Frank William Sullivan was born March 12, 1923 to John Orval and Metta Gladys (McEldowney) Sullivan on a farm near the town of Bloomfield in Davis County, Iowa. He was called “Buddy” when he grew up during the Great Depression as the 4th of 14 children (9 girls and 5 boys - 2 boys passed away in infancy).

He was farmed-out through 8th grade to his grandparents, Frank L and Cora Belle (French) Sullivan on their farm, 10 miles south of Bloomfield. He walked a mile (up-hill both ways, he joked) to the one-room school house, the Brown School. He didn’t live with his parents until he moved into the town of Bloomfield to attend high school. 

Buddy was outgoing and athletic. He loved all sports playing varsity football, basketball and baseball in high school, was a popular boy that was voted President of his Senior Class and worked at the local drug store after school. 

Frank is one from “The Greatest Generation” who graduated from high school in 1942 and promptly enlisted in the Army Air Corp to fight in WWII.

Learn more about Frank "Sully" Sullivan's life, times and 50-year insurance career at American Insurance in THE PLANTER.

Learn more about Sully's military service during WWII, when his B-17 was shot down and he was prisoner of war in THE RAT & THE WIND.