In Harm's Way: The Sinking of the U.S.S. Indianapolis and the Extraordinary Story of Its Survivors (30 page)
Authors: Doug Stanton
BOOK: In Harm's Way: The Sinking of the U.S.S. Indianapolis and the Extraordinary Story of Its Survivors
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—Houston Chronicle
“The saga is a tragedy from the loss of lives in the sinking to the anguish of those who survived, and Stanton weaves the stories of individual sailors and the ship’s top officers, especially Capt. Charles Butler McVay III.”
—The Bay City Times
“A powerfully intimate story of men victimized by the sea and forgotten by their navy. Stanton’s book successfully paints a remarkable picture of the unspeakable horror, heroism, and the strength of the human spirit.”
—American History
“The story is riveting … because Stanton tells it simply, through the men who lived it. The writing conveys the terror of the shark attacks with piercing detail.”
—Charlotte Observer
“Doug Stanton [is] a remarkably gifted storyteller. His gripping narrative of the experiences of the
Indy
is unrelenting. Anyone interested … [in] World War II history … should read this book. It is that good.”
Indy
is unrelenting. Anyone interested … [in] World War II history … should read this book. It is that good.”
—Theodore Savas, co-author of
Nazi Millionaires
Nazi Millionaires
“[
In Harm’s Way
] … reads like an adventure novel … It is time [this] story is told and Stanton has done it magnificently, with meticulous research and great poignancy.”
In Harm’s Way
] … reads like an adventure novel … It is time [this] story is told and Stanton has done it magnificently, with meticulous research and great poignancy.”
—School Library Journal
“A strong, well-made account of one of the most fearful disasters of World War II—tragic not only in its huge loss of life and its fateful destruction of the career of the
Indianapolis’
commander, but for its random and almost meaningless occurrence in the last days of the war.”
Indianapolis’
commander, but for its random and almost meaningless occurrence in the last days of the war.”
—Peter Matthiessen, author of
At Play in the Fields of the Lord
and
In the Spirit of Crazy Horse
At Play in the Fields of the Lord
and
In the Spirit of Crazy Horse
“In Harm’s Way
is a pungent corrective to Navy injustice and much more. The book is an improbably fatal adventure story, unfortunately true, that leaves you gasping at the sacrifice some men made for the rest of us.”
is a pungent corrective to Navy injustice and much more. The book is an improbably fatal adventure story, unfortunately true, that leaves you gasping at the sacrifice some men made for the rest of us.”
—Jim Harrison, author of
Legends of the Fall
and
Dalva
Legends of the Fall
and
Dalva
“A wonderfully wrought account of one of the great war-time disasters at sea. The meticulous research puts the reader onto the scene in the South Pacific in a way that is both harrowing and mesmerizing. It is hard to imagine that Stanton’s account could have been done any better.”
—George Plimpton, editor of
The Paris Review
The Paris Review
As it turns out, justice in the case of Captain Charles Butler McVay arrived far more swiftly than the survivors of the USS
Indianapolis
had expected. On July 13,2001—56 years after the sinking of the ship, and 41 years after Giles McCoy first began the effort to clear McVay’s name—the Department of Navy, in a surprising turn of events, made public their decision to exonerate the court-martialed captain.
Indianapolis
had expected. On July 13,2001—56 years after the sinking of the ship, and 41 years after Giles McCoy first began the effort to clear McVay’s name—the Department of Navy, in a surprising turn of events, made public their decision to exonerate the court-martialed captain.
The Secretary of the Navy, Gordon R. England, instructed that the following declaration be appended to McVay’s military service record: “The American people should now recognize Captain McVay’s lack of culpability for the tragic loss of the USS
Indianapolis
and the lives of the men who died as a result of the sinking of that vessel. Captain McVay’s military record should now reflect that he is exonerated for the loss of the USS
Indianapolis
and so many of her crew.”
Indianapolis
and the lives of the men who died as a result of the sinking of that vessel. Captain McVay’s military record should now reflect that he is exonerated for the loss of the USS
Indianapolis
and so many of her crew.”
In this reversal of its long-held refusal to review McVay’s case, the Navy echoed wording chosen by the United States Congress in their October, 2000 resolution declaring McVay’s “lack of culpability for the tragic loss of the USS
Indianapolis
and the lives of the men who died … .”
Indianapolis
and the lives of the men who died … .”
In a subsequent letter to England, McCoy typically didn’t mince words: “Thank you, sir, for getting the Navy Department Admirals off their butts in exonerating our late captain.”
The announcement of the Navy’s decision attracted immediate national attention. In a July 14, 2001,
New York Times
story (citing an Associated Press report), an elated McCoy explained that Captain McVay had not been guilty “of anything except the fortune or misfortune of war.”
New York Times
story (citing an Associated Press report), an elated McCoy explained that Captain McVay had not been guilty “of anything except the fortune or misfortune of war.”
I was taking a quick vacation during the book’s publicity
tour when I learned of the exoneration. The tour’s readings had been emotional—in every city or town I visited, there was usually someone in the audience who was either a survivor of the disaster, or related to one. These events had come to serve as a sort of meeting place of the generations: old, young, men and women.
tour when I learned of the exoneration. The tour’s readings had been emotional—in every city or town I visited, there was usually someone in the audience who was either a survivor of the disaster, or related to one. These events had come to serve as a sort of meeting place of the generations: old, young, men and women.
