The Sullivans
THE SULLIVANS, 1942
by
JOHN M. ARRIBAS
It was a cold blustery day in Waterloo
An Iowan winter with not much to do
A silent military mission was underway
Three warriors here with a chilling say
Can you point the way to 98 Adams street
We have a message from the commander in chief
They arrived found Tom Sullivan at the door
He instinctively knew why they were there for
The war was on and as was the custom
When a serviceman was killed or missing
The service branch would send a mission
To advise the family of the tragic event
Which one of my sons did not survive??
I’m sorry sir we’re here for all five
No dagger could plunge as deep as that phrase
The infinite heartbreak that message conveys
Now to tell Alleta the mother of the boys
How do you tell a mother her five sons are gone
Dispensing heartbreak with a multiple of five
Al, Frank, Matt, Joe, George, none survived
These young men all rest in the sea
Each has a stele dedicated to his memory
At the place honoring many a son
Campo Santo Arlington
That happened over seventy years ago
An event that every american should know
The fate of five brothers on the USS Juneau
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