John Lawrence Sullivan (June 16, 1899 – August 8, 1982) was an American lawyer who served in several positions in the US federal government, including as Secretary of the Navy, the first during the administration of Harry S. Truman.
Sullivan was appointed Secretary of the Navy upon James Forrestal's installation as Secretary of Defense. Sullivan's major contributions to the Navy's future directions include the advent of naval nuclear propulsion. In 1947, then-Captain Hyman G. Rickoverwent around his chain-of-command and directly to the Chief of Naval Operations, Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, by chance also a former submariner, to pitch his ideas for creating a nuclear-powered warship. Nimitz immediately understood the potential of nuclear propulsion and recommended the project to Sullivan, whose endorsement to build the world's first nuclear-powered vessel, USS Nautilus (SSN-571), later caused Rickover to state that Sullivan was "the true father of the Nuclear Navy."[3][4]
^"Shangri-La (CV-38)". USN Naval History and Heritage Command. 2020-05-09. Retrieved 2022-01-20. the oath of office of Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Air was administered to John L. Sullivan on board Shangri-La, the first ceremony of its type ever undertaken in a combat zone