The three Hollister

Hollister (family name)

Hollister is an English family name from the Gloucester region of England, United Kingdom, now most numerous in the United States of America. In 1992, it was estimated there were 2204 households in the USA, 94 in Canada, 81 in Australia, 21 in New Zealand, 3 in Denmark and 371 in Great...

 brothers were sailors in the United States Navy

United States Navy

The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...

 during World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

, who were killed in 1943. Unlike the Sullivan brothers

Sullivan brothers

The Sullivan brothers were five siblings who were all killed in action during or shortly after the sinking of the light cruiser USS Juneau , the vessel on which they all served, on November 13, 1942, in World War II....

, they were not all in the same unit.

Lyle Eugene Hollister, born 6 July 1923 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota

Sioux Falls, South Dakota

Sioux Falls is the largest city in the U.S. state of South Dakota. Sioux Falls is the county seat of Minnehaha County, and also extends into Lincoln County to the south...

, enlisted in the Navy 26 March 1941 at Minneapolis, Minn.

Minneapolis, Minnesota

Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...

 Radioman Second Class Hollister first served in Prairie

USS Prairie (AD-15)

USS Prairie was a built just before the start of World War II for the U.S. Navy. Prior to U.S. entry into World War II, Prairie cruised between Atlantic ports from Colon, C.Z. to Argentia, Newfoundland...

 (AD-15) before being assigned to Plunkett

USS Plunkett (DD-431)

USS Plunkett , a Gleaves-class destroyer, is the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for Rear Admiral Charles Peshall Plunkett....

 (DD-431) and Relief

USS Relief (AH-1)

The sixth USS Relief , the first ship of the U.S. Navy designed and built from the keel up as a hospital ship, was laid down 14 June 1917 by the Philadelphia Navy Yard; launched 23 December 1919; and commissioned 28 December 1920 at Philadelphia, Comdr. Richmond C...

 (AH-1). After duty at the Naval Station, Key West, Fl., Hollister was reassigned to Plunkett. He was reported missing in action as result of an engagement of Plunkett with enemy aircraft during the assault on Anzio, September 1943.

Two years younger than their brother, Lyle, twins William Howard Hollister and Richard Jerome Hollister were born 22 November 1925 at Sioux Falls, S. Dak. They enlisted in the Navy 2 March 1943 at Minneapolis. Both were serving in Liscome Bay

USS Liscome Bay (CVE-56)

USS Liscome Bay , a during World War II, was the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for Liscome Bay in Dall Island in the Alexander Archipelago off Alaska's southeast coast...

 (CVE-56) when that carrier

Aircraft carrier

An aircraft carrier is a warship designed with a primary mission of deploying and recovering aircraft, acting as a seagoing airbase. Aircraft carriers thus allow a naval force to project air power worldwide without having to depend on local bases for staging aircraft operations...

 was torpedo

Torpedo

The modern torpedo is a self-propelled missile weapon with an explosive warhead, launched above or below the water surface, propelled underwater towards a target, and designed to detonate either on contact with it or in proximity to it.The term torpedo was originally employed for...

ed in the Gilbert Islands

Gilbert Islands

The Gilbert Islands are a chain of sixteen atolls and coral islands in the Pacific Ocean. They are the main part of Republic of Kiribati and include Tarawa, the site of the country's capital and residence of almost half of the population.-Geography:The atolls and islands of the Gilbert Islands...

 area 24 November 1943. William died from wounds received in this action; Richard was reported missing and presumed dead. All three brothers were posthumously awarded the Purple Heart

Purple Heart

The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed while serving on or after April 5, 1917 with the U.S. military. The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is located in New Windsor, New York...

.

Namesake

In 1945, the destroyer

Destroyer

In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...

 USS Hollister

USS Hollister (DD-788)

USS Hollister was a of the United States Navy, named for the three Hollister brothers, who were killed in 1943 while serving in the Navy during World War II....

(DD-788) was named in their honor.