Old News: The sinking of the USS Indianapolis
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View of the USS Indianapolis in the Pacific theater during World War II. Photo: U.S. Navy/Interim Archives/Getty Images
Eighty years ago today, the USS Indianapolis went down in 12 minutes after being struck by two torpedoes from a Japanese submarine.
Why it matters: The attack on the cruiser, which was named in honor of our city, just after it delivered components used for the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima remains one of the Navy's worst at-sea disasters.
- It also sparked the deadliest shark attack in history.
What they're saying: "There is no question that the loss of USS Indianapolis is one of the blackest episodes in the history of the U.S. Navy," retired Rear Admiral Sam Cox said while delivering keynote remarks during an anniversary reunion in 2016.
- "But I also believe that even in loss and tragedy, there are examples of extraordinary valor and sacrifice that deserve to be remembered, that serve as an inspiration to sailors today and in the future, and there are lessons learned that must be preserved and passed on, and are relevant even now."
Driving the (old) news: The USS Indianapolis was attacked halfway between Guam and the Leyte Gulf of the Philippines shortly after midnight on July 30, 1945, according to Naval History and Heritage Command.
- About 330 crew members went down with the ship. Approximately 880 others were left adrift to battle hunger, dehydration, drowning and sharks.
- Communication problems and other errors led to the attack going unnoticed until survivors were spotted by the crew of a PV-1 Ventura plane on routine patrol.
- 316 survived and were rescued five days later.
Catch up quick: In 2017, a research team led by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen discovered the USS Indianapolis' remains three and a half miles below the surface of the Philippine Sea.
The latest: According to the official website of the USS Indianapolis, 98-year-old California resident Harold John Bray is the last living survivor.