Paul Murphy, president of the USS Indianapolis Survivors Organization, said: "Captain McVay's court-martial was simply to divert attention from the terrible loss of life caused by procedural mistakes which never alerted anyone that we were missing."
What happened to the USS Indianapolis?
The heavy cruiser was sunk on its way to join a task force near Okinawa. Of the ship’s 1195 crewmembers, only 316 survived the sinking and the subsequent time adrift at sea in the middle of nowhere. Among the survivors was the captain of the Indianapolis, Charles B. McVay III. McVay would be charged with negligence in the loss of the ship.
Why was Captain McVay court-martialed?
One was Captain McVay, who was court-martialed soon after the war and found guilty of endangering his vessel by failing to steer a zigzag course to avoid torpedoes. Captain McVay was stripped of some seniority, although Navy Secretary James Forrestal lifted the sentence because of Captain McVay's bravery in combat before the sinking.
What happened to Captain McVay after the USS Forrestal?
Captain McVay was stripped of some seniority, although Navy Secretary James Forrestal lifted the sentence because of Captain McVay's bravery in combat before the sinking. He was promoted to rear admiral upon his retirement in 1949. But he never really recovered from his ordeal, and he shot himself to death in 1968.
What happened to General MacArthur after he was court martialed?
Even though he was restored to active duty after his court-martial and retired a rear admiral, the guilt of the loss haunted him for the rest of his life. He committed suicide with his Navy revolver on his own front lawn with a toy sailor in his hand.
What happened to McVay after his conviction?
Why did the crew stand by their Captain?
What was the Indy controversy?
What was the thing about escorts?
What submarines were capable of ambushing and taking down enemy large and medium surface units?
How many people were killed by sharks?
What would have happened if the ship was torpedoed?
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About this website
What was captain McVay found guilty of?
McVay was charged with failing to zigzag and failure to order abandon ship in a timely manner. He was convicted on the former.
What was captain McVay's punishment?
Captain McVay was stripped of some seniority, although Navy Secretary James Forrestal lifted the sentence because of Captain McVay's bravery in combat before the sinking. He was promoted to rear admiral upon his retirement in 1949. But he never really recovered from his ordeal, and he shot himself to death in 1968.
Was captain McVay a scapegoat?
Charles McVay III, was used as a scapegoat for the tragedy, just as the Navy sought to use the Iowa's hapless gunner's mate, Clayton Hartwig.
Did they court-martial the captain of the USS Indianapolis?
“The conviction meant that of the almost 400 U.S. captains whose ships had been sunk during the war, McVay was the only one to have been court-martialed,” Stanton said. Indeed, he was the only captain in the history of the Navy to be court-martialed for the loss of a ship sunk by an act of war.
Are any survivors of the Indianapolis still alive?
This is the 77th anniversary of the U.S.S. Indianapolis Reunion. Lebow is now the oldest living survivor at 98 years old, and it is one of his last chances to meet fellow survivor Harold Bray, who is 94 years old.
Why did Captain McVay not zigzag?
McVay's handling of the ship proved controversial. “Zigzagging,” the random changing of direction was left to his discretion, but Navy doctrine required the tactic in good seas when enemy submarines were likely nearby.
Is the movie USS Indianapolis accurate?
And yet the movie also provides a chance to remember the true story of the USS Indianapolis—a real-life survival tale that's far superior to the Hollywood version. The basic facts of the Indianapolis remain powerful and tragic.
How long were the men of the USS Indianapolis in the water?
five daysAfter nearly five days in the water, 317 of the original 1,196 crew were finally rescued. Many didn't speak about their ordeal for a long time, but now, 70 years later, survivors gather for a reunion in downtown Indianapolis to reconnect and remember.
Why did the USS Indianapolis sink so fast?
Shortly after midnight on July 30, halfway between Guam and Leyte Gulf, a Japanese sub blasted the Indianapolis, sparking an explosion that split the ship and caused it to sink in approximately 12 minutes, with about 300 men trapped inside.