The proprietor of the lakeside cabin where I was staying handed me the news: Call your publisher. Something has happened concerning Captain McVay.
There was no phone at the resort, so I drove to a gas station and from a pay phone got the details. I had been about to go swimming with my kids, so standing there in T-shirt and shorts, it was a surprising experience to be instead discussing the exoneration with CNN, swept up in the excitement. When I checked in with survivor Ed Brown in California, he told me he’d broken into tears upon hearing the news.
Other survivors echoed similar feelings of relief and joy. For while the Navy’s exoneration did not go so far as to erase McVay’s conviction from his record, McCoy feels—as do many of his shipmates—that in the court of public opinion his captain’s name finally has been cleared, the cloud under which the legacy of the USS
Indianapolis
had lingered these many years removed.
Indianapolis
had lingered these many years removed.
“I think it’s the best we can ever get,” Mc Coy told me afterward, from his home in Florida. “I imagine Captain McVay is looking down and smiling on all this.”
The crew was also awarded a Unit Citation for its role in the delivery of the components of the bomb Little Boy to Tinian island. These men—now in their 70’s and 80’s—have at last been recognized by the U.S. Navy for their service to their country.
What, after all these years, prompted the Navy to reverse its decision 56 years after the court-martial?
In short, it was the result of dogged optimism and persistence on the part of hundreds of individuals.
But key people should be singled out. England acted in part as a result of the invaluable urging of Senator Bob Smith (R-NH), who had been alerted to McVay’s case originally by Florida school student Hunter Scott’s own lobbying in Congress. The exoneration effort had also received critical support from Mike Monroney, a tireless volunteer advocate of the cause in Washington, D.C., and Captain McVay’s son, Kimo McVay, who passed away just before the announcement, on June 29, 2001. Captain Bill Toti, Special Assistant to the Vice-Chief of Naval Operations, Rep. Julia Carson (D-IN), Rep. Joe Scarborough (R-FL), and Sen. John Warner (R-VA) also provided important assistance along the way.
Sadly, news of the exoneration arrived too late for Dr. Lewis Haynes, who passed away at his winter home in Florida on March 13, 2001, at the age of 89.
Even at the end of his life, Dr. Haynes, still haunted by the ship’s sinking, had spent many a troubled night dog-paddling in his sleep, tossing and turning, adrift in the Philippine Sea.
I learned this at Lew’s funeral, at which I was honored to speak at the request of his wife, Margaret.
In Harm’s Way
had not yet been published, but the doctor’s friends and relatives were aware of his excitement about the book, and many expressed curiosity as to why I’d chosen to write it. I thought I knew the answer, but at Lew’s funeral I found myself fumbling for a way to convey what I’d felt most deeply about all the heroic and yet humble men of the USS
Indianapolis
. To my own surprise, I realized I didn’t truly understand it myself: Why
did
this particular story exert such a pull on me?
In Harm’s Way
had not yet been published, but the doctor’s friends and relatives were aware of his excitement about the book, and many expressed curiosity as to why I’d chosen to write it. I thought I knew the answer, but at Lew’s funeral I found myself fumbling for a way to convey what I’d felt most deeply about all the heroic and yet humble men of the USS
Indianapolis
. To my own surprise, I realized I didn’t truly understand it myself: Why
did
this particular story exert such a pull on me?
My hope had been to make readers care enough about the
survivors’ ordeal that they would care even more today about the case of Captain McVay and his court-martial. I’d written the story as I’d heard it, which was as a kind of legend told around a kitchen table late at night. And readers had found inspiration in the survivors’ struggle: “Your book is changing
ME,
” one man had written, in the same way that “you describe meeting the men and telling their stories has changed you. I also have sought adventure, from [being in] the Navy, to rock and mountain climbing, even some business adventures. I have had great stresses and also great fortunes. The story of the
Indianapolis
needed to be told.” Others, already aware of the survivors’ ordeal, were surprised by what they hadn’t known: “As someone who’s read virtually every story written about the disaster,” wrote Mike Monroney, “I wasn’t prepared for your incredibly vivid narrative. It was frightening. And it was excellently done … the book will be an immense help in the effort to have Captain McVay vindicated.” Clearly, I was a long way from my first tentative introduction to the survivors and their story.
survivors’ ordeal that they would care even more today about the case of Captain McVay and his court-martial. I’d written the story as I’d heard it, which was as a kind of legend told around a kitchen table late at night. And readers had found inspiration in the survivors’ struggle: “Your book is changing
ME,
” one man had written, in the same way that “you describe meeting the men and telling their stories has changed you. I also have sought adventure, from [being in] the Navy, to rock and mountain climbing, even some business adventures. I have had great stresses and also great fortunes. The story of the
Indianapolis
needed to be told.” Others, already aware of the survivors’ ordeal, were surprised by what they hadn’t known: “As someone who’s read virtually every story written about the disaster,” wrote Mike Monroney, “I wasn’t prepared for your incredibly vivid narrative. It was frightening. And it was excellently done … the book will be an immense help in the effort to have Captain McVay vindicated.” Clearly, I was a long way from my first tentative introduction to the survivors and their story.
When I’d attended that first reunion in July, 1999, I felt a bit lost, wandering the Westin Hotel in Indianapolis and wondering what or where the “story” was. Research material was scant or out of print; except for local media, there wasn’t another reporter around for miles. Not hours after my arrival, I was considering leaving. And then I met the men.
