USS Indianapolis (CA-35)
7/10/1945
Add to Favorites:
Add all page(s) of this document to activity:
The USS Indianapolis was named for the city of Indianapolis, Indiana. It launched on November 7, 1931, and during World War II it served in battles across the Pacific. What distinguished this ship from any other at that time was its objective. In late July 1945, the USS Indianapolis had been on a special secret mission, delivering parts of the first atomic bomb to the Pacific Island of Tinian, where American B-29 bombers were based.
On the night of July 30, 1945 as it sailed from Guam to Leyte, the USS Indianapolis was torpedoed twice by a Japanese submarine. The crew of 1,199 men ended up in the waters of the Pacific. Hundreds of sharks, drawn by the carnage of the disaster, moved toward the survivors.
After feeding on the dead from the explosions, the sharks turned their attention toward those still alive. Some of the men pounded the water, kicking and yelling when the sharks approached. Many decided that grouping together was their best defense but with each attack came clouds of blood in the water followed by more screaming and splashing which only encouraged more sharks to strike.
Survivors were finally spotted days later by a U.S. Navy plane. The pilot and his crew rescued a total of 56 men. Once signaled, a total of seven Navy ships converged on the site and rescued the remaining men. Only 317 sailors survived.
On the night of July 30, 1945 as it sailed from Guam to Leyte, the USS Indianapolis was torpedoed twice by a Japanese submarine. The crew of 1,199 men ended up in the waters of the Pacific. Hundreds of sharks, drawn by the carnage of the disaster, moved toward the survivors.
After feeding on the dead from the explosions, the sharks turned their attention toward those still alive. Some of the men pounded the water, kicking and yelling when the sharks approached. Many decided that grouping together was their best defense but with each attack came clouds of blood in the water followed by more screaming and splashing which only encouraged more sharks to strike.
Survivors were finally spotted days later by a U.S. Navy plane. The pilot and his crew rescued a total of 56 men. Once signaled, a total of seven Navy ships converged on the site and rescued the remaining men. Only 317 sailors survived.
This primary source comes from the Records of the Bureau of Ships.
National Archives Identifier: 148727930
Full Citation: USS Indianapolis (CA-35); 7/10/1945; Photographs of the Construction and Launching of Ships, ca. 1930 - ca. 1955; Records of the Bureau of Ships, Record Group 19; National Archives at College Park, College Park, MD. [Online Version, https://www.docsteach.org/documents/document/uss-indianapolis-ca35, October 4, 2024]Rights: Public Domain, Free of Known Copyright Restrictions. Learn more on our privacy and legal page.