How many sailors were lost to sharks on the USS Indianapolis?
(It was a feeding frenzy after a Japanese submarine torpedoed the USS Indianapolis on July 30, 1945 during World War II. Some 900 American sailors were stranded in shark-infested waters, where an estimated 50 men a day were ripped apart by the sharks. It was the largest shark attack in US history.
Who found the Indianapolis survivors?
Robert Adrian MarksLieutenant Commander (USN) Robert Adrian Marks (February 18, 1917 – March 7, 1998) was the U.S. Navy pilot who rescued 56 crewmen of the USS Indianapolis after it was sunk by Japanese torpedoes.
Did the USS Indianapolis send a distress signal?
The loss of USS Indianapolis (CA-35) in the first hour of 30 July 1945 left approximately 800 Sailors and Marines out of a crew of 1,196 adrift—most with only a life jacket or floater net. The rapid sinking of the ship, and critical damage to communication systems, prevented the sending of a distress signal.
What was the most decorated destroyer in ww2?
O'Bannon was the US Navy's most decorated destroyer during World War II, earning 17 battle stars and a Presidential Unit Citation.
Did the USS Indianapolis send a distress signal?
The loss of USS Indianapolis (CA-35) in the first hour of 30 July 1945 left approximately 800 Sailors and Marines out of a crew of 1,196 adrift—most with only a life jacket or floater net. The rapid sinking of the ship, and critical damage to communication systems, prevented the sending of a distress signal.
Why did the USS Indianapolis sink so fast?
Shortly after midnight on July 30, halfway between Guam and Leyte Gulf, a Japanese sub blasted the Indianapolis, sparking an explosion that split the ship and caused it to sink in approximately 12 minutes, with about 300 men trapped inside.
How long were the Indianapolis crew in the water?
After nearly five days in the water, 317 of the original 1,196 crew were finally rescued. Many didn't speak about their ordeal for a long time, but now, 70 years later, survivors gather for a reunion in downtown Indianapolis to reconnect and remember.
What did Hashimoto say to Warner?
Hashimoto told Warner that he wanted to join the “brave men who survived the sinking of the Indianapolis ... in urging that your national legislature clear their captain’s name.” He added: “Our peoples have forgiven each other for that terrible war and its consequences. Perhaps it is time your peoples forgave Captain McVay for the humiliation of his unjust conviction.”
How long did it take to rescue the Indy boat?
Their collective rescue took about 24 hours to complete — leaving some survivors in the water for five harrowing days. One of the discovered clusters of men included the Indy’s captain, Charles McVay.
Why did the Navy order the trial?
The Navy all but spelled out its reasons for doing so in a letter its judge advocate general sent officials at the time: “Full justification for ordering the trial … springs from the fact that this case is of vital interest not only to the families of those who lost their lives, but also to the public at large.”
What was the significance of the song "Singing as One"?
Singing as one, the moment was a fitting demonstration of healing between two peoples who had once called each other “enemy” — brought together by their shared desire to vindicate an innocent man.
Why did the Navy order a news blackout?
To prevent such blunders from getting out and possibly oversha dowing the triumphant news of the likely ending of the war (the first atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima just two days after the survivors were rescued with “This one is for the Boys of the Indianapolis” written on its side), the Navy ordered a news blackout about the incident once the survivors were sequestered and convalescing on a nearby island.
Was McVay convicted of hazarding his ship?
Despite the unexpected blow that Hashimoto’s testimony had been to the prosecution, McVay was still convicted of hazarding his ship by failing to zigzag.
Who exonerated the captain of the USS Indianapolis?
USS Indianapolis sinking: Navy Capt. Charles McVay exonerated by Mochitsura Hashimoto - The Washington Post. After the devastating sinking of the USS Indianapolis in 1945, Mochitsura Hashimoto, the Japanese sub commander who gave the order to torpedo the ship, pushed to exonerate Navy Capt. Charles McVay during his court martial and, later, ...
