The Sinking Of The Indianapolis

The Sinking of the Indianapolis

The USS Indianapolis (CA-35) was a Portland-class heavy cruiser of the United States Navy. Commissioned in 1932, the ship served in the Pacific Theater during World War II. On July 30, 1945, shortly after delivering components of the atomic bomb that would be dropped on Hiroshima, Japan, the Indianapolis was torpedoed by the Imperial Japanese Navy submarine I-58 and sank in the Philippine Sea.

Of the approximately 900 crew members on board, only 317 survived the sinking and subsequent days adrift in shark-infested waters. The tragedy of the Indianapolis, which was largely unknown to the public until the 1990s, has been cited as the single worst disaster in U.S. naval history.

The Mission

In July 1945, the Indianapolis was assigned the top-secret mission of delivering components of the atomic bomb to Tinian, a U.S. military base in the Mariana Islands. The bomb, code-named "Little Boy," was to be used against Hiroshima, Japan, in an attempt to end the war. The Indianapolis completed the mission successfully, delivering the bomb components to Tinian on July 26th.

The Sinking

After delivering the atomic bomb components, the Indianapolis was ordered to proceed to Guam for repairs. On July 30th, while transiting the Philippine Sea, the ship was struck by two torpedoes fired by the Japanese submarine I-58. The torpedoes hit the Indianapolis near its bow and stern, causing catastrophic damage. The ship sank within 12 minutes.

The Survival

Approximately 900 sailors and Marines were on board the Indianapolis when she sank. The survivors, many of whom were injured, were forced to abandon ship and spend the night in the water. The survivors were adrift for four days before being rescued by the destroyer USS Bassett. Only 317 of the original crew survived the sinking and the days adrift at sea.

The Investigation

The sinking of the Indianapolis was investigated by the U.S. Navy after the war. The investigation concluded that the ship had been sunk by a Japanese submarine and that the crew had not been rescued in a timely manner. The investigation also found that the Navy had failed to properly equip the Indianapolis with life rafts and other safety equipment.

The Legacy

The sinking of the Indianapolis remains one of the most tragic events in U.S. naval history. The disaster has been the subject of books, movies, and documentaries. In 2014, the U.S. Navy unveiled a memorial to the Indianapolis in Washington, D.C.