with one 40-millimeter twin mount and all five {{Convert|5|in|adj=on}} guns. Two aircraft splashed into the sea due to the firing of the American ships, and one crossing ahead of ''The Sullivans'' was taken under fire and crashed in flames off her port beam.

[[File:USS The Sullivans (DD-537) off Ponape 1944.jpg|thumb|''The Sullivans'' off Ponape, 2 May 1944]]
''The Sullivans'' arrived off the northwest coast of [[Pohnpei|Ponape]] on the afternoon of 1 May and provided cover for the battleships led by {{USS|Iowa|BB-61|2}} which bombarded the island. From the disengaged side of the screen, ''The Sullivans'' fired 18 rounds from extreme range at [[Tumu Point]]. She then noted three beached Japanese landing barges and shifted her fire to them. However, she received the general cease-fire order shortly thereafter.

During the task unit's retirement, ''The Sullivans'' refueled from {{USS|Yorktown|CV-10|2}} and arrived at Majuro on 4 May. Ten days later, TG 58.2 sortied again, bound for Marcus and Wake Islands. Launching the first raid at 08:00 on the 19th, the American carriers kept up nearly continuous air strikes with no enemy interruptions for three days. En route back to Majuro, ''The Sullivans'' and her sister destroyers conducted a thorough but unsuccessful search for a suspected submarine.

On 6 June, ''The Sullivans'' got underway again, bound for [[Saipan]], [[Tinian]], and [[Guam]] to screen carriers in conducting air strikes. On occasion while in the screen, ''The Sullivans''{{'}} radar picked up enemy "snoopers" around the periphery of the formation—and before dawn at 03:15 on the 12th, TG 58.2 shot down one in flames.

The second day's strikes against Saipan took place on the 13th to support the [[Battle of Saipan|American landings there]]. Assigned to the duty of communication-linking station between task forces, ''The Sullivans'' remained within visual sighting distance of both TG's 58.1 and 58.2 during the day. That day, she picked up 31 Japanese merchant seamen after their ship had been sunk offshore and transferred these prisoners to flagship {{USS|Indianapolis|CA-35|2}}.

On 19 June 1944, during the first day of the [[Battle of the Philippine Sea]], Japanese aircraft attacked the task group. ''The Sullivans'' picked up a plane visually at a range of less than {{Convert|5|mi|0|spell=in}}. "Judies", diving from {{convert|23000|ft}}, pressed home their attacks. One, taken under fire by ''The Sullivans'', took tracer fire from the ship's 20- and 40-millimeter batteries and, moments later, crashed just short of the horizon. American air attacks against [[Pagan Island]], made without enemy retaliation, topped off the Saipan-Tinian-Guam strikes; and ''The Sullivans'' proceeded with TG 58.2 to [[Eniwetok]] for upkeep.

Underway on 30 June, ''The Sullivans'' resumed work in the screen of carriers launching air strikes to support operations against Saipan and Tinian. During this action, ''The Sullivans'' served as [[Radar picket | fighter direction ship]] for TU 58.2.4.

On Independence Day, ''The Sullivans'' joined Bombardment Unit One (TU 58.2.4) to conduct a shore bombardment of airfields, shore batteries, and other installations on the west coast of [[Iwo Jima]]. The heavy ships in the group opened fire at 15:00, and smoke and dust soon obscured targets along the western shore of the island, making spotting difficult. ''The Sullivans'', second ship in a column of destroyers, opened fire at 15:48 on planes parked on the southern airstrip. After three ranging salvos, the ship commenced hitting twin-engined "[[Mitsubishi G4M|Bettys]]" parked in revetments along the strip. 'The Sullivans'' destroyed five planes, and shrapnel and burning gasoline likely damaged eight other planes. Minutes later, an enemy ship resembling an LST came under ''The Sullivans''{{'}} gunfire and caught fire astern. While {{USS|Miller|DD-535|2}} closed to complete the destruction of the enemy vessel, ''The Sullivans'' and the remainder of the bombardment unit retired and rejoined TG 58.2.

From 7 to 22 July, TG 58.2 operated south and west of the [[Marianas]], conducting daily air strikes on Guam and [[Rota Island]]s before returning to Garapan Anchorage, Saipan, to allow the carriers to replenish bombs. Underway at dawn on the 23d, ''The Sullivans'' accompanied the task group as it sped towards the Palaus for air strikes on the 26th and 27th. She joined TG 58.4 for temporary duty on 30 July and continued air strikes until 6 August, when she joined TG 58.7, the heavy bombardment group, and operated with TP 34 until 11 August, when the group returned to Eniwetok for replenishment.

