The U.S.S. Indianapolis -- Tragedy Amid Triumph
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Description: Thesis by LCdr. C.R. Woodward, USMC, Marine Corps University Command and Staff College.
The U.S.S. Indianapolis--Tragedy Amid Triumph The U.S.S. Indianapolis--Tragedy Amid Triumph AUTHOR LCdr. C.R. Woodward, USMC Csc 1988 SUBJECT AREA History EXECUTIVE SUMMARY TITLE: THE U.S.S. INDIANAP0LIS--TRAGEDY AMID TRIUMPH I. Purpose: To provide a short historical account of the final voyage of the U.S.S. Indianapolis during the waning days of World War II and to provide an account of the com- munication and intelligence sharing errors which led to the sinking, Secondarily, this paper presents a brief summary of the court-martial of the ship's captain and an account of subsequent events in his life. II. Problem: At 0014 the morning of 30 July 1945, the heavy cruiser Indianapolis (CA-35) was sunk between Guam and Leyte by an enemy submarine. This submarine, along with three others, was known by senior officers to be in the area where Indianapolis was sunk. Captain C. B. McVay III, the ship's skipper, was not given this information prior to de- parting Guam. Of over 800 survivors of the sinking, only 320 were rescued alive. III. Data: Although other ships were lost with staggering loss of life during World War II: Arizona (1104 dead), Franklin (724 dead), and Bunker Hill (396 dead), the loss of the Indianapolis is acknowledged by most naval historians as the greatest tragedy at sea during World War II. Of the 1196 sailors and marines aboard, only 320 were rescued four to five days later. A review of various references, dating from 1958 to l982, seems to indicate that the Indianapolis, after having transported parts for the first atomic bomb from San Francisco to Tinian, was lost at a point approxi- mately 600 miles from Guam and 550 miles from Leyte (Phillipines). Due to ineffective command and staff action on the part of various Pacific commands, Indianapolis was not missed for nearly four days. Several months after the incident, the ship's commanding officer was court-martialed for failure to zigzag and failure to order abandon ship in a timely manner. IV. Conclusions: Indianapolis was not lost
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| Page title: | The U.S.S. Indianapolis--Tragedy Amid Triumph |
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