Deepertruth: Catholic Heroes at Sea

The Sullivans were a strong faithful Catholic family who were followers of Jesus Christ from the very beginning of their marriage. Perhaps they were the typical family living in middle America, Waterloo Iowa.

Thomas Sullivan worked as a freight conductor on the Illinois Central Railroad that gave the family support during the Great Depression, while his wife Alleta was the nest builder. She had five sons and one daughter raising them as strong Catholics.

Their sons George, Francis, Joseph, Madison, and Albert, grew up at a time when family life in America was centered on faith and patriotism. Their sister, Genevieve learned from her mother what a Christian woman was to be.

Being typical boys, they would be involved with everything, rebuilding a boat to have fun sailing, even if it did sink, running up a tower to watch their Father passing by on the train, they were close as brothers.

Philippians 3:17 states, “Join with others in being imitators of me, brothers, and observe those who thus conduct themselves according to the model you have in us.” St. Paul is giving us the call to follow holiness, first to follow the example of the Apostles, the first followers of the Lord. We are to imitate their example of proclaiming liberty setting the captives free.

Growing up, the boys worked at Waterloo’s Rath Packing Co living the American dream.

Al, the youngest son, was the only one of the brothers that married and has a young son.

On December 7, 1941 the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor and with the news of a close friend’s death all five brothers enlisted in the Navy on January 3, 1942 getting the opportunity to serve together.