Early in September, as the Navy prepared to take the Palaus, ''The Sullivans'' supported neutralizing air strikes against Japanese air bases in the Philippines. At dawn on the 7th, she began radar picket duty for TG 38.2 and continued the task through the strikes of the 9th and 10th. From 18:00 on 12 September, the ships noted an increase in air activity—observing many bogies that merely orbited the formations as snoopers. The carriers conducted further raids on the central Philippines on the 13th and 14th and then shifted course to the north to subject [[Manila]] to air attacks commencing on the 21st. Three days later, American planes again hit the central [[Philippines]].

Returning to Tanapag Harbor, Saipan, at dawn on the 28th, ''The Sullivans'' went alongside {{USS|Massachusetts|BB-59}} for ammunition, provisions, and routine upkeep. However, the cross-swells in the anchorage swept ''The Sullivans'' hard against the battleship's steel hide, damaging the destroyer's hull and superstructure. Following brief antisubmarine patrol duty, she proceeded to [[Ulithi]] on 1 October.

While undergoing tender repairs alongside {{USS|Dixie|AD-14|2}}, ''The Sullivans'' formed part of a nest of destroyers blown away from the tender during a heavy storm that lashed the anchorage. ''The Sullivans'' drifted free downwind and got up steam 'in a hurry'. However, she collided with {{USS|Uhlmann|DD-687|2}}. Many small boats were being tossed about, and ''The Sullivans'' rescued four men from {{USS|Stockham|DD-683|2}}'s gig before it disappeared beneath the waves. As the storm abated on the 4th, the warship returned to Ulithi to complete the abbreviated tender overhaul alongside ''Dixie''.

At 16:15 on 6 October, ''The Sullivans'' sortied with the carriers and protected them during raids against targets on [[Taiwan|Formosa]] and the [[Ryukyus]]. On the evening of the 12th, as the planes returned to the carriers, radar spotted the first of many Japanese aircraft coming down from the north. For the next six hours, approximately 50 to 60 Japanese aircraft subjected the American task force to continuous air attacks. Nearly 45 minutes after sunset, ''The Sullivans'' sighted a "Betty", coming in low on the starboard side, and took it under fire. During the next 15 minutes, the formation to which ''The Sullivans'' was attached shot down three planes; between 18:56 and 19:54, the destroyer herself took five planes under fire. Varying speed between 18 and {{convert|29|kn|km/h}}, the formation undertook eight emergency maneuvers. Again and again, timely turns and the great volume of gunfire thrown up by the ships repulsed the enemy air attacks.

The second phase of the attack began at 21:05 on the 12th and continued through 02:35 on the 13th. The Japanese increased the use of "window" to jam American radar transmissions while their flares lit up the evening with ghostly light. The formation made smoke whenever enemy flare-dropping planes approached, creating an eerie haze effect which helped baffle the enemy pilots. Meanwhile, ''The Sullivans'' and the other ships in formation executed 38 simultaneous turn movements at speeds between 22 and {{convert|25|kn}} as their guns kept up a steady fire to repel the attackers.

The next day, the carriers again launched successful strikes on Formosa. During the ensuing night retirement, the formation again came under attack by Japanese torpedo-carrying "Betties" which struck home this time and damaged {{USS|Canberra|CA-70|2}}. ''The Sullivans'' then helped to protect the damaged cruiser. On the 14th, "Betty" torpedo bombers scored against {{USS|Houston|CL-81|2}}.''The Sullivans'' soon joined the screen which guarded the two battle-battered cruisers—nicknamed "CripDiv 1"—as they retired toward Ulithi.

Things progressed well until the 16th, when the Japanese mounted a heavy air attack to attempt to finish off cruisers. ''Houston'' reeled under the impact of a second hit astern, and ''The Sullivans'' opened fire on the "Frances" which had made the attack and splashed the Japanese plane. ''The Sullivans'' and {{USS|Stephen Potter|DD-538|2}} then took a second "Frances" under fire and knocked it down off the bow of {{USS|Santa Fe|CL-60|2}}.

''The Sullivans'' rescued 118 ''Houston'' men and kept them on board until the 18th, when she transferred them to {{USS|Boston|CA-69|2}}. While the damaged cruisers were making their way to Ulithi, a Japanese surface force attempted to close the formation before TF 38 intervened to drive them back. ''The Sullivans'' transferred salvage gear to ''Houston'' and helped with the ship's many wounded. For his part in directing the destroyer's rescue and salvage attempts, Comdr. [[Ralph J. Baum]] received his first [[Silver Star]].

