Sullivan, 91, shares war, cop stories with Wartime museum

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John Sullivan took time out of his golf game this week to fly to Washington so he could share his story.

At 91, Sullivan remains active on the dance floor, and is an ever-sharp conversationalist. On Tuesday, he sat in an air-conditioned recording studio inside a motor home parked in Woodbridge. There he shared the story of his life with the Americans in Wartime Museum, which filmed it as part of their “Voices of Freedom” series.

It’s part of the Wartime museum’s effort to capture the stories of those like Sullivan, who was a WWII instructor pilot, and served in Korea, and was a New York City homicide detective. Sullivan also landed in the middle of the Iran hostage crisis.

“For 31 days, we didn’t know where he was or if he was OK,” said his daughter, Maura Sullivan, of Woodbridge.

She, friends and family also sat in the trailer on Tuesday while her father gave his interview in the next room.

“He was a wonderful father growing up, but he traveled a lot, and we didn’t see him a lot,” Maura Sullivan added.

John Sullivan said he caught one of the last flights out of Iran after the hostage crisis ended. On the flight home, all onboard the plane sang the Star-Spangled Banner. It’s stories like these Sullivan wrote in his book, “Shields of Honor: The exciting life of a Naval Reservist.”

After he had finished with his on-camera interview, Sullivan reflected on his service in WWII, and military veterans today.

“Those world war two guys, that was the last time the wealthy guys, middle-class guys, and the poor all came together for the betterment of our country,” said Sullivan. “There’s nothing wrong with those we have in the service today, its just that they’re in it for a different reason.”

Those reasons, such as paying for and going to college, are all admirable, added Sullivan.

After being an instructor pilot during WWII, Sullivan became a cop in Manhattan. He was later recalled to the Navy where he served 20 more years as a reservist. While in Korea, he was shot down.

In retirement, he went to work with Northrop-Grumman on the F-14 fighter plane project in the 1980s. He and his wife moved their family to southern Maryland.

Sullivan’s wife died in 2003, and then he moved to Florida to live near his son. He stays very busy.

“I can’t keep up with him,” said Maura Sullivan. “He goes to every squadron party… plays golf five days a week… he goes dancing… he practically has to give me his schedule because when I call he’s never there.”

Maura Sullivan, an area Realtor, received an email from the Realtor Association of Prince William with information on the Wartime museum’s “Voices of Freedom” project. She told her father about it, and then replied to the email and said they would participate.

The museum will be located on 10 acres of land donated by the Hylton Family Foundation, behind an old Kmart store in Dale City. Allan Cors, chairman of the museum board of directors, spent the last year raising money for the project.