When I returned to the next reunion in August, 2001 (five months after
In Harm’s Way
had been published), I found myself surrounded by a group of about 600 people, many of whom I now knew by name. The reunion was a happy yet bittersweet affair. In one corner of the hotel lobby, a group of elderly men were joking with one another; in another, other survivors were sharing a painful moment reminiscing about lost shipmates. And all around were bustling families—young kids, teenagers, new mothers—looking on, learning how people face the past, and the future.
In Harm’s Way
had been published), I found myself surrounded by a group of about 600 people, many of whom I now knew by name. The reunion was a happy yet bittersweet affair. In one corner of the hotel lobby, a group of elderly men were joking with one another; in another, other survivors were sharing a painful moment reminiscing about lost shipmates. And all around were bustling families—young kids, teenagers, new mothers—looking on, learning how people face the past, and the future.
Because I had written about the ship, some people assumed
I might know how a particular relative had died. Maybe every third person who approached me was in tears. And as had been true throughout the tour, some of the most poignant responses came from teenagers and from women who felt that in reading the book they’d been offered a glimpse into their own father’s or grandfather’s lives.
I might know how a particular relative had died. Maybe every third person who approached me was in tears. And as had been true throughout the tour, some of the most poignant responses came from teenagers and from women who felt that in reading the book they’d been offered a glimpse into their own father’s or grandfather’s lives.
During the Q&A part of the reunion’s reading, a survivor named Frank Centazzo stood up and approached the microphone. I had never interviewed Frank for the book, a fact about which he good-naturedly reminded me. And then he turned serious: for 56 years, he announced, he’d felt ashamed by the behavior of some of the men in the water. Why had some surrendered and died? Why had others acted less than admirably?
It wasn’t until he’d read
In Harm’s Way,
he said, that he’d understood why. He was referring to passages describing the devastating effects of salt-water ingestion and exposure on the men. As he stood there, his voice wavering, he thanked me for writing the book.
In Harm’s Way,
he said, that he’d understood why. He was referring to passages describing the devastating effects of salt-water ingestion and exposure on the men. As he stood there, his voice wavering, he thanked me for writing the book.
I remember being speechless. And thinking, Why hadn’t anyone ever told this proud man what had happened?
Shortly thereafter, the final pieces of the puzzle fell into place. I was finishing an interview with an NPR reporter and as he was leaving my office, he asked, “Anything you want to add?”
And suddenly, I understood what I hadn’t grasped before. Of all the dreams I had while writing
In Harm’s Way,
the most powerful was one of floating on a burning, inhospitable sea, willing myself to stay alive. During my interviews with survivors, nearly all of them had recalled that, at some point, they had made a vow to themselves:
I am going to live.
In Harm’s Way,
the most powerful was one of floating on a burning, inhospitable sea, willing myself to stay alive. During my interviews with survivors, nearly all of them had recalled that, at some point, they had made a vow to themselves:
I am going to live.
This had always struck me as a startling, existential moment—it had haunted me, and still does. What the men were remembering were those people back on land who had at some point told them—in words or through deeds—“never to give up.”
I told the reporter that I wondered if I had ever said anything to my own son, to my daughter, to my wife, to any of my friends—to anybody—that would act as a lifeline if they found themselves in a similar situation.
I said that I didn’t know, but that I hoped I had.
When people tell me they like the book I wrote, I tell them that the book wrote me.
January 17, 2002
Lake Ann, Michigan
Lake Ann, Michigan
PROLOGUE: SAILOR ON A CHAIN
Interviews: Gordon Linke, Jocelyn Linke, Scott Linke, Winthrop Smith Jr., Ed Stevens, Florence Regosia, Michael Monroney, Giles McCoy.
p.
6
A pool of blood:
police photographs, November 6, 1968.
6
A pool of blood:
police photographs, November 6, 1968.
p. 8
Of the nearly 400 American captains: The Naval Historical Center,
www.history.navy.mil
;
Proceedings,
October 1999, “The Sinking of the
Indy
& Responsibility of Command,” Commander William J. Toti, U.S. Navy; Thomas B. Buell,
Master of the Sea,
p. 328.
Of the nearly 400 American captains: The Naval Historical Center,
www.history.navy.mil
;
Proceedings,
October 1999, “The Sinking of the
Indy
& Responsibility of Command,” Commander William J. Toti, U.S. Navy; Thomas B. Buell,
Master of the Sea,
p. 328.
In the early 1990s:
Richard A. von Doenhoff, “ULTRA and the Sinking of USS
Indianapolis.” Eleventh Naval History Symposium,
United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD, October 1993.
Richard A. von Doenhoff, “ULTRA and the Sinking of USS
Indianapolis.” Eleventh Naval History Symposium,
United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD, October 1993.
CHAPTER ONE: ALL ABOARD
Interviews: John Spinelli, Giles McCoy, Mike Kuryla, Dr. Lewis Haynes, Ed Brown, Charlie Sullivan, Bob McGuiggan, Harlan Twible, Grover Carver, Richard Paroubek, Robert Gause, Bill Drayton, Richard Stephens, Gordon Linke.
p. 13
He had just come:
Narrative by: Captain Charles B. McVay III, USN, Sinking of USS
Indianapolis,
27 September 1945; Fletcher Knebel and Charles W. Bailey,
No High Ground,
pp. 101–2; Richard Newcomb,
Abandon Ship!: Death of the USS Indianapolis,
pp. 27–28.