On 20 October, ''The Sullivans'' joined TG 38.2 for scheduled air strikes on the central Philippines in support of the [[Battle of Leyte|Leyte landings]]. At dawn of the 24th, reconnaissance located a Japanese surface force south of [[Mindoro]], and the American carriers launched air strikes all day against the enemy warships. That morning, a Japanese air attack developed, and ''The Sullivans'' downed an "Oscar" fighter plane.

By 25 October, enemy forces were sighted coming down from the north; TF 34, including ''The Sullivans'', was formed and headed north, following the carrier groups in TF 38. At dawn on the 25th, the carriers launched air strikes to harass the Japanese surface units, now some {{convert|60|mi}} north. At 11:00, TF 34 reversed course, topped-off the destroyers with fuel, and formed fast striking group TG 34.5, with ''Iowa'', {{USS|New Jersey|BB-62|2}}, three [[light cruiser]]s, ''The Sullivans'', and seven other destroyers. The American force missed the Japanese by three hours, but ran across a straggler and reported sinking an {{sclass|Takao|cruiser}}. Japanese records fail to confirm the claim.

After sweeping south along the coast of Samar hunting for enemy "cripples", ''The Sullivans'' and other units of TG 34.5 reported back to TG 38.2. The destroyer then remained in the Philippine area, screening the fast carriers and standing by on plane guard duties, through mid-November. At dusk on the 19th, during one of the many air attacks fought off by ''The Sullivans'', the destroyer damaged a "Betty" by gunfire and watched it disappear over the horizon, smoking but stubbornly remaining airborne. Six days later, she had better luck when her guns set a Japanese plane afire and splashed it into the sea. Two days later, her task group returned to Ulithi.

The destroyer undertook training exercises from 8 to 11 December before rejoining TG 38.2 to screen its warships during air strikes on Manila and southern [[Luzon]] beginning on 14 December. On the 17th, running low on fuel, ''The Sullivans'' commenced refueling but, with the weather worsening minute by minute, she broke off the operation. [[Typhoon Cobra]] swept through the Fleet, with the wind clocked at an estimated {{convert|115|kn}} on the morning of 18 December. Three destroyers were sunk and several ships damaged by the winds and waves. ''The Sullivans'', her "lucky shamrock" painted on her funnel, emerged from the typhoon undamaged and, on the 20th began searching for men lost overboard from other ships. The lingering bad weather resulted in cancellation of air strikes, and ''The Sullivans'' retired to Ulithi on Christmas Eve.

===1945===
After a brief run to Manus and back, escorting ''Iowa'', ''The Sullivans'' sortied from Ulithi on 30 December to screen TG 38.2's air strikes on Formosa in support of the American landings on Luzon. Heavy seas forced a three-day postponement of a high-speed thrust toward the target originally planned for the night of 6 January 1945. During the evening of the 9th, the task force passed through the Bashi Channel and entered the South China Sea. Three days later, carrier planes from TG 38.2 swept over [[Saigon]] and [[Camranh Bay]], Indochina, hammering at whatever enemy merchantmen they found.

Soon after the conclusion of the air strikes, a bombardment group, TG 34.5, was formed to go after possible "cripples" and dispatch them by surface gunfire. Accordingly, two battleships, two heavy cruisers, three light cruisers, and 15 destroyers raced into Camranh Bay but found it devoid of Japanese shipping. Throughout the day, however, carrier pilots had better luck and enjoyed a veritable "field day" with coastal [[Japanese ship-naming conventions#Merchant ships|''marus'']]. During subsequent air strikes on Hainan Island, Hong Kong, and Formosa, ''The Sullivans'' served on radar picket duty {{convert|10|mi}} ahead of the task group.

A brief respite for upkeep at Ulithi in late January preceded the ship's deployment with TG 58.2, covering the carriers as they launched devastating air strikes against the Japanese homeland itself, hitting Tokyo and other targets on Honshū on 16 and 17 February. From the 18th through the 21st, American carrier-based air power struck at Japanese positions contesting the [[Battle of Iwo Jima|landings on Iwo Jima]]. More strikes were scheduled for Tokyo four days later, but bad weather forced their cancellation. Retiring from the area, TF 58 fueled and commenced a high-speed run at Okinawa at noon on 28 February. Later that day, ''The Sullivans'' sighted and destroyed a drifting mine. At dawn on 1 March, Hellcats, Avengers, Dauntlesses, and Helldivers attacked Japanese positions on Okinawa. The ships of the task force encountered no enemy opposition from sea or sky and soon retired towards Ulithi.

