The Five Sullivan Brothers

Discussion in 'Movies & Entertainment' started by Frank Sanoica, May 18, 2016.

  1. Frank Sanoica

    Frank Sanoica Supreme Member
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    Popped into my head unexpectedly this evening. I think I saw the movie about them, which was released in 1944, during it's re-release, date unknown, but have watched it on T-V several times. If you have not seen it, or do not remember it, it is the true depiction of 5 Iowa brothers who enlisted in the Navy after hearing of Pearl Harbor being bombed. They insisted on being deployed together. All five died when their ship, the Juneau, was torpedoed on Nov. 13, 1942. The movie's title is "The Fighting Sullivans".

    It describes their childhoods, growing up, in small-town Iowa, the trials and tribulations encountered raising 5 boys and one girl. Thomas Mitchell played their father in a very moving portrayal. He was a workman on the railroad; during school vacation, he sometimes spotted several brothers up on the catwalk of the big locomotive water tank, as he rode by, admonishing them to climb down. At the very end of the movie, riding past the old water tank, looking up at it, picturing in his mind those boys, now all dead, still waving down to him, he tearfully salutes the tank. It is one of the most heart-rending scenes I can recall in a movie.

    This describes the brothers, and the resulting effects of their deaths: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sullivan_brothers

    About the movie:
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fighting_Sullivans

    [​IMG]
    DVD cover of The Fighting Sullivans Commemorative Edition
     
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  2. Patsy Faye

    Patsy Faye Supreme Member
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    Hi there Frank - I saw a documentary on the Sullivans a few years back - so very sad
    Will have to see if I can get the movie
     
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  3. Sheldon Scott

    Sheldon Scott Supreme Member
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    I've seen the movie a couple of times but it was many years ago.
     
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  4. Ike Willis

    Ike Willis Supreme Member
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    They were from Waterloo Iowa, if I remember right. Sad movie.
     
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  5. Patsy Faye

    Patsy Faye Supreme Member
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    YAY - we found it ! :D
    Will watch on Sunday night :)
     
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  6. K E Gordon

    K E Gordon Veteran Member
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    Yeah, such a tragedy. Several of my great uncles from the same family were in WWII at the same time, Thank God they all came back safely. The Sullivans all being killed forced the military to change their policy as to how many members of the same family could be on active duty at the same time. I saw one of the grandchildren of the Sullivan brothers once on TV. I think only one of them was married, and had a child.
     
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  7. Gary Ridenour

    Gary Ridenour Veteran Member
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    unfortunately the sole survivor act was not passed until 48. and disaster struck another family. the Borgstrom brothers.
    four siblings killed over a six-month period during World War II. They were the sons of Alben and Gunda Borgstrom of Thatcher, Utah. The brothers were:
    • Elmer LeRoy Borgstrom, 30 (born April 30, 1914, died June 22, 1944), U.S. Army
    • Clyde Eugene Borgstrom, 28 (born February 15, 1916, died March 17, 1944), U.S. Marine Corps
    • Rolon Day Borgstrom, 19 (born May 5, 1925, died August 8, 1944), U.S. Army Air Forces
    • Rulon Jay Borgstrom, 19 (born May 5, 1925, died August 26, 1944), U.S. Army Air Forces
    http://military.wikia.com/wiki/Borgstrom_brothers

    I think saving Pvt Ryan was based on this. the first 25 mins of this one were hard to take sitting down. ive yet to see the Sullivan Movie
     
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  8. Ike Willis

    Ike Willis Supreme Member
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    My dad and two of his brothers were in the service during WW2. Dad and one brother went into the USAAC (air force) and served together through the war. Another brother was in the navy.
     
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  9. Gary Ridenour

    Gary Ridenour Veteran Member
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    my dad and his brother served as well. when my war came they said you'll continue the family tradition. my dad served on a Light Cruiser in the Atlantic and his brother was a black cat pilot
     
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  10. Patsy Faye

    Patsy Faye Supreme Member
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    Very sad stories here
    I think now I may have seen the film following the docu - but that was a many years ago
    Worth another watch
    We will never forget ...............Bless them all
     
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  11. Frank Sanoica

    Frank Sanoica Supreme Member
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    @Patsy Faye Please do let us know your reaction to the story. It is IMO very well presented. I am not a very emotional man, but thinking of the ending chokes me up.
    Frank
     
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  12. Patsy Faye

    Patsy Faye Supreme Member
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  13. Patsy Faye

    Patsy Faye Supreme Member
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    @Frank Sanoica
    Hi there Frank, watched the movie last night
    The kids were fantastic and captivating as were the parents
    My favourite scene was when the boys wanted to add the extra bit to the house for the wood
    The saddest part was the Father looking from the train
    I loved the family life wishing 'all' families were like that

    I had a good experience when I was fostered, I suddenly had four brothers and a dog !
    Also wonderful parents - sadly only for 2 years ................
     
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