Daniel James Sullivan
Private Daniel J. Sullivan served with King Company, Third Battalion, 6th Marines.
He was killed in action at Guadalcanal on 22 January 1943.
Branch
Marine Corps Reserve
Service Number 339653
Current Status
Remains Not Recovered
Pursuit Category
The DPAA has not publicized this information.
Capsule History
Pre-War Life
Birth
August 16, 1923
in Chicago, IL
Parents
Patrick Sullivan
Irene G. “Goldie” (Haynes) Sullivan
later Mres. Irene Halper
Education
Details unknown
Occupation & Employer
Details unknown
Service Life
Entered Service
April 30, 1942
at Chicago, IL
Home Of Record
7222 Champlain Avenue
Chicago, IL
Next Of Kin
Mother, Mrs. Irene Halper
Military Specialty
Machine Gunner
Individual Decorations
Purple Heart
Loss And Burial
Circumstances Of Loss
The 6th Marine Regiment (Reinforced) arrived at Guadalcanal on 4 January 1943. After a week of acclimating and scouting, they were attached to the Combined Army and Marine (CAM) Division and moved into forward reserve positions. Over the next few days, they gradually relieved other combat units exhausted by the XIV Corps offensive to drive the last remaining Japanese forces off the island.
On 22 January, the CAM division launched a full-scale assault aimed at Kokumbona, with the Marines moving along Guadalcanal’s north coast. Little resistance was met at first, but as 3/6th Marines tried to scale Hill 94, Japanese troops concealed in a ravine opened fire with machine guns and anti-tank weapons. The firefight lasted several hours and ultimately held up 3/6 about 400 yards from their starting point.
The battalion reported seventeen men wounded during the day’s advance, and four killed in action. Among the dead were the King Company skipper, 1Lt John L. Pratt – son of Goettge Patrol casualty LTCDR Malcolm L. Pratt – and Private Daniel J. Sullivan, a teenaged machine gunner from Chicago.
Burial Information or Disposition
According to casualty reports, Sullivan’s body was buried in the field on the following day. His grave was marked on a map overlay that correlated with coordinates (67.3-201.7) on the standard Map 104 of Guadalcanal’s northern coast. Unfortunately, this location could not be located by post-war searchers.
Memorials
Next Of Kin Address
Address of mother and stepfather, Irene and John Halper.
Location Of Loss
Weinbrecht’s battalion was engaged along the coast near Hill 94.