''The Sullivans'' sortied 12 days later, bound for Kyushu and southern Honshū to support the [[Battle of Okinawa|invasion of Okinawa]]. Once again screening for TG 58.2, ''The Sullivans'' stood by as the carriers launched air strikes on 14 March. On 20 March, ''The Sullivans'' fueled from {{USS|Enterprise|CV-6|2}} at 11:52, clearing the carrier's side five minutes later when a [[kamikaze]] alert sent the ships scurrying.

At 14:39, ''The Sullivans'' commenced maneuvering to go alongside ''Enterprise'' again—this time to pick up a part for her FD radar antenna. Soon, however, another enemy air attack scattered the ships. As a line had not yet been thrown across to the carrier, ''The Sullivans'' bent on speed and cleared her as other ships in the task group opened fire on the attackers. A Japanese plane came through the antiaircraft fire and crashed into {{USS|Halsey Powell|DD-686|2}} astern as that destroyer was fueling alongside {{USS|Hancock|CV-19|2}}. The stricken destroyer lost steering control and started to veer across the big carrier's bow, and only rapid and radical maneuvering on ''Hancock''{{'}}s part averted a collision.

''The Sullivans'' soon closed ''Halsey Powell'' to render emergency assistance. She slowed to a stop 11 minutes later and lowered her motor whaleboat to transfer her medical officer and a pharmacist's mate to ''Halsey Powell'', when another kamikaze came out of the skies, apparently bent on crashing into ''The Sullivans''. At 16:10, the destroyer's radar picked up the "Zeke" on its approach; and, as soon as the motor whaler was clear of the water, ''The Sullivans'' leapt ahead with all engines thrusting at flank speed.

Bringing right full rudder, ''The Sullivans'' maneuvered radically while her 20- and 40-millimeter guns sent streams of shells at the "Zeke", which passed {{convert|100|ft}} over the masthead and escaped. Meanwhile, ''Halsey Powell'' managed to achieve a steady course at five knots; and, with ''The Sullivans'', she retired toward Ulithi. However, their troubles were not yet over. At 10:46 on the following day, 21 March, ''The Sullivans'' picked up a plane, closing from {{convert|15|mi}}. Visually identified as a twin-engined "Frances", the aircraft was taken under fire at {{convert|10000|yd|m}} by ''The Sullivans''{{'}} 5-inch battery. ''Halsey Powell'' joined in too; and, within a few moments, the "Frances" crashed into the sea about {{convert|3000|yd|m}} abeam of ''The Sullivans''. At 12:50, a combat air patrol (CAP) Hellcat from ''Yorktown'', under direction by ''Halsey Powell'', splashed another "Frances". At 13:20, a CAP Hellcat from ''Intrepid'', directed by ''The Sullivans'', downed a "Nick" or "Dinah".

On 25 March, ''The Sullivans'' and ''Halsey Powell'' arrived at Ulithi, the former for upkeep prior to training exercises and the latter for battle repairs.

The warship next rendezvoused with TF 58 off Okinawa and guarded the carriers supporting the landings on the island. While operating on radar picket duty on the 15th, the ship came under enemy air attack, but downed one plane and emerged unscathed. She continued conducting radar picket patrols for the task group, ranging some 12 to {{convert|25|mi}} out from the main body of the force. On the afternoon of 29 April, she commenced fueling from {{USS|Bunker Hill|CV-17|2}}, but a kamikaze alert interrupted the replenishment, forcing ''The Sullivans'' to break away from the carrier's side. During the ensuing action, {{USS|Hazelwood|DD-531|2}} and {{USS|Haggard|DD-555|2}} were both crashed by kamikazes but survived.

[[File:USS Bunker Hill (CV-17), USS Bountiful (AH-9) and USS The Sullivans (DD-537) on 12 May 1945.jpg|thumb|{{USS|Bountiful|AH-9|2}} taking casualties on board from {{USS|Bunker Hill|CV-17|2}} on 12 May 1945, one day after the carrier was devastated by a kamikaze attack. ''The Sullivans'' is in the foreground.]]
Kamikazes continued to plague the ships of TG 58.3 as they supported the troops fighting ashore on Okinawa. Everything from landing craft to battleships were targeted. On the morning of 11 May, a kamikaze crashed into ''Bunker Hill''. ''The Sullivans'' promptly closed the carrier to render assistance and picked up 166 men forced over the side by the fires that at one point ravaged the ship. After transferring them to ships in TG 50.8 and replenishing her fuel bunkers, she helped to screen TG 58.3 during air strikes on Kyushu.

In a morning air attack three days later, ''Enterprise'' was hit by a kamikaze. Four enemy planes were shot down in the melee—one by ''The Sullivans'' in what proved to be her last combat action during World War II.

