Memories
of Alexandria Friends
Sharon Smith
Current resident of Hendersonville, TN
This
is a photo of a class at Rosenthal Elementary School, sometime in
the late 20's. The only child I can positively identify is the little
boy, first row, second from the left....Henry W. Sullivan, Jr., my
uncle who later died in World War II while serving in the Air Force.
He was married to the former Hazel Stedman, whose family home backed
right up to Gravel's Drugstore.
Here's a photo from Pineville Grammar School from about 1945-46, probably the 5th grade class, or possibly the 6th grade.
My mother, Barbara Sullivan, is first row, second from the left.The Sullivan's lived on Rapides Avenue and Baywood Dr. My grandparents were Henry & Rosena Sullivan and their children were Henry, Jr., Eugenia (Jean) Fred, Jack, Clifford, Pat Sullivan Duncan (still residing in Alex.) and my mom.
Other classmates in the photo are: Catherine Bennett, F. C. Matthews, Richard Lofton, John 'Chicken' Hurst, Nancy Montpeilier, Doris Dupree, Bonnie Nalley and others. Also, Bill King, third row, far left.
These Pineville students later entered Bolton as 8th graders.
I wanted to share the clipping shown below because one, it is a huge source of pride for me and my entire family, but, I think also for the City of Alexandria.
The four young men are my uncles, who, all at the same time, were serving in World War II overseas. My grandmother received a letter from Gov. Jimmie Davis lauding the Alexandria version of the Sullivan Brothers.
Henry Sullivan, Jr. did not return from the war, but, the other three did. My uncle Fred Sullivan will be 82 in May and lives in New Blaine, AR. Jack Sullivan died in 1986 and Clifford Sullivan died in 1993 at the Veterans Hospital in Alexandria.
The dateline, and caption, read as follows:
Alexandria
Daily Town Talk May 12, 1944
BROTHERS
IN ARMED FORCES
Four
sons of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Sullivan, 143 Sunset Drive, Alexandria,
two in the army [this was incorrect; Henry,
Jr, was in the Air Force] and two overseas with the
Navy. From left to right Corp. Henry W. Sullivan, Jr., 24, an aerial
gunner is stationed in
Charleston, SC. [Died later
that year in Italy] Private Fred A. Sullivan, 21, is with a tank
destroyer battalion in Fort Jackson, SC. [Later received the Purple
Heart for
injuries] Seaman Third Class Jack L. Sullivan, 20, has been in the
South Pacific for a year, Seaman First Class Clifford L. Sullivan,
18, in the South Pacific for 8 months, took part in the battle of
the Gilbert Islands.
