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Alfred Sullivan was born 1928 in Boston, MA. Irish to the core, his parents, both educators, instilled a strong moral, Christian foundation with emphasis on education, hard work and good character.
Sullivan graduated in 1949 from Boston Latin School, the oldest public school in the country, founded in 1636. Of the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence, five attended Boston Latin. He received many medals and awards for declamation. The school has a scholarship program in honor of his deceased brother, Cornelius. His sister, Mary Frances, was head of the foreign language department,
He hitchhiked across the country working at a logging camp in Oregon, ranch in Montana, In a black smith shop, short order cook and in an iron mine in California.
He attended Dartmouth, like his father, and graduated in 1949 with a BA in History. He received awards and metals for debate. He then worked as a reporter & political cartoonist for the Boston Globe, Sullivan nixed Harvard Law School to become a Navy Fly Boy.
Sullivan began an exciting 20 year career as a Navy Pilot in 1950 during the Korean and Vietnam Wars. During flight school in Pensacola, FL, he met Macel, whom he married after earning his flight wings. He flew jets, the world’s largest torpedo bomber at the time, spy aircraft and helicopter rescue missions for drowned fliers and wounded troops. He participated in aerial assaults in North Korea during 1951 1952 and war correspondent James Michener wrote the war novel ‘The Bridges at Toko-Ri’ based on that coverage. Sullivan’s skills drew the attention of General Mark Clark, ‘Vorld War 11 Hero, and Commander of the Allied Force who made Sullivan nis personal pilot for military and diplomatic duties such as flying the General to go fishing with Japan’s Emperor Hirohito and an emergency landing in Meji Park in Tokyo.
After the Korean conflict, Sullivan was assigned to Rhode Island where he was assigned to another aircraft carrier, the USS Wasp. In 1964 he earn his BA from the University of Rhode Island.
He was transferred to Utah where he earned his Ph.D in 1967 where he also taught night school.
The Navy sent Sullivan to the Deep South during the tumultuous civil rights movement in the 1960’s. Navy cadets from the base in Meridian, Mississippi Joined the search for the civil rights workers whose murders inspired the movie ‘Mississipp Buring”. Southern Mississippi was the first public university to
integrate and Sullivan taught the first integrated class. Sullivan also completed post-doctoral work at Oxford University and Cambridge University in 1968.
In 1970, Sullivan retired from the Navy as a decorated Navy pilot and began a 40+ yr career at Southwest Texas State University in San Marcos, Tx. One of the street signs in his neighborhood was ‘Hughson’ which brought back fond memories of watching Tex Hughson pitch for the Boston Red Sox. That fact was confirmed, that Tex returned to San Marcos when he retired and his daughter, Jane Hughson, is the current Mayor. He and Jane enjoyed reminiscing about her legendary father.
In 1970, Sullivan retired from the Navy as a decorated Naval Pilot and switched careers. He began a 40+ yr career as a Political Science Professor at Texas State University. He initiated foreign study programs at the university and taught the first course in Asian studies. He specialized in government studies of the Middle East and Far East. He taught students in Colima, Mexico, London, England, Washington DC, and at the University of Moscow during the Cold War,
He co-authored ‘Texas Government Today’, one of the highest rated books on Texas government, with colleague Randall Bland. He earned awards and is Professor Emeritus, Outstanding Professor Wared, Faculty Member of the Year from SWTSU Catholic Student Center, member of the National Honorary Society for International Studies and in 2017, Outstanding Long Term Commitment to Distance Education.
He leaves behind his wife of 67 yrs, Macel Sullivan (retired Hays County Justice of the Peace), two children, Edward and Susan and his brother, Dr Paul Sullivan of Boston, MA.
Visitation will be held at St John’s Catholic Church on Tuesday, September 3, 2019