''The Sullivans'' anchored at San Pedro Bay, Leyte Gulf, on 1 June for recreation and upkeep. She departed Leyte on the 20th, bound, via Eniwetok and Pearl Harbor, for the west coast. The destroyer arrived at [[Mare Island Naval Shipyard|Mare Island, Calif.]], on 9 July and, two days later, commenced her overhaul. She thus missed the final fleet activity that closed the war.

Meanwhile, since the return of peace greatly reduced the Navy's need for warships, ''The Sullivans'' was decommissioned at San Diego on 10 January 1946—soon after her overhaul was completed—and she was placed in the [[Pacific Reserve Fleet]].

==Korean War service==

''The Sullivans'' remained decommissioned at San Diego until May 1951, when she began to undergo reactivation. This was due to naval fleet expansion because of the Korean War. She was recommissioned on 6 July 1951. ''The Sullivans'' soon headed to her home port in [[Newport, R.I.]] by way of the Panama Canal. During the winter of 1951–52, the ship conducted training exercises off the east coast and in the Caribbean. ''The Sullivans'' departed Newport on 6 September 1952 bound for Japan. Proceeding via the Panama Canal, San Diego, Pearl Harbor, and Midway she arrived at [[Sasebo, Japan]] on 10 October 1952. The next day she got underway to join [[Task Force 77 (U.S. Navy)|Task Force 77]] off the eastern shores of Korea. Her duties included screening the fast carriers which were launching repeated air strikes to interdict enemy supply lines. She also supported United Nations ground forces who were battling communist forces. ''The Sullivans'' remained on this duty until 20 October 1952 when she steamed to [[Yokosuka]], Japan for a brief refit.

[[File:USS Ajax (AR-6) at Sasebo with destroyers, December 1952.jpg|thumb|''The Sullivans'' alongside {{USS|Ajax|AR-6|2}}, December 1952]]
Following the refit, ''The Sullivans'' stopped at [[Buckner Bay, Okinawa]] and then proceeded to rejoin Task Force 77. Upon her arrival on 16 November 1952 she resumed screening activities and plane guard duty. She supported the carriers as they made the northernmost stab at North Korean supply lines, approaching within {{convert|75|mi|-1}} of the [[Soviet]] base at [[Vladivostok]], Russia. [[MiG-15]] fighters approached the task force, but combat air patrol [[Grumman F9F Panther]]s downed two of the attackers and damaged a third in history's first engagement between jet fighters over water. The destroyer arrived back at Sasebo, Japan on 5 December 1952. From Sasebo she joined United Nations forces on 14 December 1952 in blockading the Korean coasts. Her mission was to interdict seaborne traffic and bombard shore targets to support United Nations ground troops and interdict enemy supply operations. Arriving in Area "G" the following day, ''The Sullivans'' made contact with the enemy on the 16th off [[Kimchaek|Songjin, North Korea]] which was an important rail terminus and supply center. For the next few days, she bombarded railroad trains and tunnels. She frequently opened fire to destroy railroad [[rolling stock]], depots, and prevented repairs to railroad tracks and buildings.

On Christmas Day 1952, ''The Sullivans'' scored direct hits on a railroad bridge while under fire from enemy artillery positions on shore. Fifty rounds from enemy guns failed to touch the ship, although near-misses showered the warship's decks with shell fragments. [[Counter-battery fire]] from the ship destroyed at least one of the enemy artillery positions.

''The Sullivans'' was ordered home and departed Yokosuka, Japan on 26 January 1953. On the voyage home the ship called at Buckner Bay, Okinawa; Hong Kong; [[Subic Bay]]; Singapore, [[Colombo, Ceylon]]; [[Bombay, India]]; [[Bahrain]] and [[Aden]]. ''The Sullivans'' then steamed through the Red Sea, transited the Suez Canal, and proceeded to [[Cannes]], France, via [[Naples]]. After a brief fueling stop at Gibraltar the warship reached Newport, R.I. on 11 April 1953.

==6th Fleet deployment==
[[File:USS The Sullivans (DD-537) underway off Newport, Rhode Island (USA), on 29 October 1962 (USN 1063618).jpg|thumb|right|''The Sullivans'' off Newport, Rhode Island, 29 October 1962]]
The destroyer operated out of her home port well into the summer of 1953, before deploying to the Mediterranean for a tour of duty with the 6th Fleet. She remained on this duty through the end of the year and returned to Newport on 3 February 1954 for operations off the east coast and into the Caribbean through May 1955. She again deployed to European and Mediterranean waters from May to August of that year before returning to Newport late in the summer.

