What You Need to Know: The USS The Sullivans, an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer named in honor of five heroic brothers lost in World War II, has been deployed to the Middle East.

-The ship has recently been active in the Mediterranean, providing ballistic missile defense amid the Israel-Hamas conflict and supporting other U.S. Navy vessels, including the USS Gerald R. Ford and USS Bataan. As a tribute to the Sullivan brothers’ bravery and commitment, the vessel operates with a motto symbolizing unity and dedication.

-A previous USS The Sullivans ship, now a museum, is scheduled for restoration in 2025.

A Warship Named for American Heroes is on the Move

The United States Navy deployed the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS The Sullivans (DDG-68) to the Middle East, where it will join with other U.S. military assets. It is the warship's fifth deployment in just three years, including the most recent to the Mediterranean Sea.

While deployed in the region, the vessel "provided Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) for Commander, U.S. European Command amidst the Israel-Hamas conflict," the U.S. Navy announced. "The Sullivans, alongside USS Delbert D. Black (DDG 119), additionally provided on-station relief for USS Thomas Hudner (DDG 116) and USS McFaul (DDG 74)," which allowed those two warships to return home following multiple deployment extensions. 

During the deployment to the Eastern Mediterranean, DDG-68 also provided escort to two U.S. flattops – including the USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) and her carrier strike group (CSG) and the USS Bataan Amphibious Readiness Group. When CVN-78 conducted a port of call visit to Souda Bay, Crete, last December, USS The Sullivans acted as "Surface Action Group Commander" with the Arleigh Burke-class destroyers.

"The Sullivans' crew is trained and ready to engage in a variety of activities, from escorting ships to participating in joint exercises with allied and partner navies in the Middle East," the sea service added.

Watch Out – The Sullivans is Coming

America's adversaries should take note of the motto of USS The Sullivans – "Courage Honor Commitment We Stick Together." The Arleigh Bukre-class (Flight I) guided-missile destroyer is named to honor the five Sullivan brothers – George, Francis, Joseph, Madison, and Albert – who served together on the Atlanta-class light cruiser USS Juneau (CL-52).

All five were killed when USS Juneau was sunk in November 1942 during the naval Battle of Guadalcanal.

DDG-68 is actually the second vessel named to honor the Sullivan brothers, who had volunteered to serve in the U.S. Navy just days after the attack on Pearl Harbor. The Fletcher-class destroyer (DD-537) was the first warship commissioned by the U.S. Navy to honor more than one person, and she has also been preserved as a museum ship – along with the World War II cruiser USS Little Rock (CL-92) – at the Buffalo and Erie County Naval & Military Park in Buffalo, New York.

Time and the elements have been cruel to the first USS The Sullivans, and in 2022 damage to the hull was so significant the ship began to list. It was announced in August that both USS The Sullivans and the Gato-class submarine USS Croaker (SS-246) will head to dry dock in Lake Erie in September 2025, with a scheduled return in the spring of 2026. New York Governor Kathy Hochul has pledged to provide $10 million to the destroyer's and submarine's restoration, while local, state, and federal funding will also help ensure the historic warship that honored the brothers will be saved for future generations.

Author Experience and Expertise: Peter Suciu

Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].

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