Former Marina Del Rey Vet Survived World War II but His Brother Did Not

MARINA DEL REY, CA -- The story of former Marina Del Rey resident and retired Col. Robert "Sully" Sullivan is like any other family during World War II. Two brothers enlisted in the military, only one returned.

“He was two years younger than me. He was born in 1918,” Sullivan told the Daily Republic. His brother was 27 at the time of his death.

Sullivan, 100, who grew up in Marina Del Rey before moving to Northern California 12 years ago, was a bomber pilot in the Pacific Theater during WWII. He's has flown more than 100 missions during the war.

He'd never thought he would join the military and never had any fascination with flying but after graduating from UCLA in 1938 at the height of the Great Depression with a degree in accounting, there wasn't much demand. Sullivan said he saw an advertisement for the U.S. Army Air Corp and the promise a $75 a week salary, he signed up immediately.

That was a lot of money at that time, he said. But in joining the war, Sullivan thought he would never make it back, but it was his brother, William, who died.

The younger Sullivan, a first lieutenant in the Army Air Corp, died Aug. 20, 1945, while returning to his base in Italy from a mission to Yugoslavia, according to the Daily Republic. An unexplained explosion cause a fire in the cockpit and the crew bailed out over the sea. They were never found.

“I think it was a very interesting time, and I actually enjoyed parts of it,” Sullivan told the Daily Republic. “And you do make some good friends. Of course, at my age, there aren’t any left.”

For more on this story visit the Daily Republic.

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