He had just come:
Narrative by: Captain Charles B. McVay III, USN, Sinking of USS
Indianapolis,
27 September 1945; Fletcher Knebel and Charles W. Bailey,
No High Ground,
pp. 101–2; Richard Newcomb,
Abandon Ship!: Death of the USS Indianapolis,
pp. 27–28.
McVay had a lot on his mind:
Katherine D. Moore,
Goodbye Indy Maru,
pp. 122, 132, 141–42; Narrative by: Captain Charles B. McVay.
Katherine D. Moore,
Goodbye Indy Maru,
pp. 122, 132, 141–42; Narrative by: Captain Charles B. McVay.
p. 14
Hundreds of telegrams: Yankee,
1978, “The Last Secret Voyage of the USS Indianapolis,
”
Evan Wylie.
Hundreds of telegrams: Yankee,
1978, “The Last Secret Voyage of the USS Indianapolis,
”
Evan Wylie.
He’d been told that the earliest the ship:
Narrative by: Captain Charles B. McVay.
Narrative by: Captain Charles B. McVay.
p. 15
One of McVay’s boys:
USS
Indianapolis
Deck Logs, March and April 1945.
One of McVay’s boys:
USS
Indianapolis
Deck Logs, March and April 1945.
Back on land:
Moore,
Goodbye Indy Maru,
p. 135.
Moore,
Goodbye Indy Maru,
p. 135.
p. 16
The city, still a Wild West town:
“San Francisco History,”
www.sf50.com/qaboard/qaboard.htm
.
The city, still a Wild West town:
“San Francisco History,”
www.sf50.com/qaboard/qaboard.htm
.
In the three and a half years:
From the weekly reports of the Joint Army-Navy Personnel Shipping Committee.
Two months earlier:
Hanson W. Baldwin,
Battles Lost and Won: Great Campaigns of World War II
, p. 280.
From the weekly reports of the Joint Army-Navy Personnel Shipping Committee.
Two months earlier:
Hanson W. Baldwin,
Battles Lost and Won: Great Campaigns of World War II
, p. 280.
But this paled in comparison:
Thomas B. Allen and Norman Polmar,
Code Name Downfall: The Secret Plan to Invade Japan—and Why Truman Dropped the Bomb,
p. 208.
Thomas B. Allen and Norman Polmar,
Code Name Downfall: The Secret Plan to Invade Japan—and Why Truman Dropped the Bomb,
p. 208.
p. 17
On the island of Tinian:
Walter J. Boyne,
The Clash of the Titans,
p. 281; Maj. Gen. Charles W. Sweeney with James Antonucci and Marion K. Antonucci,
War’s End: An Eyewitness Account of America’s Last Atomic Mission,
p. 136.
On the island of Tinian:
Walter J. Boyne,
The Clash of the Titans,
p. 281; Maj. Gen. Charles W. Sweeney with James Antonucci and Marion K. Antonucci,
War’s End: An Eyewitness Account of America’s Last Atomic Mission,
p. 136.
p. 18
In July, the Fillmore was showing:
“San Francisco History,”
www.sf50.com/qaboard/qaboard.htm
.
In July, the Fillmore was showing:
“San Francisco History,”
www.sf50.com/qaboard/qaboard.htm
.
p. 19
One sailor was arrested:
USS
Indianapolis
DeckLog, June 1945.
Captain McVay was billeted:
Moore,
Goodbye Indy Maru,
pp. 126–27.
One sailor was arrested:
USS
Indianapolis
DeckLog, June 1945.
Captain McVay was billeted:
Moore,
Goodbye Indy Maru,
pp. 126–27.
The more serious business of preparing:
USS
Indianapolis
Deck Log, June 1945.
USS
Indianapolis
Deck Log, June 1945.
p. 20
Their favorite flavors:
Moore,
Goodbye Indy Maru,
p. 82.
In the military:
Paul Fussell,
Wartime Understanding and Behavior in the Second World War,
pp. 251–67.
Their favorite flavors:
Moore,
Goodbye Indy Maru,
p. 82.
In the military:
Paul Fussell,
Wartime Understanding and Behavior in the Second World War,
pp. 251–67.
p. 23
Sailors called marines “gyrenes”:
L. Peter Wren,
Those in Peril on the Sea,
p. 33.
Sailors called marines “gyrenes”:
L. Peter Wren,
Those in Peril on the Sea,
p. 33.
p. 24
During the trip, Roosevelt: Life,
November 30, 1936.
During the trip, Roosevelt: Life,
November 30, 1936.
p. 25
Ever since the seventeenth century:
Steve Ewing,
American Cruisers of World War II,
p. ix.
Ever since the seventeenth century:
Steve Ewing,
American Cruisers of World War II,
p. ix.
p. 26
They marched with it:
Letter from James F. Nolan, M.D., to Richard F. Newcomb, August 12, 1957.
They marched with it:
Letter from James F. Nolan, M.D., to Richard F. Newcomb, August 12, 1957.
p. 27
“going to use biological warfare:” Ibid.
“going to use biological warfare:” Ibid.
A
noontime farewell luncheon:
Moore,
Goodbye Indy Maru, p.
