Epic Missile Failure: USS Sullivans

[Old No7]

Here's an interesting story & pic from a buddy at the local gun club...

Old No7

Earlier this month a medium-long range shipboard surface-to-air missile malfunctioned and exploded above the US Navy destroyer "USS The Sullivans".
[attachment=0]Missile Fail - The Sullivans.png[/attachment]
The scheduled missile exercise occurred on July 18 at approximately 9 a.m. off the coast of Virginia, according to the US Navy Institute.

While there were no reported injuries, the blast from the Raytheon Standard Missile-2 did create a small fire on the port side of the ship.

"It is too early to determine what, if any, effect this will have on the ship's schedule," Naval Sea Systems Command said in a statement to USNI News.

[gamekeeper]

14 days too late!....

Glad nobody got hurt.

[Old No7]

Funny one John.

(OK, it took me a few seconds to get it though, I'll admit...)

I remember building a plastic model of The Sullivans WWII destroyer many decades ago. There is quite a story to the naming of this next-generation "The Sullivans", and here it is:

The latest ship named "USS The Sullivans" (DDG-68) is an Arleigh Burke-class "Aegis" guided missile destroyer, and is the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for the five Sullivan brothers — George, Francis, Joseph, Madison, and Albert Sullivan, aged 20 to 27 – who lost their lives when their ship, USS Juneau, was sunk by a Japanese submarine in November 1942 in the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal (the first ship named for them was DD-537).

That was the greatest military loss by any one American family during World War II. In 2000 a group affiliated with Al Qaeda attempted to attack and destroy The Sullivans DDG-68, but the attackers' boat sank before the attack could be carried out.

I remember seeing pictures of "Gold Star" flags in the windows of homes that last a son... But 5 at once? I can't even fathom it...

And if I recall, since then, now you can't have members of the same family serving on-board the same ships due to that incident.

Tight groups.

Old No7

[Ysabel Kid]

I was wondering if that was the reason for the name. Thanks for the confirmation!

[Marvin S]

My dad served on the original DD537 in WWII.

[pdentrem]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buffalo_Naval_Park

There was also a movie about the Sullivan brothers.
Pierre

[Old No7]

More info on the original The Sullivans, which might be of interest to those close to or heading towards Buffalo...

Old No7

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 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) 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.

[Rusty]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buffalo_Naval_Park

There was also a movie about the Sullivan brothers.
Pierre

The movie was called "The Fighting Sullivans."

[missionary5155]

Good morning
Thank you for posting that photo. That is why when munitions are fired safety procedures will be adhered to. Know of a stay caliber .50 burst that took off the search light and other gear from the exterior of a M60A1 tank that was search light tank at a Graf Range in 1973. Fortunately the crew was inside and buttoned up per SOP.
I remember seeing that movie before the Green Machine took possession of my life. If I remember right after that battle and the terrible loss to the Sullivan family US military stopped placing brothers in the same units.
Mike in Peru

[Merle]

Funny one John.

(OK, it took me a few seconds to get it though, I'll admit...)

I remember building a plastic model of The Sullivans WWII destroyer many decades ago. There is quite a story to the naming of this next-generation "The Sullivans", and here it is:

The latest ship named "USS The Sullivans" (DDG-68) is an Arleigh Burke-class "Aegis" guided missile destroyer, and is the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for the five Sullivan brothers — George, Francis, Joseph, Madison, and Albert Sullivan, aged 20 to 27 – who lost their lives when their ship, USS Juneau, was sunk by a Japanese submarine in November 1942 in the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal (the first ship named for them was DD-537).

That was the greatest military loss by any one American family during World War II. In 2000 a group affiliated with Al Qaeda attempted to attack and destroy The Sullivans DDG-68, but the attackers' boat sank before the attack could be carried out.

I remember seeing pictures of "Gold Star" flags in the windows of homes that last a son... But 5 at once? I can't even fathom it...

And if I recall, since then, now you can't have members of the same family serving on-board the same ships due to that incident.

Tight groups.

Old No7

That isn't true. During my active duty days in VN there were two sets of brothers aboard.

[7.62 Precision]

I knew two young brothers that were assigned to the same troop at the same time. Their father then was assigned to the same squadron. When their unit deployed, they required one brother to be transferred to a different squadron.

[Daisyman]

Those brothers were born about 100 miles from me in Waterloo, Iowa.

[Marvin S]

My oldest brother and I were in the first gulf war together but there where two others not serving. As long as they leave one seperated.

[WinM71]

You can tour USS The Sullivans DD-537, Fletcher class) at the Buffalo NY Naval & military park on the lakefront. Also USS Little Rock (CG-4, Cleveland class) and the submarine USS Croaker (SS-246, Gato class). It's a great tour, you aren't guided so you can take your time & see what you want, stop along the way & look a little deeper. There's a yellow line to follow, it takes you through all three ships. I was there two years ago, I think admission to the tour was about $10.

[Gaucho Gringo]

At Pearl Harbor there were 23 sets of brothers lost on the Arizona. http://www.history.com/news/5-facts-abo ... ss-arizona