What was McVay charged with?
McVay was charged with failing to zigzag and failure to order abandon ship in a timely manner. He was convicted on the former. Prior knowledge of Japanese submarines being identified in the area was withheld from the court and from McVay, prior to sailing, as well.
How many people died in the Indianapolis attack?
Indianapolis immediately took a fifteen degree list, capsized and sank within 12 minutes. Of the crew of 1,195 men, 879 men died.
Why was McVay denied a destroyer escort?
For instance, McVay requested a destroyer escort for Indianapolis, but his request was denied because the priority for destroyers at the time was escorting transports to Okinawa and picking up downed pilots in B-29 raids on Japan. Also, naval command assumed McVay's route would be safe at that point in the war.
What movie was Quint in?
McVay's ship, but not McVay himself, is mentioned in the 1975 blockbuster movie Jaws, in which the character of Quint is portrayed as a survivor of the incident. In 1978, the events surrounding McVay's court-martial were dramatized in The Failure to ZigZag by playwright John B. Ferzacca.
Why did the Navy never receive SOS messages?
The Navy long claimed that SOS messages were never received because the ship was operating under a policy of radio silence; declassified records show that three SOS messages were received separately, but none were acted upon because one commander was drunk, another thought it was a Japanese ruse, and the third had given orders not to be disturbed.
When was McVay exonerated?
In October 2000, the United States Congress passed a Sense of Congress resolution that McVay's record should reflect that "he is exonerated for the loss of the USS Indianapolis ." President Clinton also signed the resolution. Commander Hashimoto died five days before the exoneration (on 25 October).
Who was the captain of the USS Indianapolis?
Charles Butler McVay III (August 31, 1898 – November 6, 1968) was an American naval officer and the commanding officer of the cruiser USS Indianapolis when she was lost in action in 1945, resulting in a significant loss of life. Of all captains in the history of the United States Navy, he is the only one to have been subjected to court-martial ...
What did Hashimoto say to Senator Warner?
Hashimoto wrote to Senator Warner. ''Our peoples have forgiven each other for that terrible war,'' he said. ''Perhaps it is time your peoples forgave Captain McVay for the humiliation of his unjust conviction.''. Advertisement.
How long did it take for the Indianapolis to sink?
The Indianapolis sank about 12 minutes after it was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine on the night of July 29, 1945. About 300 of its crewmen were dead within minutes. Some 900 other men, including the captain, Charles B. McVay III, leaped into the sea.
Why was Captain McVay stripped of his rank?
Captain McVay was stripped of some seniority, although Navy Secretary James Forrestal lifted the sentence because of Captain McVay's bravery in combat before the sinking. He was promoted to rear admiral upon his retirement in 1949. But he never really recovered from his ordeal, and he shot himself to death in 1968.
What cargo did the Indianapolis cruiser carry?
Many people, including survivors of the Indianapolis, have defended him over the years. They say that just before it was torpedoed, the cruiser had carried a top-secret cargo -- the final components of the atomic bomb that would be dropped on Hiroshima on Aug. 6, 1945.
How many people died in the Pacific Ocean?
Floating in the Pacific Ocean under a broiling sun, delirious from thirst, nearly 600 died over the next four days. Many were killed by sharks. By the time a patrol plane found them, just more than 300 were still alive.
Why was the atomic bomb mission so slow?
Some historians, citing documents declassified years later, have attributed the slowness of the rescue to the secrecy surrounding the atomic bomb mission. Some have suggested, too, that senior Navy officers knew there might have been a Japanese submarine in the area but did not warn the cruiser out of fear of disclosing that the Navy had broken Japan's naval codes.
Where did the cruiser leave its cargo?
The cruiser left its cargo on Tinian, an island in the Western Pacific, and was on its way to the Philippines when it was attacked. Captain McVay's defenders note that he had been given discretion -- not ordered -- to steer a zigzag course and had done so for a time, and that he had been advised there was little threat of enemy submarines.
Why did the crew stand by their Captain?