141.
What the captain didn’t know: Ibid.,
p. 138.
noontime farewell luncheon:
Moore,
Goodbye Indy Maru, p.
141.
What the captain didn’t know: Ibid.,
p. 138.
p. 28
One of the ship’s major problems: Ibid.,
pp. 132–34, 159; Letter from Richard A. Paroubek to Captain William J. Toti, February 24, 1999.
One of the ship’s major problems: Ibid.,
pp. 132–34, 159; Letter from Richard A. Paroubek to Captain William J. Toti, February 24, 1999.
Of his crew, more than 250:
“Facts and Discussion of Facts,” unsigned, undated (NIG report); Moore,
Goodbye Indy Maru,
p. 158.
“Facts and Discussion of Facts,” unsigned, undated (NIG report); Moore,
Goodbye Indy Maru,
p. 158.
p. 29
As the afternoon:
“Record and Proceedings of a General Court Martial Convened at the Navy Yard, Washington, D.C. by Order of the Secretary of the Navy: Case of Charles B. McVay, 3rd, Captain, U.S. Navy, December 3, 1945”; Narrative by: Captain Charles B. McVay.
As the afternoon:
“Record and Proceedings of a General Court Martial Convened at the Navy Yard, Washington, D.C. by Order of the Secretary of the Navy: Case of Charles B. McVay, 3rd, Captain, U.S. Navy, December 3, 1945”; Narrative by: Captain Charles B. McVay.
And to make mattersworse: Moore, Goodbye Indy Maru,
p. 142.
p. 142.
p. 32
It was an explosion: Encyclopedia Britannica,
www.britannica.com
It was an explosion: Encyclopedia Britannica,
www.britannica.com
He gathered his officers:
Letter from Nolan to Newcomb; Knebel and Bailey,
No High Ground,
p. 101.
Letter from Nolan to Newcomb; Knebel and Bailey,
No High Ground,
p. 101.
p. 33
In the canister: Ibid.
In the canister: Ibid.
For Nolan and Furman:
Letter from Nolan to Newcomb; Knebel and Bailey,
No High Ground,
p. 46; Newcomb,
Abandon Ship!,
pp. 32-33.
Letter from Nolan to Newcomb; Knebel and Bailey,
No High Ground,
p. 46; Newcomb,
Abandon Ship!,
pp. 32-33.
p. 34
Now, as the Indy began steaming:
Stanley Weintraub,
The Last Great Victory: The End of WWII, July/August 1945,
p. 83.
by 8:30 a.m.:
Narrative by: Captain Charles B. McVay.
Now, as the Indy began steaming:
Stanley Weintraub,
The Last Great Victory: The End of WWII, July/August 1945,
p. 83.
by 8:30 a.m.:
Narrative by: Captain Charles B. McVay.
CHAPTER TWO: GOOD-BYE, GOLDEN GATE
Interviews: Ed Brown, Robert Gause, Dr. Lewis Haynes, Mike Kuyrla, Jack Cassidy, Giles McCoy, Richard Stephens, Bob McGuiggan, Gus Kay, Harlan Twible, Jack Miner, Bill Drayton, John Spinelli, Dennis Covert, Charlie Sullivan, Gordon Linke, Jocelyn Linke, Winthrop Smith Jr.
p. 38
a careless word: Fussell, Wartime Understanding and Behavior in the Second World War,
p. 37.
a careless word: Fussell, Wartime Understanding and Behavior in the Second World War,
p. 37.
McVay’s orders for this mission:
Phillip A. St. John, USS
Indianapolis
(CA-35), p. 31.
Phillip A. St. John, USS
Indianapolis
(CA-35), p. 31.
p. 43
Every ounce of freshwater:
Plan of the Day, USS
Indianapolis,
July 16, 1945.
McVay’s grandfather
: Sultan, Gene, “Captain Charles Butler McVay, III,” 7/30/74;
The Evening Star
, August 15, 1945, “838 Lost, 315 Saved in Sinking of
Indianapolis
by Jap Sub: Cruiser Had Just Carried Atom Bomb from U.S. to Guam”; Service Record: McVay, Charles Butler.
Every ounce of freshwater:
Plan of the Day, USS
Indianapolis,
July 16, 1945.
McVay’s grandfather
: Sultan, Gene, “Captain Charles Butler McVay, III,” 7/30/74;
The Evening Star
, August 15, 1945, “838 Lost, 315 Saved in Sinking of
Indianapolis
by Jap Sub: Cruiser Had Just Carried Atom Bomb from U.S. to Guam”; Service Record: McVay, Charles Butler.
p. 45
Today’s practice:
Letter from Nolan to Newcomb.
Today’s practice:
Letter from Nolan to Newcomb.
p. 46
Japan, which began
: St. John, USS
Indianapolis (CA-35),
p. 12; Stephen Ambrose,
American Heritage New History of World War II
, p. 122.
Japan, which began
: St. John, USS
Indianapolis (CA-35),
p. 12; Stephen Ambrose,
American Heritage New History of World War II
, p. 122.
p. 47
The Indy was delivering supplies and troops
: Patrick J. Finneran, “A Short History of the USS
Indianapolis
.” USS
Indianapolis
(CA-35) Survivors Organization; Testimony of Daniel E. Brady.
