Buffalo Naval Park Speaker Series: The Legacy and Loss of USS Juneau

Friday, November 11th the Buffalo and Erie Naval & Military Park presents their Speaker Series. The event begins at 4pm and is free to attend. For more information and to register for the event, click here.

On November 13, 1942, a violent explosion engulfed USS Juneau (CL-52) and the ship seemed to vanish from sight. Catastrophically hit by torpedoes from Japanese submarine I-26, the ship sank in less than a minute with most of its 693 crewmen onboard. About 115 Sailors survived the sinking, but only 10 were rescued after days at sea. The story of service and sacrifice of USS Juneau, particularly the loss of the five Sullivan brothers, had a powerful impact on the U.S. Navy and the nation as a whole, then and today. The discovery of the wreck on March 17, 2018 off the coast of the Solomon Islands has provided the Navy with an opportunity to corroborate the historical records and try to answer some of history’s lingering questions.

The Buffalo Naval Park welcomes Blair Atcheson to Buffalo to discuss the legacy and loss of USS Juneau. She is the Program Manager for the Naval History and Heritage Command’s (NHHC) Underwater Archaeology Branch, located in Washington, DC. The speaker series program will begin in the Buffalo Naval Park’s Hangar Building. It is free and open-to-the-public, and light refreshments will be available for purchase. Please register to reserve your seat.