In the years that followed, ''The Sullivans'' continued alternating east coast operations with Mediterranean deployments. The summer of 1958 saw a communist threat to the security of Lebanon, and president [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]] ordered American ships to land troops there to protect Americans and to help stabilize the tense situation. ''The Sullivans'' supported the landings of Marines at Beirut. After their presence had dispelled the crisis, she returned to the United States for a three-month navy yard overhaul and subsequent refresher training at [[Naval Station Guantanamo Bay]], Cuba.

Back at Newport in March 1959, ''The Sullivans'' joined a hunter/killer group formed around the aircraft carrier {{USS|Lake Champlain|CV-39|2}}. Then, after making a midshipman training cruise for [[USNA]] and [[NROTC]] midshipmen in which she also conducted antisubmarine warfare operations, the destroyer sailed for another Mediterranean deployment which lasted until she returned home in the autumn.

Operations out of Newport occupied ''The Sullivans'' until early spring of 1960 when she headed south for [[ASROC]] evaluations off Key West, Florida. During this deployment to southern climes, on 31 March and 1 April, the warship helped to rescue five of eleven survivors from a [[U.S. Air Force]] [[KC-97 Stratofreighter]](Model F Stratotanker) that had ditched 40 miles off the Florida coast near [[Cape Canaveral]].

Following NATO exercises in September, ''The Sullivans'' visited Lisbon, Portugal, prior to a quick trip through the Mediterranean, Suez Canal, and Red Sea, to Karachi, West Pakistan. In late October and into November, she participated in Operation "Midlink III", joint operations with Pakistani, Iranian, and British warships. After returning to the Mediterranean, ''The Sullivans'' conducted exercises with the French Navy and with the 6th Fleet and reached home in time for Christmas.

In January 1961, ''The Sullivans'' assisted in the sea trials of the nuclear-powered fleet ballistic missile submarine {{USS|Abraham Lincoln|SSBN-602|2}} off Portsmouth, New Hampshire, before steaming south and taking part in Operation Springboard. While in the Caribbean, she visited Martinique. Briefly back at Newport early in March, ''The Sullivans'' soon returned to the West Indies to support marine landing exercises at Vieques, Puerto Rico.

In April, the ship began intensive training in the waters off Florida to prepare to cover a [[Project Mercury]] spaceshot. ''The Sullivans'' joined ''Lake Champlain'' at [[Naval Station Mayport]], Florida, and took station. On 5 May 1961, Commander [[Alan Shepard]]'s Mercury space capsule, [[Freedom 7]], passed overhead and splashed down near ''Lake Champlain'' and was speedily rescued by helicopters from the carrier. ''The Sullivans'' then made a midshipman cruise in June, visiting New York and Halifax, Nova Scotia.

From September 1961 to February 1962, ''The Sullivans'' underwent a major overhaul in the [[Boston Naval Shipyard]]. She proceeded to [[Guantanamo Bay Naval Base|Guantanamo Bay]] soon thereafter to train for duty as a school ship. She subsequently served as a model destroyer in which officer students could see and learn the fundamentals of destroyer operation. In May and again in August, ''The Sullivans'' made training cruises to the Caribbean for the Destroyer School.

In October 1962, after Soviet missiles were discovered in Cuba, ''The Sullivans'' joined American naval forces blockading the island during negotiations with the Soviet Union over the issue. When the Soviet Government withdrew the strategic weapons, the destroyer returned to Newport.

On 7 January 1963, ''The Sullivans'' got underway from Newport bound for the Caribbean and another training cruise. Following her return to Newport, she conducted local operations for the Destroyer School. The tragic loss of nuclear submarine {{USS|Thresher|SSN-593|2}} off Boston on 10 April 1963 caused the destroyer to support emergency investigations of the disaster.

For the remainder of 1963 and into the first few months of 1964, ''The Sullivans'' continued to train officer students. On 1 April 1964, the destroyer was transferred to the [[Naval Reserve Force]], and her homeport was changed to New York City. Departing Newport on 13 April, the warship proceeded to New York and took on her selected reserve crew. Her cruises with the reserves embarked were devoted mostly to ASW exercises and took the ship to Canadian ports such as Halifax, Nova Scotia; Saint John, New Brunswick; and Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, in the north; and to Palm Beach, Florida, in the south.

