Southold beach renamed for Vietnam war veteran, public servant

For decades, Southold’s main soundfront beach was known simply as Town Beach. Now, it will bear the name of a longtime public servant and late Marine Corps veteran who earned a Navy Cross for heroic acts in Vietnam.

Last week, the town board voted to rename the public park Lt. George R. Sullivan Southold Town Beach. Members of the Southold and Greenport American Legion spearheaded the effort to posthumously recognize Sullivan as a “lasting tribute” to his service and sacrifice.

“He is a hero, there’s no doubt about it,” said Jack Gibbons, of Cutchogue, who asked the town board in October to consider naming a town park for Sullivan. “No matter what you think about the Vietnam War, duty called, he went, and he was incredibly courageous.”

College grad off to Vietnam

Born Jan. 21, 1944, Sullivan was raised in Lynbrook and graduated from Iona College in 1966 with a degree in accounting, according to a 2020 obituary.

After he graduated, Sullivan enlisted in the Marine Corps and shipped off to Vietnam, where he served as a platoon commander. He was later awarded the Navy Cross, the second-highest military honor given to a member of the Marine Corps or Navy, for his “intrepid fighting spirit, selfless courage, bold initiative and unswerving devotion to duty at great personal risk,” according to Sullivan’s military citation.

On March 17, 1967, during a mission to rescue the crew of a downed helicopter in Đông Hà, his platoon came under heavy fire from a concealed Viet Cong force, according to the citation.

He ran toward the enemy, crossing open, fire-swept terrain to throw a grenade, rescue two wounded Marines from an exposed area and continued directing their actions despite being wounded in the shoulder, arm and both legs, the citation states. Sullivan’s injuries forced the amputation of his left leg above the knee.

“Only after reinforcements had arrived, under the cover of darkness, did he allow himself to be evacuated,” the citation reads.

After returning home, he became an accountant, married his wife, Margaret, in 1970, and settled in Southold, where they raised their children, Bob and Megan. He served for more than two decades as the town’s tax receiver before retiring in 2019 and died in January 2020 at age 75.

In an interview, his daughter, Megan Collins, of Southold, said renaming the beach is an “amazing legacy” for their family.

“It’s something that my kids will see and my dad’s name will be out there,” Collins said. “I don’t want it to just be for him. Every veteran has given up so much.”

Dedicated public servant

Growing up, Collins saw her dad as a hero for just being her dad: a dedicated public servant, gentle people person, avid golfer, diehard Mets fan and true gentleman.

“As an adult, now that I actually think about the actions he took that specific day, it’s incredible,” she said. “To risk his own life to save others and make sure that people were safe and rescued before he allowed them to rescue him.”

Her daughter, Mallaigh, is working on a Silver Award project with her Girl Scout troop to place a sign at the beach that would discourage visitors from releasing balloons, which can harm wildlife.

Charles Sanders, of Southold, past commander of the American Legion Post 803 in Southold, said Sullivan is one of his personal heroes. Sanders recalled getting a phone call from Sullivan just before he died, asking if he knew of a local veteran who could use a specialty ramp he had.

“He wanted to make sure that it went to somebody that could use it,” Sanders said.

Sanders applauded the renaming and said it would bring attention to Sullivan’s valor.

“It honors his personal sacrifice, but it also does double duty by honoring other Vietnam veterans that were treated horribly when they returned from their service,” he said.

This spring, town crews will prepare to replenish 500 cubic yards of sand at the beach after completing a $28,000 dredging project to the west at Goldsmith’s Inlet, according to town documents.

Councilwoman Jill Doherty said in an interview that Town Beach was selected in part because it’s one of the few that didn’t have an official name.

“Everybody passes it; people from out of state coming from the ferry pass it,” she said. “I thought it would be a great, visible place to have a sign like that.”

Doherty said she was proud to have known Sullivan.

“If it wasn’t for people like George, we wouldn’t have the freedoms that we have today,” she said.

Town officials are planning a formal dedication ceremony ahead of Memorial Day.