USS Sullivans (DD-537) - Palm Springs Air Museum
N 33° 49.930 W 116° 30.265
11S E 545855 N 3743657
This exact replica is one of many within the Palm Springs Air Museum.
Waymark Code: WMGW8R
Location: California, United States
Date Posted: 04/15/2013
Views: 6
The Palm Springs Air Museum contains many WWII aircraft inside two hangers as well as a number of aircraft on display outside on the tarmac. The SE hanger contains aircraft and displays from the Asian Pacific Theater of the war. In the back part of the hanger are many small-scale replicas of WWII naval ships on display. This particular model replica is of the USS Sullivans (DD-537), a Fletcher class destroyer and named in the memory of the five Sullivan brothers who were killed at the same time aboard the cruiser USS Juneau when she was sunk during the Battle for Guadalcanal.
There is some great history that was discovered regarding this replica. The USS Sullivans was originally named Putnam when it was laid down to sea during WWII. After being renamed, this ship went on to receive nine battle stars for World War II service and two for Korean service before finally being decommissioned on January 7, 1965. It now rests as a National Historic Landmark in Buffalo, NY in the Buffalo and Erie County Naval and Military Park.
Interesting facts:
She is the first United States Navy ship to be named in honor of the five Sullivan brothers
Sullivan brothers deaths were the greatest military loss by any one American family during World War II
USS Sullivans was the first ship commissioned in the Navy that honored more than one person
The Palm Springs Air Museum is definitely worth the price of admission and visitors should leave with a new appreciation for those men and women who fought in WWII for preservation of democracy and against those who tried to destroy it (Germany, Japan and Italy).
*NOTE* I was told by volunteer staff that many planes and historical items often move around inside the hangers and outside on the tarmac, BUT they always stay within the museum, unless they are part of a visiting exhibition. Waymarkers should keep this in mind when searching for a particular waymark that I or someone else has posted on Waymarking.com. If, by chance, you cannot locate a particular waymark within the museum, please let me know and I'll contact the staff and inquire to its whereabouts. Thanks.