After the [[Melbourne–Voyager collision|collision]] of the Australian aircraft carrier {{HMAS|Melbourne|R21|2}} and destroyer {{HMAS|Voyager|D04|2}}, which resulted in the sinking of ''Voyager'' on 10 February 1964, the United States offered ''The Sullivans'' to Australia along with sister ship {{USS|Twining|DD-540|2}} as a temporary replacement. The [[Royal Australian Navy]] instead accepted the British [[Royal Navy]]'s offer of the [[Daring class destroyer (1949)|''Daring''-class]] destroyer {{HMAS|Duchess|D154|2}}, which was of the same class as ''Voyager''.<ref>{{cite book |last=Frame |first=Tom |author-link=Tom Frame (bishop) |title=The Cruel Legacy: the HMAS Voyager tragedy |year=2005 |pages=21–22|publisher=Allen & Unwin |location=Crows Nest, NSW |isbn=1-74115-254-2 |oclc=61213421}}</ref>

==Museum ship==

[[File:U.S.S. Little Rock 6.1.jpg|thumb|right|''The Sullivans'' with {{USS|Little Rock|CG-4|6}} and {{USS|Croaker|SS-246|6}}]]
''The Sullivans'' received nine [[battle star]]s for World War II service and two for Korean service. On 7 January 1965, ''The Sullivans'' was decommissioned at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard and she remained in reserve into the 1970s. In 1977, she and cruiser {{USS|Little Rock|CG-4|6}} were processed for donation to the [[Buffalo and Erie County Naval & Military Park]] in Buffalo, New York. The ship now serves as a memorial and is open for public tours.

The ship was declared a [[National Historic Landmark]] in 1986.<ref name="nhlsum">{{cite web |url=http://tps.cr.nps.gov/nhl/detail.cfm?ResourceId=1945&ResourceType=Structure |title=USS ''The Sullivans'' |access-date=2007-09-19 |work=National Historic Landmark summary listing |publisher=National Park Service |archive-date=17 March 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050317223626/http://tps.cr.nps.gov/nhl/detail.cfm?ResourceID=1945&resourceType=Structure |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="nrhpinv">{{cite web |url= https://npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/GetAsset/NHLS/86000085_text |title= USS ''The Sullivans'' (DD-537) |date= May 1985 |author= Harry A. Butowsky |work= National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination |publisher= National Park Service |access-date= 10 March 2016 |archive-date= 24 October 2020 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20201024095206/https://npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/GetAsset/NHLS/86000085_text |url-status= live }}</ref><ref name="nrhpphotos">{{cite web |url= https://npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/GetAsset/NHLS/86000085_photos |title= USS ''The Sullivans'' (DD-537) – Accompanying 3 photos, exterior, from 1985. |work= National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination |date= May 1985 |publisher= National Park Service |access-date= 10 March 2016 |archive-date= 24 October 2020 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20201024092445/https://npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/GetAsset/NHLS/86000085_photos |url-status= live }}</ref> On 26 February 2021 it was reported that ''The Sullivans'' was taking on water and [[Angle of list|listing]]. It was stated that the ship's age and possible weather damage were the most likely cause for the leak below the waterline.<ref>{{cite news|last =Ewing|first = Claudine|title=West Herr helps USS The Sullivans with needed emergency repairs|publisher =WGRZ Television
 |date=28 February 2021|url=https://www.wgrz.com/article/news/local/west-herr-helps-uss-the-sullivans-buffalo-historic-landmark/71-a08242c6-687b-48d2-a496-b6f235c494b5|access-date =1 March 2021 }}</ref>
[[File:USS The Sullivans DD-537.jpg|thumb|USS ''The Sullivans'' on 15 April 2022. A USCG member watches as water is pumped out from her hull.]]
On 14 April 2022, the ship began to list and appeared to sit lower in the water than usual; crews told a reporter that electrical power to the ship had been lost.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-04-14 |title=USS The Sullivans appears to be partially sinking at Buffalo and Erie County Naval and Military Park |url=https://www.wkbw.com/news/local-news/uss-the-sullivans-appears-to-be-sinking-at-buffalo-and-erie-county-naval-and-military-park |access-date=2022-04-14 |website=WKBW |language=en |archive-date=14 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220414132716/https://www.wkbw.com/news/local-news/uss-the-sullivans-appears-to-be-sinking-at-buffalo-and-erie-county-naval-and-military-park |url-status=live }}</ref> A later public statement reported "a serious hull breach" that was under investigation, with part of the ship resting on the riverbed, but still mostly above water.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Sarisohn |first1=Hannah |title=WWII-era ship tilting into Lake Erie in Buffalo, New York, naval park |url=https://www.cnn.com/2022/04/14/us/buffalo-uss-the-sullivans-sinking/index.html |access-date=14 April 2022 |work=CNN.com |publisher=CNN |date=14 April 2022 |archive-date=14 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220414224335/https://www.cnn.com/2022/04/14/us/buffalo-uss-the-sullivans-sinking/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref> An assessment below deck in May called the damage to the ship's interior considerable.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Tsujimoto |first=Ben |date=May 14, 2022 |title=Despite 'considerable' damage in USS The Sullivans, naval park hopes to preserve artifacts |url=https://www.stripes.com/branches/navy/2022-05-14/despite-considerable-damage-uss-sullivans-buffalo-naval-park-preserve-artifacts-6001481.html |access-date=2022-05-16 |work=Stars and Stripes |agency=The Buffalo News |language=en |archive-date=17 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220517062339/https://www.stripes.com/branches/navy/2022-05-14/despite-considerable-damage-uss-sullivans-buffalo-naval-park-preserve-artifacts-6001481.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

