HISTORY IRL

USS Juneau Wreckage Found Near Solomon Islands

Sunk during WW2’s Battle of Guadalcanal, famously killing five Sullivan brothers.

The wreckage of the World War 2 warship USS Juneau has been located off the coast of Solomon Islands. Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen sponsored the expedition to find the ship, which was found 4,000 meters below the surface of the Pacific Ocean on Saturday. The Juneau was sunk by Japanese torpedoes in November 1942 during the Battle of Guadalcanal, killing 687 men. Among those lost were the five Sullivan brothers from Waterloo, Ohio, who, despite a rule stipulating that no siblings could serve in the same unit, famously refused to serve unless they were together. A Navy destroyer—USS The Sullivans—was later named in honor of the brothers George, Francis, Joseph, Madison, and Albert. The ship reportedly split in two under torpedo fire, and only 10 soldiers were able to saved from the battle scene. In the past year, Allen’s crews have also found the remains of the USS Indianapolis, the USS Lexington, and several other wartime wrecks.