Source: Doug Stanton. In Harm's Way: The Sinking of the U.S.S. Indianapolis and
the Extraordinary Story of Its Survivors (2003)
the Extraordinary Story of Its Survivors (2003)
Captain Charles McVay III (pictured) was the only captain in the US Navy to have been court-martialed whose ship was sunk by an act of war (there were nearly 400 captains whose ships went down under attack in WW II). In the early-1990s, declassified intelligence reports surfaced, and they showed Captain McVay's innocence. The U.S. Navy still refused to reconsider its decision; McVay still stands convicted to this day . . . and he is also listed as a convicted felon.
Of the original 317 men who survived, 38 are still alive (as of the last reunion in 2014). These survivors of the U.S.S. Indianapolis have met every two years to revisit the sinking, and to remember Captain McVay. To a man, they insist that McVay wasn't responsible for the Japanese submarine torpedo attack and the subsequent nightmare of sharks killing hundreds of survivors in the Pacific.
Of the original 317 men who survived, 38 are still alive (as of the last reunion in 2014). These survivors of the U.S.S. Indianapolis have met every two years to revisit the sinking, and to remember Captain McVay. To a man, they insist that McVay wasn't responsible for the Japanese submarine torpedo attack and the subsequent nightmare of sharks killing hundreds of survivors in the Pacific.
The USS Indianapolis was a wounded ship; repairs were necessary after the 31 March, 1945, near-fatal kamikaze attack off Okinawa (the southern-most Japanese island, northeast of Taiwan). The Indianapolis limped 6000 miles back to San Francisco with damage to propellor shafts, a fuel tank, and the water distillation system. Those on board had grumbled that the Indianapolis would never be the same, that she had "turned poor" . . . many thought that the Indianapolis had become an unlucky ship.
The Indianapolis was commissioned in 1932, and FDR made it his "Ship of State", basically an Air Force 1 on water (pictured: FDR on the Indianapolis in 1933). Technically, the Indianapolis was a heavy cruiser; it wasn't quite in the battleship class, although it certainly looked and acted like one. The top speed of the Indianapolis was 32.75 knots; few ships in her class could keep up with her. However, the downside with that speed was a lack of armor; battleships had 13 inches of steel amidships, while the Indianapolis only had 4 inches.
The Indianapolis was FDR's favorite ship (remember, he was a former Ass't SecNav), but by 1945 she was considered past her prime; the newer heavy cruisers were bigger, faster, and better-armored. The Indianapolis was a replacement ship for a top-priority, top-secret mission in the Pacific. The USS Pensacola was the initial choice for the mission, but she failed her trial run (the engines failed in rough seas), and the Indianapolis, in for repairs in San Francisco, became the ship tasked with the secret run in the Pacific.
The Indianapolis was FDR's favorite ship (remember, he was a former Ass't SecNav), but by 1945 she was considered past her prime; the newer heavy cruisers were bigger, faster, and better-armored. The Indianapolis was a replacement ship for a top-priority, top-secret mission in the Pacific. The USS Pensacola was the initial choice for the mission, but she failed her trial run (the engines failed in rough seas), and the Indianapolis, in for repairs in San Francisco, became the ship tasked with the secret run in the Pacific.
Very shortly after the Trinity Test
(pictured: the first atomic bomb that was tested at Alamogordo, NM on 16 July, 1945) McVay received orders that originated from President Truman (had the Trinity Test failed, the Indianapolis would have stayed in port to fully complete repairs). Truman ordered the Indianapolis to deliver its cargo at any cost. The secret cargo was in a crate, secured on deck . . . it was the atomic bomb that would be dropped on Hiroshima ("Little Boy").
Secured elsewhere in the ship was a big black canister that contained U-235. That uranium represented half of America's supply, and it had a "street value" that would be $4B adjusted for inflation. Once the Indianapolis delivered the cargo to Tinian Island, the first atomic bomb would be dropped on Hiroshima inside of three weeks . . . McVay was ordered to head to Leyte Gulf in The Philippines.
(pictured: the first atomic bomb that was tested at Alamogordo, NM on 16 July, 1945) McVay received orders that originated from President Truman (had the Trinity Test failed, the Indianapolis would have stayed in port to fully complete repairs). Truman ordered the Indianapolis to deliver its cargo at any cost. The secret cargo was in a crate, secured on deck . . . it was the atomic bomb that would be dropped on Hiroshima ("Little Boy").
Secured elsewhere in the ship was a big black canister that contained U-235. That uranium represented half of America's supply, and it had a "street value" that would be $4B adjusted for inflation. Once the Indianapolis delivered the cargo to Tinian Island, the first atomic bomb would be dropped on Hiroshima inside of three weeks . . . McVay was ordered to head to Leyte Gulf in The Philippines.
On 28 July, 1945, Captain McVay stopped his zig-zagging route due to rough seas, which his orders allowed him to do, between 7:30 and 8 pm (Zig-Zagging was the authorized, and not very effective, method to try and avoid enemy submarines). Also, McVay's intelligence report indicated the he was alone in his area of the Pacific (his superiors failed to provide McVay the information he needed to keep his ship and men as safe as possible . . . his superiors knew there were Japanese submarines on patrol, McVay did not know ).
(Pictured below: The USS Indianapolis, officially classified as a heavy cruiser,
departing San Francisco on its mission to the Tinian Islands)
(Pictured below: The USS Indianapolis, officially classified as a heavy cruiser,
departing San Francisco on its mission to the Tinian Islands)
At 10 pm, it was 95 degrees, and many crewmen chose to sleep on deck. Due to the heat, and the lack of any threat due to the latest intelligence report, the Indianapolis was in a "Yoke-Modified" state which meant that many of the interior doors/spaces were open to let in as much air as possible. If the Indianapolis had been in a state of "Zed", all the interior doors and spaces would have been closed . . . in short, the Indianapolis would sink fast if it was hit hard by a Japanese submarine.
