The Story Of The USS Indianapolis: The Storm Of War

The USS Indianapolis holds a significant place in the annals of naval history. Its story is a powerful testament to the bravery and sacrifice of its crew during one of the most tumultuous times in modern warfare - World War II.

The Beginning of the Journey

Commissioned in 1932, the USS Indianapolis was a heavy cruiser that played a pivotal role in several crucial operations in the Pacific Theater of World War II. It was known for its speed, firepower, and maneuverability, making it a formidable force for the United States Navy.

Mission in the Pacific

As the war escalated, the USS Indianapolis was assigned to undertake a top-secret mission. It was tasked with delivering crucial components of the atomic bomb, which would later be dropped on Hiroshima, Japan, in an attack that would prove to be a turning point in the war.

Lost at Sea: The story of the USS Indianapolis (The Storm of War Book 4)

by David Boyle(Kindle Edition)

4.1 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	638 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
X-Ray	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	77 pages
Lending	:	Enabled

FREE

The USS Indianapolis successfully completed its mission, unaware of the devastation it would unleash upon the world. Little did its crew know that their journey would soon take a disastrous turn.

The Tragic End

Following their mission, the USS Indianapolis set sail for Leyte Gulf in the Philippines. However, on July 30, 1945, disaster struck. Torpedoed by a Japanese submarine, the heavy cruiser sank within minutes - leaving approximately 900 men stranded in the treacherous waters of the Pacific Ocean.

For days, the survivors battled dehydration, exposure, and shark attacks. It was a harrowing ordeal that tested the limits of human endurance. As their situation grew dire, hope seemed to fade away with each passing hour.

The Rescue and Controversy

Eventually, after five long days, a Navy plane spotted the survivors and rescue operations were initiated. Using life rafts and sheer determination, only 316 men survived out of the original crew of over 1,100.

The rescue of the USS Indianapolis survivors marked the end of their ordeal, but it was just the beginning of a different battle. The sinking of the heavy cruiser and the loss of so many lives spurred controversy and inquiries into the circumstances surrounding the disaster.

Legacy and Remembrance

The story of the USS Indianapolis has left an indelible mark on the collective memory of the American nation. Today, it serves as a reminder of the bravery and sacrifice of those who fought in World War II and the perils they faced.

Every year, survivors, their families, and naval enthusiasts gather to commemorate the USS Indianapolis and honor the memory of those who didn't make it. It serves as a testament to the strength of the human spirit and the enduring legacy of those who served.

The story of the USS Indianapolis is a tale of heroism, tragedy, and resilience. It highlights the immense sacrifices made during World War II and pays tribute to the brave men who served aboard the heavy cruiser. Their journey through the storm of war will forever be etched in history, reminding us of the true cost and impact of armed conflict.

Lost at Sea: The story of the USS Indianapolis (The Storm of War Book 4)

by David Boyle(Kindle Edition)

4.1 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	638 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
X-Ray	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	77 pages
Lending	:	Enabled

FREE

“We returned to our loved ones, but we were never the same again. Most were markedly changed. Young boys had become mature older men, aged beyond their years. All because of those days in the sea.”

For five days near the end of the Second World War, the USS Indianapolis disappeared from the map. After being hit by two torpedoes from a Japanese submarine, the warship sank within twelve minutes: 900 men out of a crew of 1200 managed to jump free.

But by the time they were found, all that time later, the survivors had plummeted to just 316 men. The story of how that happened, and how the few that remained of her crew were eventually rescued from the mid-Pacific, have become one of the most enduring — and notorious — of wartime sea stories.

But the meaning of the Indianapolis goes beyond a simple sinking. What makes the story of this American warship so compelling is that it was important in so many ways. It was the flagship of the fighting admiral Raymond Spruance, in 1943-44, during the crucial battles to control the central Pacific.

It delivered the key components of the first atomic bomb dropped in anger, in this case on Hiroshima. It was the greatest single loss of life at sea in an American naval disaster at war.

It goes down in history as the biggest attack by sharks on human beings ever recorded. It also became a huge scandal as naval authorities tried to cover-up what had gone wrong, and why the crew had been inadvertently left to die.

This book is designed to interweave all these themes to provide a short and informative, and above all, readable, guide to the Indianapolis story, and to also tell the intertwined tales of the two men at the heart of the story: Captain Charles McVay and the man who sank the ship, Mochitsura Hashimoto.