The Indy was delivering supplies and troops
: Patrick J. Finneran, “A Short History of the USS
Indianapolis
.” USS
Indianapolis
(CA-35) Survivors Organization; Testimony of Daniel E. Brady.
By 1942, however, as the Japanese attempted to fight:
John Keegan,
The Price of Admiralty, p. 198; Ambrose, American Heritage New History of World War II
, p. 317.
Later that year, Admiral Spruance
: Thomas B. Buell,
The Quiet Warrior: A Biography of Admiral Raymond A. Spruance,
pp. 185–86.
John Keegan,
The Price of Admiralty, p. 198; Ambrose, American Heritage New History of World War II
, p. 317.
Later that year, Admiral Spruance
: Thomas B. Buell,
The Quiet Warrior: A Biography of Admiral Raymond A. Spruance,
pp. 185–86.
p. 48
During the battle of the Philippine Sea
: James F. Dunnigan and Albert A. Nofi,
Victory at Sea,
p. 50.
During the battle of the Philippine Sea
: James F. Dunnigan and Albert A. Nofi,
Victory at Sea,
p. 50.
p. 50
In less than three months:
Dunnigan and Nofi,
Victory at Sea,
pp. 260–62; Allen and Polmar,
Code Name Downfall: The Secret Plan to Invade Japan—and Why Truman Dropped the Bomb,
pp. 86-88.
In less than three months:
Dunnigan and Nofi,
Victory at Sea,
pp. 260–62; Allen and Polmar,
Code Name Downfall: The Secret Plan to Invade Japan—and Why Truman Dropped the Bomb,
pp. 86-88.
Even now, as the Japanese:
John Keegan,
The Battle for History: Refighting WWII,
pp. 27–8.
The term
kamikaze: John Ray Skates,
The Invasion of Japan: Alternative to the Bomb,
p. 148.
John Keegan,
The Battle for History: Refighting WWII,
pp. 27–8.
The term
kamikaze: John Ray Skates,
The Invasion of Japan: Alternative to the Bomb,
p. 148.
p. 51
The
New York Times
would call:
9 January 1946.
The pilots, often dressed: Judgment at the Smithsonian.
The
New York Times
would call:
9 January 1946.
The pilots, often dressed: Judgment at the Smithsonian.
p. 53
McVay received a message:
Moore,
Goodbye Indy Maru,
p. 115.
McVay received a message:
Moore,
Goodbye Indy Maru,
p. 115.
Generally speaking, however, the navy suffered:
Boyne,
Clash of Titans,
p. 326.
Boyne,
Clash of Titans,
p. 326.
p. 56
And, perhaps, for the green hands’ sake:
Wren,
Those in Peril on the Sea,
pp. 33–35.
And, perhaps, for the green hands’ sake:
Wren,
Those in Peril on the Sea,
pp. 33–35.
CHAPTER THREE: THE FIRST DOMINO
Interviews: Dr. Lewis Haynes, Giles McCoy, Ed Brown, Mike Kuryla, Bob McGuiggan, Robert Gause, Harlan Twible, Richard Stephens, Charlie Sullivan, Douw Mac Haffie, David Dorflinger.
p. 61
Tinian Island, a mere ten miles:
Gordon Thomas and Max Morgan Witts,
Enola Gay
, p. 81, 87, 151, 161; Sweeney with Antonucci and Antonucci,
War’s End: An Eyewitness Account of America’s Last Atomic Mission
, p. 137; Thomas and Witts.
Tinian Island, a mere ten miles:
Gordon Thomas and Max Morgan Witts,
Enola Gay
, p. 81, 87, 151, 161; Sweeney with Antonucci and Antonucci,
War’s End: An Eyewitness Account of America’s Last Atomic Mission
, p. 137; Thomas and Witts.
p. 62
Capable of carrying a ten-ton load of bombs
: “American Aircraft of World War II,”
www.ixpress.com/aglcaf/usplanes/american
.
Capable of carrying a ten-ton load of bombs
: “American Aircraft of World War II,”
www.ixpress.com/aglcaf/usplanes/american
.
The two officers were seeking:
Newcomb,
Abandon Ship!,
p. 43.
Newcomb,
Abandon Ship!,
p. 43.
p. 63
Tinian lay in what was now:
Court Martial.
Tinian lay in what was now:
Court Martial.
As the unloading of the bomb:
Dispatch 260152.
In fact, Nolan was spending:
Letter from Nolan to Newcomb.
Dispatch 260152.
In fact, Nolan was spending:
Letter from Nolan to Newcomb.
p. 65
a member of McCormick’s radio staff:
A principle action source for Guam and Leyte is the 131-page Court of Inquiry document. Like the Court Martial, its concern lies with the order to abandon ship as well as with weather conditions on the night of the sinking. Unlike the Court Martial, however, it gives equal time to the administrative failure to recognize the absence of the
Indianapolis
. The other major source for land-based information is the series of reports carried out after the inquiry and finished in January 1946 by the Navy Inspector General (NIG).
a member of McCormick’s radio staff:
A principle action source for Guam and Leyte is the 131-page Court of Inquiry document. Like the Court Martial, its concern lies with the order to abandon ship as well as with weather conditions on the night of the sinking. Unlike the Court Martial, however, it gives equal time to the administrative failure to recognize the absence of the
Indianapolis
. The other major source for land-based information is the series of reports carried out after the inquiry and finished in January 1946 by the Navy Inspector General (NIG).
