Unsinkable: Five Men and the Indomitable Run of the USS Plunkett

Sullivan’s extraordinary intimacy with the families of the men who served on the World War II era destroyer the USS Plunkett pulls readers rapidly into the book and holds their attention page after page. Although there have been other books about this ship, which saw action in every single European endeavor, this book goes beyond the action itself and shows us the ripple effects of the generations that followed those brave souls.

For Sullivan, the USS Plunkett is more than a ship of historical interest, and Anzio is more than just another battle of World War II. Among those cut down in the prime of life was Sullivan’s great uncle, John J. Gallagher. The fact that his old neighborhood sports a square named in his honor, while stories keep his memory alive generations later, attests to something remarkable about the sacrifices made by these men and their families.

Sullivan gives voice to those lost to us now. More than merely reporting the grisly events and the heartbreaking tragedies, Sullivan captures the defining essence of something enduring but elusive. In grappling with the unspoken horrors of war, Sullivan brings out a strength that sustains those willing to tap into it.