Claude H. Sullivan, Jr. ‘48ABJ, of Florence, CO. is a member of UGA’s Greatest Generation and a retired Methodist minister.
“Sully,” as he is affectionately known by friends and family, is 88 years old. He was born in Perkins, GA in 1921. His life story has been published in a booklet, “They Called Me Brother” as told to his daughter, Laura Sullivan Lopata. The delightful volume chronicles his growing up in Perkins, his youth, his experiences in three wars, well as his days at the University of Georgia, courtship, marriage and family and finally his years with the United Methodist Church.
Sully enrolled at UGA in 1946 following his service in World War II, choosing to remain a member of the U.S. Air Force Reserves. He began in Accounting, but changed his major to Broadcast Journalism which led to a brief career in radio prior to his being called up for active duty in 1951. The highly decorated veteran spent 21 years of active duty before his retirement from the Air Force with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in 1970.
He enlisted in 1942 and received his commission in 1943. He attended numerous training schools before flying to England with his B-17 crew where he was assigned to the 457th Bomb Group of the Eighth Air Force. By the War’s end in Europe, Sully had flown 33 missions. He remembers each mission, but especially does he remember D-Day and the invasion of France. “I remember flying over the English Channel that day and seeing thousands of ships. They looked like stepping stones across the channel,” he writes.
Sully observes, “After the invasion of France, the U.S. went back to flying missions mostly over Germany, attacking oil refineries and plants producing synthetic oil, Germany’s fuel production dropped, greatly decreasing Germany’s war effort. The Luftwaffe was forced to cut pilot training even further due to the fuel shortage. By August, 1944, the average German pilot survived less than 30 days in combat. German troops could not use their weapons and Germany lost its ability to make explosives. By mid-1945 the German economy was in ruins and the Luftwaffe was essentially whipped out. All thanks to the United States air forces.”
Sully began his brief radio broadcasting career after graduation from UGA working in several different towns including Thomson, GA where he met his wife Ernestine (Ernie) Harrison. They were married in 1949 and two years later he had to leave his wife and baby daughter to go back on active duty.
He was later assigned to Communications and stationed at Colorado Springs and was able to bring his family there. He served there and in other U.S. posts as well as tours in England and Japan until his retirement from the Air Force.
In his booklet, Sully describes each assignment in wonderful detail as well as reviewing the history of each war.
After his retirement, he began work as a development and organizational specialist with various churches and was ultimately ordained as a minister in June 1978 and assigned to the First United Methodist Church in Florence, CO. He served the church for ten years before retirement. He still lives in Florence and has enjoyed traveling and writing, and spending time with his children and grandchildren. His has been a wonderful life, he says “and for that I thank God everyday.”
In 1999, Sully was awarded the French Jubilee Medal for his action in liberating France more than 50 years before. The medal is added to more than ten other medals and decorations he received during his service in three wars.
The booklet, telling the former Bulldog’s story is an incredible read. It includes not only his personal life, but details events leading up to the war with his insightful observations regarding each development including our involvement in Iraq.
Laura Lopata has done a superlative job putting it all together. She says, “I learned a lot about my dad. I learned he was like many others of the “greatest generation” who did what they had to do to serve their country, bravely and heroically, then came home and went on with their lives, raising their families and working hard.”
To obtain a copy of the booklet, email LSLopata@aol.com or sullytherev@aol.com.