In August 2022, ''The Sullivans'' reopened for visits after repairs.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.wgrz.com/article/news/local/uss-the-sullivans-reopens-for-public-tours/71-257efd4e-8bef-4c2d-9268-7bb3c3455dc3 |title=USS The Sullivans reopens for public tours |work=WGRZ |date=13 August 2022 |access-date=14 August 2022}}</ref>

In summer 2023, the park began work to winterize the ship to protect her. This included adding an improved communications and sensor system to warn of leaks, replacing mooring lines, shoring up bulkheads and replacing gaskets, and adding dehumidifiers and other equipment. The park has plans to drydock the ship by late 2024 in either Erie or Cleveland, but must raise substantial amounts of money to accomplish the move and tow, as well as drydock repairs. Estimates are that at least $10-$12 million is required for the towing.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.wgrz.com/article/news/local/winterizing-the-sullivans-as-drydock-repairs-delayed/71-471e2f35-376f-432f-ae6b-7e4a60836c4f | title=Winterizing USS the Sullivans as drydock repairs delayed with funding shortfall | date=28 July 2023 }}</ref> <ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVIBr6GnHZA&t=8s | title=One year year, USS the Sullivans is improving | website=[[YouTube]] | access-date=24 September 2023 | archive-date=1 October 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231001130130/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVIBr6GnHZA&t=8s | url-status=live }}</ref>

As of June 2024, the ship's lower decks were closed to visitors and only the main deck and part of the superstructure were open.

== Awards ==
''The Sullivans'' earned nine [[battle star]]s in World War II and another two more during the Korean War.

==See also==
Three other ''Fletcher''-class ships are preserved as memorials:

* {{USS|Cassin Young|DD-793}} at Boston, Massachusetts
* {{USS|Kidd|DD-661}} at Baton Rouge, Louisiana
* {{ship|Greek destroyer|Velos|D16|6}} former USS ''Charrette'' at Athens, Greece

==References==
=== Notes ===
{{reflist}}

=== Sources ===
*{{DANFS|http://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/t/the-sullivans-dd-537-i.html}}
*{{Naval Vessel Register|{{Naval Vessel Register URL|id=DD537}}}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|USS The Sullivans (DD-537)}}
* [http://www.history.navy.mil/faqs/faq72-6a.htm The Sullivan Brothers: History of USS ''The Sullivans'' (DD-537)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040406211714/http://www.history.navy.mil/faqs/faq72-6a.htm |date=6 April 2004 }}
* {{hnsa|uss-the-sullivans-dd-537}}
*[http://www.williammaloney.com/Aviation/USSTheSullivans/index.htm USS ''The Sullivans''] Photos on board the Destroyer USS ''The Sullivans''
* [http://issuu.com/wcfcourier/docs/iowaveteransmuseum?mode=embed&documentId=081106145807-9891f7542673410abe6ec3903f605fe2&layout=grey Iowa Veterans Museum]
* [https://buffalonavalpark.org/exhibits/uss-the-sullivans/ Buffalo & Erie County Naval & Military Park]

{{Fletcher class destroyer}}
{{National Register of Historic Places}}
{{2022 shipwrecks}}

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[[Category:Fletcher-class destroyers of the United States Navy]]
[[Category:World War II destroyers of the United States]]
[[Category:Cold War destroyers of the United States]]
[[Category:Korean War destroyers of the United States]]
[[Category:Museum ships in New York (state)]]
[[Category:National Historic Landmarks in New York (state)]]
[[Category:Ships on the National Register of Historic Places in New York (state)]]
[[Category:Ships built in San Francisco]]
[[Category:1943 ships]]
[[Category:Museums in Buffalo, New York]]
[[Category:Military and war museums in New York (state)]]
[[Category:National Register of Historic Places in Buffalo, New York]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in 2022]]