James F. Sullivan, a member of Henry Harnden Camp #2, Dept. of Wisconsin, was the son of Sgt. James Patrick Sullivan, Co. K, 6th Wisconsin Infantry. This story is from his autobiography, published in 1999.

I was born in Ontario, Wisconsin, March 24, 1901...Shortly after Dad died, an eighteen-foot flood inundated Ontario. It destroyed my father's law office, as well as the family home ... With nothing left, Mother left Ontario to find work, that she might support the family. After a brief sojourn to find work in Galena, Illinois, I spent most of my boyhood in Fort Dodge, Iowa.

My first job was as a grocery delivery boy via horse and wagon. I was so small; I had to stand on a box to harness the horse. I was a messenger for Western Union and Postal Telegraph. I delivered the Fort Dodge Messenger and was the first kid ever to sell that paper on the streets of Fort Dodge. I worked in gypsum mills at various tasks, including coring gypsum building blocks.

I moved to Omaha, Nebraska, and lied about my age on the last draft of World War I. I was inducted for a short period and discharged when the armistice was signed. Due to the influx of returning vets, I was unable to find work. I re-enlisted and was sent to Ft. Collins, Colorado for recruit training, then sent to the 19th Infantry at Douglas, Arizona. As a raw recruit, I became an adobe brick maker, acclaimed an excellent K.P. and learned to be a soldier. When Pancho Vila was attacking along the border, the regiment was ordered to El Paso, Texas, and I became part of an air-cooled Browning machine gun squad. After returning to Camp Douglas, I made private first class. Later, I was transferred to the 96th Bombardment Sqdn., at that time, flying border patrol from Douglas to Laredo. I was a crew member on an old DH-4 biplane. After graduation from Sergeant Major's School, I returned as the 96th's company clerk, then to Group Supply. I became good friends with the civilian clerks, who issued supplies. In our converstations, I mentioned I admired Masonry. Later, they gave me an application, and it being between paydays, actually loaned me the fee. I took my 1st Degree in San Antonio, my 2nd Degree in Hampton, Virginia, and my 3rd Degree in a former gun embrasure at Old Fortress Monroe, by an Army team.

After two members of the Salvage Division were sent to Leavenworth for embezzlement, I was ordered to take charge. I was still there when my enlistment expired. I went to Omaha for "Re-up" leave, and there, I married Marie Klotz and was notified than my unit had been transferred to Langley Field, Va., to prove Gen. Billy Mitchell was correct, in his boast, that his planes could sink any "battle wagon" afloat. I reported to Langley when my leave expired and was put in charge of Supply. I spent several months getting the supply system to efficiently serve the four Squadrons. The Commander wanted a cost accounting system and I was placed in charge until my enlistment expired and we returned to Omaha. While at Langley, I made Technical Sergeant, passed the exam for Master Sergeant and was commissioned 2nd Lt., Air Corps Reserve.

Upon returning to Omaha, I became a cashier with the Piggly Wiggly grocery chain and later, went to the supply department of Nebraska Power Company. Later, I transferred to the substation department and served 3 1/2 years apprenticeship, becoming a master wireman. I wrote a column for the company newletter, taught 1st Aid classes to crews, and joined the I.B.E.W. Union, serving as its business agent and secretary. An accident that involved a 13,500 volt blow up, which took 3 lives of the 5-man crew, landed me in the hospital, where I convalesced for several weeks. I was active in community affairs, a member of the Mayor's committee for physically handicapped, Exalted Ruler of the Elks Lodge, and attended Junior College night school for three years. I became an avid bowler and secretary for several leagues.

My mother, Bessie Caldwell Sullivan, died August 21, 1938. She was a wonderful, hard-working woman. It was difficult for her to support us after Dad died. She cooked for the men working in the mines and on road construction. I remember how much she loved her grandchildren.

When Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, I approached the Air Force for re-instatement of my former rating. They were not interested in 41-year olds, so I enlisted in the Navy. Several of us were kept in Omaha until we were told that as craftsman, we were being sent to create the newly commissioned 1st Contruction Battalion. We were sent to Norfolk Operating Base, Va., for three weeks of boot camp. Shortly thereafter, we were sent to a CC camp in Tampa, Florida, for three weeks. The site is now part of the Tampa Intl. Airport. We left for Quonset Point, R.I., for another week or two and shortly entrained at Newport News for "we knew not where." Our trip took us close to the Canadian border, with layovers in Omaha and Albuquerque. We embarked from Oakland, Ca., for somewhere "hush-hush" overseas. The girl in the snack shack on the pier told us we were going to Efate, New Hebrides, South Pacific, where we landed 22 days later, having crossed the Equator and the International Date Line, with appropriate ceremonies.

I was rated Electrician 2nd Class, but never strung a wire. Shortly after passing under the Golden Gate Bridge, we encountered really rough weather and an unsecured row of shelves overturned, spilling "tons" of nuts, bolts, screws, etc., over the floor. This sealed my fate, as I was assigned to sort, box and store all these goodies in their correct cubby-holes. From then on, I was Supply. My spine was injured when scaffolding collapsed, sending me to a French hospital, manned by American Corpsmen. The Seabees were moved to Malapoa Point and I was assigned to Utility Building on Malapoa Road, quartered in a bungalow built for us. Our Battalion built a complete forward base, with pursuit and bomber strips used to bomb Guadalcanal, a desalinated water system, coral based highways, and hospital, which received wounded from Guadalcanal. The newly assigned commander wanted a newsletter to bolster morale, which was quite low, and a contest found me assigned as Editor and Publisher of the "Boondock Bulletin," later "The Pioneer." This was published until late 1994. We embarked for America, landing at San Francisco, bussed to Camp Parks, Ca., and given overseas leave. While away on leave, my unit was decommissioned. I was assigned as Chief Clerk of T.T.U. 11, while most of the unit was assigned other battalions and returned overseas. Unable to pass the overseas exam, I was sent to Fleet Hospital, where lower segments of my spine were found damaged. I was ordered back to Camp Parks to be medically discharged as a Chief Carpenter's mate on February 1, 1945.

Upon returning to Omaha, I was appointed Safety Inspector for the State of Nebraska. I passed the civil service exam as an Education and Training officer with the Veterans Administration. My duties involved Public Law 16, disabled veterans, and Public Law 346, the G.I. Bill of Rights. Sometime later, I opened the VA office in North Platte, Neb., and was there until the office closed and I returned to Omaha. I was driving an average of 1000 miles a week, winter and summer. It was 1954 and my spine was giving me considerable trouble. I was medically examined by the VA and medically retired. In 1955, I bought a 32-foot Anderson Mobile Home and a Dodge station wagon with cab enhancements. I did quite a bit of touring before heading for Dunedin, Fl., and Southern Comfort Mobile home Park on U.S. 18. After several lovely years in Dunedin, I moved to New Port Richey to get away from the traffic, which I find, followed me. Since moving to Florida, I have been blessed in working with so many wonderful organizations, charities and people. There are too many to tell about. Each has a story, but in the interest of space, I will give you the highhlights:

James F. Sullivan also found time to organize a High Twelve Club, was commander of VFW Post 2550, organized and carried through a project for an All-States Memorial located in the Waterfront Park in Dunedin, was an active member of the Disabled American Veterans Chapter #103 and was a Worthy Patron in the Order of the Eastern Star. During all his activities, he wrote and published a wonderful book of poetry. Jim joined the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War in New York in May 1990 after meeting PDC Jerry Orton. A month later, on June 9th, he joined Henry Harnden Camp #2 of the Wisconsin Department.

William Upham (left) and James F. Sullivan accept an award at the 1990 reunion of the Iron Brigade Association during a meeting of the Civil War Round Table of Milwaukee. Photo from the collection of Lance J. Herdegen