Record of the Proceedings of a Court of Inquiry Convened at the Headquarters of the Commander, Marianas, by order of the Commander in Chief, United States Pacific Fleet and Pacific Ocean Areas for the purpose of inquiring into all the circumstances connected with the sinking of the USS
Indianapolis
(CA 35), on or about July 29, 1945, the rescue operations, and the delay in connection with reporting the loss of that ship. Signed: Vice Admiral Charles A. Lockwood, Vice Admiral George D. Murray, Rear Admiral Francis E. M. Whiting, and Captain William E. Hilbert, Judge Advocate, dated August 13, 1945; Progress Report (NIG); Discussion of Facts in the Further Investigation of the Sinking of the USS
Indianapolis
and the Delay in Reporting the
Loss of this Ship, unsigned, undated, (NIG); Investigation of the Sinking of the USS
Indianapolis
and the Delay in Reporting the Loss of that Ship. From: The Naval Inspector General. To: The Chief of Naval Operations. Signed: C. P. Snyder. Dated: Received 7 January 1946; Facts and Discussion of Facts (NIG).
En route to Guam
: Narrative by Captain Charles B. McVay.
Indianapolis
(CA 35), on or about July 29, 1945, the rescue operations, and the delay in connection with reporting the loss of that ship. Signed: Vice Admiral Charles A. Lockwood, Vice Admiral George D. Murray, Rear Admiral Francis E. M. Whiting, and Captain William E. Hilbert, Judge Advocate, dated August 13, 1945; Progress Report (NIG); Discussion of Facts in the Further Investigation of the Sinking of the USS
Indianapolis
and the Delay in Reporting the
Loss of this Ship, unsigned, undated, (NIG); Investigation of the Sinking of the USS
Indianapolis
and the Delay in Reporting the Loss of that Ship. From: The Naval Inspector General. To: The Chief of Naval Operations. Signed: C. P. Snyder. Dated: Received 7 January 1946; Facts and Discussion of Facts (NIG).
En route to Guam
: Narrative by Captain Charles B. McVay.
p. 67
At HQ, McVay met Nimitz’s:
Discussion of Facts (NIG).
McVay was frustrated:
Court Martial; Raymond Lech,
All the Drowned Sailors,
p. 10.
At HQ, McVay met Nimitz’s:
Discussion of Facts (NIG).
McVay was frustrated:
Court Martial; Raymond Lech,
All the Drowned Sailors,
p. 10.
Spruance had left the wounded ship
: USS
Indianapolis
Deck Log, April 1945.
: USS
Indianapolis
Deck Log, April 1945.
Spruance was relaxed:
Court Martial.
Court Martial.
Two days before this conversation:
Skates,
The Invasion of Japan
, p. 242.
Skates,
The Invasion of Japan
, p. 242.
Essentially, there were two battle plans: Ibid.,
p. 5; Knebel and Bailey,
No High Ground
, p. 70.
p. 5; Knebel and Bailey,
No High Ground
, p. 70.
p. 68
Sworn into office:
Knebel and Bailey,
No High Ground
, pp. 55, 46.
As they ate, the admiral noticed
: Court Martial.
Sworn into office:
Knebel and Bailey,
No High Ground
, pp. 55, 46.
As they ate, the admiral noticed
: Court Martial.
McVay exchanged pleasantries:
Court of Inquiry; Court Martial; Discussion of Facts (NIG).
Court of Inquiry; Court Martial; Discussion of Facts (NIG).
p. 69
McVay and the
Indianapolis: Court of Inquiry.
McVay and the
Indianapolis: Court of Inquiry.
Clear as this delineation was:
Allen and Polmar,
Code Name Downfall
, pp. 135-40; Skates,
The Invasion of Japan
, pp. 158–59.
Allen and Polmar,
Code Name Downfall
, pp. 135-40; Skates,
The Invasion of Japan
, pp. 158–59.
p. 70
The Indy had no sonar gear:
Boyne,
Clash of Titans,
pp. 110–12.
The Indy had no sonar gear:
Boyne,
Clash of Titans,
pp. 110–12.
When, in the course of the talk:
Facts and Discussion of Facts (NIG); Court Martial; Progress Report (NIG); Court of Inquiry; Newcomb,
Abandon Ship!,
pp. 49–50.
Facts and Discussion of Facts (NIG); Court Martial; Progress Report (NIG); Court of Inquiry; Newcomb,
Abandon Ship!,
pp. 49–50.
p. 71
After McVay’s navigator:
Court of Inquiry; Court Martial; Discussion of Facts (NIG).
After McVay’s navigator:
Court of Inquiry; Court Martial; Discussion of Facts (NIG).
“
Here we go again”:
Discussion of Facts (NIG).
When McVay next met:
Court of Inquiry; Progress Report (NIG); Court Martial; Discussion of Facts (NIG).
Here we go again”:
Discussion of Facts (NIG).
When McVay next met:
Court of Inquiry; Progress Report (NIG); Court Martial; Discussion of Facts (NIG).
The intelligence report seemed:
Court of Inquiry; Court Martial; Facts and Discussion of Facts (NIG); Office of the Port Director. Subject: Routing Instructions. To: Commanding Officer, USS
Indianapolis
(CA 35). From: Port Director, Guam. Dated 28 July 1945. Signed: J. J. Waldron; Operational Intelligence Section,
NOB, Guam, M.I. Subject: Intelligence Brief for Guam to Philippines. Dated 27 July 1945. Signed: R. N. Orr, Intelligence Officer.
