(Radio Iowa) – A monument honoring the five Sullivan brothers was unveiled in their hometown of Waterloo on Thursday. The five sailors were killed in action during World War Two while serving aboard the same ship. The new monument sits outside the Waterloo Convention Center and their granddaughter Kelly Sullivan, a Navy veteran herself, pulled back the curtain on the four sculptures dedicated to the sailors. Sullivan says it’s a way to keep the memories of Waterloo’s veterans alive for everyone, beyond days of special recognition. “The plaza will always be here. It’s something special where school children can come on field trips to see it. It’s a beautiful way for us to honor, not just the Sullivans, but all veterans,” Sullivan says. “I think it’s really important that people understand that, that the Sullivans sacrificed just as much as any family does.”

The Sullivan Brothers (public domain image)

With Veterans Day on Saturday, Sullivan reflected that the Sullivan brothers’ story is a reminder that families are just as much a part of veterans’ continuing sacrifices. “That’s the one thing I want people to know, that we need to appreciate not just our veterans but also the families,” she says, “because the families play a huge part in supporting their soldier and their sailor.”

The four sculptures of the Sullivan Brothers Monument tell the story of the brothers’ service and are part of a larger plaza also named for the family.