Veteran of the Month – Warren Sullivan, Sr.

April 1, 2015

Veteran of the Month – Warren Sullivan, Sr. – April 2015

Name: Warren Sullivan, Sr.

Place of Birth: Winsted, CT

Date of Birth: July 9, 1925

Military Branch of Service: U.S. Navy

Enlisted, Commissioned or Drafted?: Drafted. Originally tried to enlist but was too young.

Service Dates: August 1943 – November 1945

Highest Rank: Motor Machinist Mate 3rd Class (MOMM3)

Military Jobs: Changed electrical generators every 24 hours on ship; lowered and raised ramp to get equipment on and off ship

Duties: Handled Thompson submachine guns; underwater repair of ship

Unit, Division, Battalion, Group, Ship, etc.: 7th Fleet, 7th Amphibious Forces, 1205 Landing Crafts/Tanks Ship (LTC) 120LTC

War, Operation, or Conflict served in: World War II

Location of Service: Philippines, South Pacific, Mindanao, New Hebrides, Kadabado River

Battles/Campaigns: South Pacific Campaign

Decorations: American Theater, Asiatic Pacific, Philippine Liberation, Liberty Medal, Battle Star for Philippine Liberation

Combat or service-related injuries: Illness – meningitis, treated at Bethesda Naval Hospital (given last rites prematurely); illness left Sullivan with a bad hip and epilepsy

Military Schools/Training: Diesel training – Navy Pier Great Lakes Chicago; Basic – Samson, NY

Family: Sullivan was married to Ellen (Sager) Sullivan, mother of his four children, for 33 years before she died of lung cancer. Sullivan’s second wife, Eugenia (Hislop) Sullivan passed away in 2014 after 27 years of marriage

Community Activities: VFW Winsted, Odd Fellows, Disabled American Veterans, American Legion, Second Congregational Church, Winsted.

Occupation after military service: Tool and die maker

About Warren: Warren Sullivan, Sr., was attending The Gilbert School in Winsted when the United States entered World War II. Eager to volunteer, his parents wouldn’t sign for him to enlist, so he had to wait to be drafted when he reached age 18. He left school during his senior year to join the U.S. Navy.

During his training, he became ill with meningitis and fell into a coma. A Catholic priest came in to give him the last rites and his parents were notified. He beat the odds, though. He came out of the coma and went on to complete his training and to serve his country with distinction and honor.

After his discharge in 1945, he returned to Winsted and returned to The Gilbert School to complete his high school education.

Warren came from a family of 13 siblings, who all were born and raised in Winsted. He and only two of his siblings are still alive. The home where he spent a good part of his childhood is located next door to the Winsted VFW hall. In fact, the VFW is located on land formerly owned by his family. He is now 89 years old and still lives in the same house where he raised his children.

He married Ellen Sager and had four children, Colleen Gundlach, Warren Sullivan, Jr., Sharon Okraska and Gail Leifert-Lymperopoulous. Ellen died in 1981 from lung cancer. His second wife, Eugenia Hislop, passed away last year.