“The crew had the opportunity to step off the ship and recharge after a long underway by visiting Toulon,” said Cmdr. James Diefenderfer, Jr., commanding officer of The Sullivans. “This visit allowed the crew to get out and visit the local sites of France and on-load essential stores.”

The stop is The Sullivans’ sixth port visit since deploying from her homeport of Mayport, Florida on April 19, 2021. While in Toulon, The Sullivans’ crew will enjoy the local historic sights and experience local French culture.

The Sullivans is named to honor the five brothers from Waterloo, Iowa who served together on the USS Juneau during World War II. The Sullivan brothers: George, 28; Francis, 27; Joseph, 24; Madison, 23; and Albert, 20; lost their lives during the Battle of Guadalcanal on November 13, 1942. They were adamant about serving together in spite of the Navy wartime policy to separate family members.

U.S. Sixth Fleet, headquartered in Naples, Italy, conducts the full spectrum of joint and naval operations, often in concert with allied and interagency partners, in order to advance U.S. national interests and security and stability in Europe and Africa.

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