It never hurts to have a guardian angel, or in the case of the USS The Sullivans, two.
After the Buffalo and Erie County Military & Naval Park put out the word last Friday that the World War II destroyer was in danger of sinking and in need of emergency repairs, there were hundreds of responses.
"It has been an incredible gesture of goodwill. This community knows how to circle the wagons," said Paul Marzello, president and CEO of the naval park.
He heard from companies wanting to donate pumps to pump out the water that is leaking into the 78-year-old Fletcher-Class destroyer. He heard from electricians, welders and plumbers. A naval park in Massachusetts offered to send a crew right away. The Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Virginia offered assistance, and the Coast Guard did an exterior and interior inspection of the ship.
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About $250,000 has been raised, more than enough for the estimated $100,000 in emergency repairs.
The story of The Sullivans troubles went worldwide, to Ireland, Japan, Australia and Great Britain, Marzello said.
All were worried about the fate of the National Historic Landmark named for the five Sullivan brothers from Iowa who died in 1942 when their ship was hit with a torpedo.
And the ship got amazing support from two businessmen. West Herr Automotive Group donated $50,000 for the emergency repairs, the single largest donation to the naval park's All Hands on Deck fundraising campaign. The company issued a community challenge Saturday for the rest of the repair money.
“We know how critical the naval park and the USS The Sullivans is to Western New York. When we heard of the emergency fundraising need we immediately felt compelled to help," said Scott Bieler, president and CEO of West Herr.
USS The Sullivans, pictured on Friday, Feb. 26, 2021, is need of emergency repairs.
Then Marzello's phone rang at 7 a.m. Sunday morning.
"He said 'Paul, this is Douglas, Douglas Jemal,' " Marzello said of the Washington, D.C., developer who has come to the rescue of other Buffalo treasures in the last four years. " 'I hear you've got a problem down there with one of the ships. Well, I'm going to help you.' "
In addition to donating $10,000 that he said was a down payment, Jemal also agreed to lead the effort to raise the remaining $1 million needed for long-term repairs that are planned for later this year. He is sponsoring a fundraising event March 17 at the naval park.
"We're dancing for joy," said Marzello, who had vowed not to let the ship sink on his watch.
The ship was built with a thin hull for speed and maneuverability, and in recent years the naval park has repaired small holes in the hull every spring. But harsh winter weather apparently hastened the damage this year, and water seeped in the leaky hull, causing the ship to list to port.
Marzello said the ship should be pumped dry by the weekend, and staff can go in and find out where the holes are.
The permanent repair will require divers to apply an epoxy coating to the entire exterior hull to create a watertight barrier to strengthen and protect the thin steel. The work is expected to take three to four months to complete.
