John Lawrence Sullivan
49th United States Secretary of the Navy
In office
September 17, 1947 – May 24, 1949
PresidentHarry S. Truman
Preceded byJames Forrestal
Succeeded byFrancis P. Matthews
Assistant Secretary of the Treasury
Assistant Secretary of the Navy (AIR)
In office
July 5, 1945 – June 17, 1946
Preceded byArtemus Gates
Succeeded byJohn N. Brown
United States Under Secretary of the Navy
In office
June 17, 1946 – September 18, 1947
Preceded byArtemus Gates
Succeeded byW. John Kenney
Personal details
Born
John Lawrence Sullivan

(1899-06-16)June 16, 1899
Manchester, New Hampshire, U.S.
DiedAugust 8, 1982(1982-08-08) (aged 83)
Exeter, New Hampshire, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
EducationDartmouth College (BA)
Harvard University (LLB)

John Lawrence Sullivan (June 16, 1899 – August 8, 1982) was an American lawyer who served in several positions in the US federal government, including as Secretary of the Navy, the first during the administration of Harry S. Truman.

Early life

Sullivan was born in Manchester, New Hampshire on June 16, 1899. He was an alumnus of Dartmouth College. He graduated from Harvard Law School in 1924.[1]

Career

Sullivan served as Assistant Secretary of the Treasury in 1940–44, Assistant Secretary of the Navy (AIR) in 1945–46, notable as the first civilian sworn into Naval office aboard a ship in an active combat zone,[2] and as Under Secretary of the Navy in 1946–47.

John L. Sullivan (right) and John S. McCain Sr. aboard USS Shangri-La

Sullivan was appointed Secretary of the Navy upon James Forrestal's installation as Secretary of Defense. Sullivan's major contributions to the Navy's future directions include the advent of naval nuclear propulsion. In 1947, then-Captain Hyman G. Rickover went around his chain-of-command and directly to the Chief of Naval Operations, Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, by chance also a former submariner, to pitch his ideas for creating a nuclear-powered warship. Nimitz immediately understood the potential of nuclear propulsion and recommended the project to Sullivan, whose endorsement to build the world's first nuclear-powered vessel, USS Nautilus (SSN-571), later caused Rickover to state that Sullivan was "the true father of the Nuclear Navy."[3][4]

In May 1949, Sullivan resigned in protest after the second Secretary of Defense, Louis A. Johnson, canceled the heavy aircraft carrier USS United States (CVA-58). This event was part of an interservice conflict known as the Revolt of the Admirals.

Personal life

Sullivan and his wife had two daughters and a son. Sullivan died on August 8, 1982.[5] He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.[6]

The house that Sullivan and his wife lived in, constructed in 1932–1933 in Manchester, New Hampshire, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in July 2023.[7][8]

References

  1. ↑ "John L. Sullivan Papers". Truman Library. Retrieved 2007-08-20.
  2. ↑ "Shangri-La (CV-38)". USN Naval History and Heritage Command. 2020-05-09. Retrieved 2022-01-20. the oath of office of Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Air was administered to John L. Sullivan on board Shangri-La, the first ceremony of its type ever undertaken in a combat zone
  3. ↑ Life magazine, September 8, 1958, p. 108
  4. ↑ "Rye resident writes biography". seacoastonline.com. Portsmouth, New Hampshire. December 16, 2011. Archived from the original on January 12, 2012. Retrieved December 18, 2011.
  5. ↑ "Rites slated for John Sullivan, 83, ex-secretary of the Navy". Chicago Tribune. UPI. August 11, 1982. p. §2, 12. Retrieved May 21, 2019 – via newspapers.com.
  6. ↑ Burial Detail: John L. Sullivan (search results) – ANC Explorer
  7. ↑ "Weekly List 2023 07 07". NPS.gov. National Park Service. July 2023. Retrieved July 21, 2023.
  8. ↑ "Sullivan House named to National Register of Historic Places". NH.gov (Press release). New Hampshire Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. July 12, 2023. Retrieved July 21, 2023.

Further reading

  • Clarkson, Stephen (2011). A Different Man, A Different Time: The Story of John L. Sullivan. Peter E. Randall. ISBN 978-1931807982.
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