The I-58 was only one of six Japanese submarines that were still operating in the Pacific. It was 356 feet long, had a seaplane and a machine gun, and it also had the latest in torpedo technology. Her sausage shape was coated in a rubber girdle, which confused US Navy sonar listeners. The I-58 had 19 magnetic torpedoes, and six kaiten (manned kamikaze torpedoes).
The I-58 hadn't sunk a US ship yet in the war, and the captain and his crew were beyond-anxious to do so.
The I-58 hadn't sunk a US ship yet in the war, and the captain and his crew were beyond-anxious to do so.
The I-58, spotted the Indianapolis six miles away, after 11 pm. It was a very complex business working up a firing solution for a torpedo, in that distance, speed, and direction needed to be carefully and quickly calculated . . . every moment that passed meant advantage to the Indianapolis. At 11:39 pm, six torpedoes were ready to fire; it was also at that moment that Captain Hashimoto (pictured) discovered that the ship he had targeted was all alone.
The Indianapolis was three miles away, and Captain Hashimoto wanted to know the identity of the US warship that he was going to sink. He had a classified reference book of silhouettes of US ships; he wanted to know the ID of the ship in order to know its capabilities, but the reference book was little help. At last, he was able to see the signature battleship class outline of the Indianapolis (again, the ship was a heavy cruiser that looked like a battleship) - he lined up to fire on the broadside of the US warship (he had forgotten about his kaitens). At 12:04 am on 29 July, 1945, Captain Hashimoto gave the order to fire a regular torpedo.
The Indianapolis was three miles away, and Captain Hashimoto wanted to know the identity of the US warship that he was going to sink. He had a classified reference book of silhouettes of US ships; he wanted to know the ID of the ship in order to know its capabilities, but the reference book was little help. At last, he was able to see the signature battleship class outline of the Indianapolis (again, the ship was a heavy cruiser that looked like a battleship) - he lined up to fire on the broadside of the US warship (he had forgotten about his kaitens). At 12:04 am on 29 July, 1945, Captain Hashimoto gave the order to fire a regular torpedo.
The torpedo traveled at 48 knots, 13 feet below the water, with 1210 pounds of explosives; it was enough firepower to take out an entire city block . . . and Hashimoto fired five more identical torpedoes. It took less than a minute for two torpedoes to hit the Indianapolis. The first torpedo hit the ship's forward starboard bow, and it was obliterated. The Indianapolis was still traveling at 17 knots, and it was scooping up massive amounts of water. The second torpedo hit midship, and that explosion was even more horrific. With only 4 inches of armor amidships, the Indianapolis had no chance to remain afloat.
The ocean itself seemed to be burning, due to a ruptured fuel tank near the bow. In just one minute after the second torpedo hit, the Indianapolis was effectively cut in half. Captain McVay had little time to asses the situation, because the massive warship was going to quickly sink. The ship was listing at 15 degrees, and still moving forward at 14 knots.
The ocean itself seemed to be burning, due to a ruptured fuel tank near the bow. In just one minute after the second torpedo hit, the Indianapolis was effectively cut in half. Captain McVay had little time to asses the situation, because the massive warship was going to quickly sink. The ship was listing at 15 degrees, and still moving forward at 14 knots.
At 12:13 am, Captain McVay gave the order to abandon ship, eight minutes after the second torpedo exploded. There was no time to abandon the ship in an orderly fashion; naval protocol was not followed in the least, as one would expect under the conditions. Of the 35 life rafts, only 12 made it to the sea, and on those rafts there were few provisions. But, there was a surplus of life vests . . . however far too many crew members went in the Pacific without one.
Complicating the nightmare was that no emergency radio messages had been sent (it was common practice for the Navy to order radio silence for its ships in WW II, especially in the Pacific . . . no one in the Navy from San Francisco to The Philippines knew the location of the Indianapolis). Before both radio rooms became inoperable, short, cryptic messages were sent; McVay knew it was crucial to transmit their location to Naval Command in Leyte in The Philippines.
For those that entered the ocean on the starboard side, lifesaving equipment existed . . . but for those on the port, there was no such luck. And all those that entered the Pacific had to deal with the massive amount of black oil that surrounded the ship, much of which was on
fire . . .
Below: First, an incredible account from one of the 300+ survivors of the Indianapolis.
After that is famous scene from "Jaws" where Quint recounts his experience after the
USS Indianapolis was hit by the two torpedoes from the Japanese submarine.
Complicating the nightmare was that no emergency radio messages had been sent (it was common practice for the Navy to order radio silence for its ships in WW II, especially in the Pacific . . . no one in the Navy from San Francisco to The Philippines knew the location of the Indianapolis). Before both radio rooms became inoperable, short, cryptic messages were sent; McVay knew it was crucial to transmit their location to Naval Command in Leyte in The Philippines.
For those that entered the ocean on the starboard side, lifesaving equipment existed . . . but for those on the port, there was no such luck. And all those that entered the Pacific had to deal with the massive amount of black oil that surrounded the ship, much of which was on
fire . . .
Below: First, an incredible account from one of the 300+ survivors of the Indianapolis.
After that is famous scene from "Jaws" where Quint recounts his experience after the
USS Indianapolis was hit by the two torpedoes from the Japanese submarine.