By Kim Mayer

After 65 years, Caroline Ellingwood finally found a place to honor her father.

Ellingwood purchased a dedication stone to be placed at Dublin’s Grounds of Remembrance in Dublin Veterans Park for her father, Robert John Sullivan, a veteran of World War II. The Grounds of Remembrance will be dedicated on Memorial Day, May 25.

Sullivan was originally from Searsport, Maine, a shipbuilding town and bustling seaport. He joined the Merchant Marines in 1908 at age 16 and rose to the rank of captain by 1934. In 1939, after Britain declared war on Germany, a German U-Boat torpedoed the S.S. Blairlogie, a steam merchant from Scotland. At the time, Sullivan was aboard the S.S. American Shipper, not far from the Blairlogie, and helped rescue the doomed crew from their lifeboats. He received recognition for his rescue efforts.

When the United States joined World War II in 1941, Sullivan enlisted in the Coast Guard. He worked transporting munitions to the Atlantic, Pacific and Mediterranean war zones and was again recognized for his valiant service.

Unfortunately, Sullivan never got to complete his service or see the end of the war. On July 17, 1944, his ship, the S.S. Quinault Victory, was being loaded with munitions for its maiden voyage to the Pacific Theater when the explosives detonated. The San Francisco Bay explosion killed Sullivan and the rest of the crew instantly. The cause of the blast was never determined.

Since Sullivan’s death, his family has searched for a place to remember their fallen hero. Ellingwood says the Grounds of Remembrance is the perfect place.

“He’s not recognized anywhere else. He went with his ship so he was never buried,” she says. “I felt that it would be nice to have a dedication stone in honor of my father. There’s no other marker for him.”

Ellingwood adds that having the Grounds of Remembrance is important for the Dublin community.

“I think we should remember those heroes and loved ones who served our country and have made a better life for all of us,” she says.

The Chambers family is also recognizing two of its loved ones with dedication stones.

George Chambers received his dedication stone as a Christmas present from his daughters, Vicky Wright, Carol Chambers and Brenda Youst. The recognition was an unexpected and meaningful gift.

“It still chokes me up. My service happened so long ago and it was meaningful to me, but to have your kids think it is so special that they do this is, well, it’s just hard to express,” he says.

George’s service began a year after he graduated from high school, when he joined the Army in 1965.

“I was living in Fort Benning, Georgia, and it was a very patriotic area. I felt the patriotism and I joined,” he says. “After graduation from Officer Candidate School, I requested and was sent to Vietnam, which was my prime reason for joining the service.”

George was stationed in Qui Nhon, Vietnam, with a terminal battalion that unloaded ships in the area.

“It was not a glamorous job, but it was a job that needed to be done,” George says.

After three years, George’s service ended, and he left the Army as a first lieutenant.

George’s military service was greatly influenced by his father, Willard, to whom George and George’s wife Letha have commemorated a dedication stone. Willard Chambers was a career Army officer who participated in three conflicts and was decorated with two Silver Stars, three Bronze Stars and a Legion of Merit medal.

Willard enlisted in the Army in 1942 when he was 24 and attended Officer Candidate School and Airborne School. He was assigned to the 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment and was sent to Nebraska for training. There, Willard met and married George’s mother, then left to fight overseas in World War II.

In 1943, Willard parachuted into Normandy and fought across Europe, participating in the Battle of the Bulge. He left the service after World War II ended, but re-enlisted for the Korean War. He remained in the Army until 1966, when he was forced by regulation to retire.

“It broke his heart when he had to retire,” says George. “He was very proud of his service, and I was proud of him, too.”

But even Army rules couldn’t keep Willard away. He joined the State Department after his retirement and spent six years in Vietnam.

Willard’s service inspired George and Letha to honor Willard’s dedication.

“When I heard about (the dedication stones), I felt that this was the least I could do to honor his service,” George says.

Both he and Letha agree the Grounds of Remembrance are special for both veterans and their families.

“(Veterans Park) is important to Dublin as it would be to any other community in the United States,” Letha says. “These men and women have put their lives on the line for our freedom and they need to be honored.”

Kim Mayer is a contributing writer for Dublin Life.


A dedication ceremony for Grounds of Remembrance at Dublin Veterans Park will take place on Memorial Day, May 25 at noon. Dedication stones, etched with the names of veterans or messages of gratitude, will line the Recognition Walk. Money from the stones’ sales contributes to the fundraising effort for the Grounds of Remembrance project. To date, at least 77 percent of the project’s $790,000 cost has been raised. For more information, visit www.dublin.oh.us.

BONUS: A group of community members will host a “Red, White and Blue Bash” to encourage community members to purchase a dedication stone. The party will be held from 6-11 p.m. May 1 at the Community Center at the Village at Coffman Park, 5555 Wall St. The cost to attend the party is $300, which includes the purchase of a dedication stone and admission for two at the party. The party will include live entertainment, finger food and more. The cut-off date to register for the party is April 24. For more information, call 614-306-8856 or e-mail .