USS Indianapolis 60 years later, For you Big Red!!

A must read for everyone!!

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2005-0...survivors_x.htm

Its good to know that a terrible event such as this is still remembered. I hope in the future that the Navy will recognize these men's suffering and award them a Presidential Unit Citation, and erase Captain McVay's courtmartial from his naval service record. These men endured something I hope any of us will never have to endure. God willing, the Navy hopefully will finally realize and admit to their incompetence in this disaster.


883 men died that night and in the days following the sinking. I think we should all keep that in mind on midnight on July 30th 2005. I can hear the torpedoes being fired and the screams of the men already....

USS INDIANAPOLIS CA-35: (Still At Sea)

And now, you know why I'm using the "Indy" for my story for the sea hunters competition!

Official site for The Worst Naval Disaster in US History

The Captains account of what happened

I just found this chilling song on the Internet:

If this dosen't bring a tear to your eye, your not human...

Go here to listen to this ballad:
http://www.songaweek.com/lyrics/04222004_theindianapolis.asp

THE INDIANAPOLIS

BY: Tom Flannery (2004)

Who on earth knows why
some men live and some men die
he was a better man than I
or would have been...we were boys
We were nearly twelve hundred souls
watching how war takes it's toll
it hates to watch the young grow old
it seeks and destroys

To Tinian we were bound
to deliver the end from above the ground
never knew a thing never heard a sound
get her there on time
then we pushed for more
and torpedoes from the ocean floor
cut us in two with a mighty roar
in war nothing's a crime

captain said "boys we gotta go"
900 jumped into the water below
those that could not see still could hear
when the Indianapolis....she disappeared

We thought they'd come when the sun it rose
but the sharks they gathered and the world it froze
10 footers from the tail to the nose
well this was not war
Some boys thrashed and some lay prone
some were bit in half some left alone
all we had to give was flesh and bone
tell me what are you fighting for?

For 4 days we died
some floated away when the night flew by
others with madness in their eye
I can still hear the sounds
calls for loved ones in the air
and whoops for things that just weren't there
the chattering teeth and the Lord's prayer
with the devil all around

That PV-1 finally came
called the PBY and the ships the same
you learn about luck in war
'cause we weren't exactly what they were looking for

317 survived
so there's that many men asking why
how do I live when I've watched men die?
where did they all go?
you may seek to blame
state your case...make your claim
stick your goddamn brass up in a frame
because you'll never know

Now I'm an old man
still never got further than the sand
dreams can bring me back and force my hand
like it was yesterday
Put a seashell to my ear
grandson says "pappa what do you hear?"
I'll turn so he can't see the tear
someone tell me what to say

captain said "boys we gotta go"
900 jumped into the water below
317 survived
so there's that many men asking why

Who on earth knows why
some men live and some men die
he was a better man than I
or would have been...we were boys



In memory of the 883 men who died on the Indianapolis...

I just watched a show on Discovery channel about The Indianapolis and the brave men abord her. It was so sad to see her laying on the bottom of the sea and to know so many men died with her and no one looked for them. Our goverment needs to commend the men of this ship and as you say clear the Capt.

Thanks for the story. And the line about the grandson and the seashell got me.