A tragedy for this Russian family, but not as bad as for the Sullivan family.
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Yes, five brothers from Waterloo, Iowa were killed in action during World War II while serving aboard the USS Juneau, which was torpedoed and sunk on November 13, 1942:
* George Thomas: Gunner’s Mate 2nd Class, 27 years old
* Francis “Frank” Henry: Coxswain, 26 years old
* Joseph “Joe” Eugene: Seaman 2nd Class, 24 years old
* Madison “Matt” Abel: Seaman 2nd Class, 23 years old
* Albert “Al” Leo: Brother of Genevieve Marie
The brothers enlisted in the Navy in 1937 and 1942, with the condition that they stay together. They joined the Juneau’s commissioning crew in February 1942 and remained with the ship through the Guadalcanal Campaign.
The Sullivan brothers’ deaths were the greatest combat-related loss of life by a single family in American military history. The tragedy led to a new Navy policy that discouraged family members from serving together on the same ship. In honor of the brothers, the Navy named its next ship the The Sullivans (DD-537).
I pray this war ends soon, for all the soldiers currently at war, and so my 2 grandsons, enlisted last year will not be casualties somewhere, some day.
The rule that brothers or father/son combos not serve on the same ship had already been a rule, it was waived, didn’t work out. Their mother was a tireless supporter of the war effort even after her loss.
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