USS Sullivans DD-537

Plastic model kit to build the USS Sullivans DD-537

• Scale 1:350
• Dimensions L x W (assembled): 327.6 mm x 34.8 mm
• 410+ parts
• Photo-etched parts included
• With display stand
• unbuilt, unpainted
• Paint and glue not included

USS *The Sullivans* (DD-537) was a *Fletcher*-class destroyer and ranks among the United States Navy's most famous warships of World War II. She was launched on April 4, 1943, by the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation in San Francisco and commissioned on September 30 of the same year. She was named in honor of the five Sullivan brothers—George, Francis, Joseph, Madison, and Albert—who served together on the light cruiser USS *Juneau* and lost their lives when the ship sank in November 1942. USS *The Sullivans* was the first US Navy ship to be explicitly dedicated to multiple individuals simultaneously.

With a length of 114.7 meters and a standard displacement of approximately 2,100 tons, the *Fletcher* class was one of the most successful destroyer designs of the war. Four oil-fired Babcock & Wilcox boilers supplied steam to two General Electric steam turbines, generating a combined output of around 60,000 shaft horsepower. This enabled the ship to reach speeds of up to 35 knots. Her armament originally consisted of five 127mm Mark 12 guns, ten 40mm Bofors anti-aircraft guns, several 20mm Oerlikon guns, ten 533mm torpedo tubes, as well as depth charge launchers and racks for anti-submarine warfare. This combination made USS *The Sullivans* a versatile escort ship capable of effectively engaging aircraft, surface vessels, and submarines alike.

During World War II, USS *The Sullivans* participated in numerous operations in the Pacific. She provided protection for aircraft carrier groups, performed radar picket and escort duties, and supported operations including the battles for the Mariana Islands, the Palau Islands, the Philippines, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa. She earned nine battle stars for her service. After a period of decommissioning, the destroyer was reactivated in 1951 for the Korean War; she once again escorted aircraft carriers and supported UN forces through shore bombardment and security operations. In the years that followed, the ship regularly served with the U.S. 6th Fleet in the Mediterranean, saw action during the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, and participated in recovery operations for the first manned U.S. spaceflights under the Mercury program. After more than twenty years of service, the USS *The Sullivans* was decommissioned on January 7, 1965. In total, she received eleven battle stars—nine for World War II and two for the Korean War.

Since 1977, the USS *The Sullivans* has been part of the Buffalo and Erie County Naval & Military Park in New York State, serving as a museum ship. As one of the few surviving *Fletcher*-class ships, she continues to offer an authentic glimpse into the design and operational history of American destroyers from World War II. Despite significant damage caused by aging and water ingress in recent years, the ship has been secured and preserved for visitors, remaining a significant monument to U.S. naval history.