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U.S.S. Indianapolis was a Portland class heavy cruiser
commissioned in November, 1932. Her war career began as
she operated with carrier task forces in the southwestern
Pacific until Spring of 1942. The Indianapolis then served
in Alaskan waters for over a year and was credited with
sinking a Japanese transport in February. 1943. In late
1943 the Indy became the flagship of the Fifth Fleet and
assisted in operations to capture the Gilberts, Marshalls,
Marianas and Peleiu.
In February and March of
1945 the Indianapolis assisted in attacks on Iwo Jima and
the Japanese homeland. She was struck by a Kamikaze on
March 31, 1945 and sent stateside for repairs. In late
July the Indianapolis made a high speed run to Tinian to
deliver components of the atomic bomb. She then sailed for
the Philippines and into history. On July 30, 1945 she was
torpedoed by the Japanese submarine I-58 and sank in 12
minutes. Over 900 men of her 1,200 crewmen went into the
Pacific waters. Due to communication and Naval snafus, her
loss went unnoticed until a lucky passing aircraft spotted
survivors in the water. Only 317 men were eventually
rescued. They survived four days in the water with no
food, fresh water, medical care or shelter. Men died of
wounds, insanity, shark bites, dehydration, sunstroke and
exposure. The horrors of those four days cannot be
imagined. Ed Harrell was a young U.S. Marine assigned to
the Indianapolis and survived the ordeal. His story is
told by his book Out of the Depths.
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