Three days earlier, on July 24:
Samuel Eliot Morison,
Victory in the Pacific,
pp. 317–18; Progress Report (NIG). p.
Court of Inquiry; Court Martial; Facts and Discussion of Facts (NIG); Office of the Port Director. Subject: Routing Instructions. To: Commanding Officer, USS
Indianapolis
(CA 35). From: Port Director, Guam. Dated 28 July 1945. Signed: J. J. Waldron; Operational Intelligence Section,
NOB, Guam, M.I. Subject: Intelligence Brief for Guam to Philippines. Dated 27 July 1945. Signed: R. N. Orr, Intelligence Officer.
Three days earlier, on July 24:
Samuel Eliot Morison,
Victory in the Pacific,
pp. 317–18; Progress Report (NIG). p.
72
McVay’s intelligence report:
Richard A. von Doenhoff, “ULTRA and the Sinking of USS
Indianapolis,”
Facts and Discussion of Facts (NIG).
McVay’s intelligence report:
Richard A. von Doenhoff, “ULTRA and the Sinking of USS
Indianapolis,”
Facts and Discussion of Facts (NIG).
Captain McVay, however, was not apprised: Ibid.;
Hearing Before the Committee on Armed Services, United States Senate, One Hundred Sixth Congress, First Session, September 14, 1999, “The Sinking of the USS
Indianapolis
and the Subsequent Court Martial of Rear Admiral Charles B. McVay III; John Savard,”A Cryptographic Compendium”; Keegan,
Battle for History,
pp. 87–92; Edwin Layton with Roger Pineau and John Costello,
And I Was There: Pearl Harbor and Midway: Breaking the Secrets,
pp. 139, 367, 449-56.
Hearing Before the Committee on Armed Services, United States Senate, One Hundred Sixth Congress, First Session, September 14, 1999, “The Sinking of the USS
Indianapolis
and the Subsequent Court Martial of Rear Admiral Charles B. McVay III; John Savard,”A Cryptographic Compendium”; Keegan,
Battle for History,
pp. 87–92; Edwin Layton with Roger Pineau and John Costello,
And I Was There: Pearl Harbor and Midway: Breaking the Secrets,
pp. 139, 367, 449-56.
p. 74
Sixty feet below the swirling ink:
Mochitsura Hashimoto,
Sunk!: The Story of the Japanese Submarine Fleet, 1942–1945,
pp. 140-48; Weintraub,
The Last Great Victory
p. 73.; “Submarines of the Imperial Japanese Navy,”
http://www.combinedfleet.com/ss.htm
; Court Martial; Investigation of the Sinking, 7 January 1946; “Sinking the
Indianapolis:
A Japanese Perspective,”
The Quan,
1996.
“very low order”:
Court Martial.
Sixty feet below the swirling ink:
Mochitsura Hashimoto,
Sunk!: The Story of the Japanese Submarine Fleet, 1942–1945,
pp. 140-48; Weintraub,
The Last Great Victory
p. 73.; “Submarines of the Imperial Japanese Navy,”
http://www.combinedfleet.com/ss.htm
; Court Martial; Investigation of the Sinking, 7 January 1946; “Sinking the
Indianapolis:
A Japanese Perspective,”
The Quan,
1996.
“very low order”:
Court Martial.
p. 77
One well-known disaster:
Boyne,
Clash of Titans,
p. 292.
The carriers
Yorktown
and
Wasp: Dunnigan and Nofi,
Victory at Sea,
pp. 113–14.
One well-known disaster:
Boyne,
Clash of Titans,
p. 292.
The carriers
Yorktown
and
Wasp: Dunnigan and Nofi,
Victory at Sea,
pp. 113–14.
Shortly before the Indy’s departure:
Dispatch 280032; Lech,
All the Drowned Sailors,
p. 19; Court of Inquiry; Progress Report (NIG); Discussion of Facts (NIG); Facts and Discussion of Facts (NIG).
Dispatch 280032; Lech,
All the Drowned Sailors,
p. 19; Court of Inquiry; Progress Report (NIG); Discussion of Facts (NIG); Facts and Discussion of Facts (NIG).
p. 79
At some point during the early evening:
Thomas Helm,
Ordeal by Sea,
p. 38; A&E Home Video “Sea Tales: Missing! The
Indianapolis.”
At some point during the early evening:
Thomas Helm,
Ordeal by Sea,
p. 38; A&E Home Video “Sea Tales: Missing! The
Indianapolis.”
p. 80
Indeed, while Loran A:
Correspondence with Air-Commander “Pinky” Grocott and Walter Blanchard.
Indeed, while Loran A:
Correspondence with Air-Commander “Pinky” Grocott and Walter Blanchard.
And subs were on everyone’s minds:
Progress Report (NIG); Blue Summary; Discussion of Facts (NIG); Court Martial.
Progress Report (NIG); Blue Summary; Discussion of Facts (NIG); Court Martial.
p. 81
Sometime between 7:30 and 8 P.M.:
Court Martial; Progress Report (NIG).
Sometime between 7:30 and 8 P.M.:
Court Martial; Progress Report (NIG).
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