Memorial

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Maj John A. Sullivan graduated from Oshkosh State Teachers' College and he was warehouse manager for Stokely Foods Inc.

He joined the Air Corps December 1940 and received his commission as second lieutenant in August 1941. He served in the North African theater, during which time he was credited with downing five planes.

Maj Sullivan was heard at 1200 hours saying his coolant had "popped" and he had a rough engine and returned with the bombers. At approx 1330, he called saying he was leaving the bombers and that he could see L/O (vicinity IJmuiden). Ten minutes later, his Mayday was heard by an early return.

Statement from Alfred Humbert Jr., Capt, Air Corps, Intelligence Officer:
"I was making landfall out at IJmuiden, Holland, flying a course of 270 degrees. I heard Maj Sullivan call Nuthouse that he had just left the bombers and would cross out in three minutes. This was about 1317. Then, about 1325, I heard Maj Sullivan call, 'Mayday' on A channel. I called and told him to switch to B channel. I heard him call, 'Mayday, Mayday, Bison 30' twice. I waited for Air Sea Rescue to answer, but they didn't, so I called them and asked if they had received the Mayday, but they hadn't. So I told them to take a fix on my position, as I wasn't too far from where Bison 30 should have been. I came on back and landed at my base, as I had no gas to go back and look for him."

He had two brothers in the service, George with the Air Corps and Joseph with the U.S. Marines.

He never saw his daughter, Carol Ann, who was born on 24 July 1944.