The crew stood by their Captain as he stood Court Marshal for failing to zig zag in waters known to be areas of IJN Submarines. Even Capt. Hashimoto of the IJN I-58 Submarine testfief that zigzaging would hav
Why was Captain McVay court martialed?
The captain of the ship owns the ship. He was court martialed for failing to zigzag in a combat zone with known submarine presence. The court martial, in my humble opinion, was a farce orchestrated by Admiral King. The end result was the suicide of Captain McVay.
When did the Indy controversy start?
The Indy controversy erupted in August 1945, just after the atomic bombs were dropped. The American public was outraged at the loss of more than 800 lives in the waning days of the war, and a Navy court of inquiry was convened to investigate. Its recommendation was that Captain McVay be court-martial
What would have happened if the class had been built with modern Diesel engine rooms?
If the class had been built with modern Diesel engine rooms, they might have been kept on longer.
What engines did the Navy use for the Yellowstone class AD?
The Yellowstone class AD’s were built with steam propulsion. The Navy transitioned away from steam (except for SSNs and CVNs) to Diesels Engines and Gas Turbine. This was a design decision to save building cost, I believe. Many of the turbines and pumps used on my ship were built in WW2 and the 1950’s and had been sitting unused in Navy warehouses.
What was the first repair type ship to provide assistance to the USS Samuel B. Roberts?
Our sister ship, USS Acadia , was the first repair type ship to provide assistance to the USS Samuel B Roberts. They did a lot of the initial repair and stabilization work to get that Roberts prepared to be shipped back to the US for shipyard repairs.
How many compartments were flooded on the Cole?
I believe only two large compartments were flooded on the Cole. There are probably 8–10 really large below the water line compartments on this kind of ship with the 2 main engineering and aft VLS spaces probably being the largest of all.
What happened to McVay after his conviction?
After his conviction McVay commited suicide; there have been a number of actions to try and reverse the courts martial.
Why did the crew stand by their Captain?
The crew stood by their Captain as he stood Court Marshal for failing to zig zag in waters known to be areas of IJN Submarines. Even Capt. Hashimoto of the IJN I-58 Submarine testfief that zigzaging would hav
What was the Indy controversy?
The Indy controversy erupted in August 1945, just after the atomic bombs were dropped. The American public was outraged at the loss of more than 800 lives in the waning days of the war, and a Navy court of inquiry was convened to investigate. Its recommendation was that Captain McVay be court-martial. Continue Reading.
What was the thing about escorts?
And the thing about escorts is that, not only were they not especially efficient at escorting fast cruisers, but they had lots of other work to keep them occupied. In theatre was the immensely important Fast Carrier Task Force, and supplying them at Ulithi required a huge fleet train, all of which required escorts, as did the FCTF itself. And the invasion forces and all the other naval formations. That kept the escorts busy.
What submarines were capable of ambushing and taking down enemy large and medium surface units?
Japanese submarines were well capable of ambushing and taking down enemy large and medium surface units when they were under way too, not just static cripples. The loss of USS Wasp at ‘torpedo junction’ in 1942 was testament to that.
How many people were killed by sharks?
Estimates on how many men were actually killed by sharks range from dozens to 150. [ 1] The number of individuals eaten by sharks would certainly be greater than those killed by sharks. If we aggressively presumed that any unrecovered body was consumed by sharks, the number pushes toward 700–800.
What would have happened if the ship was torpedoed?
Worse, had the ship been torpedoed on the outbound trip, it could have changed the war - losing the one of the only two existing atomic bomb.
Overview
Charles Butler McVay III (August 31, 1898 – November 6, 1968) was an American naval officer and the commanding officer of the cruiser USS Indianapolis which was lost in action in 1945, resulting in a significant loss of life. Of all captains in the history of the United States Navy, he is the only one to have been subjected to court-martial for losing a ship sunk by an act of war, despite the fact that he was on a top secret mission maintaining radio silence (the testimony of the Japa…
Education and career
Charles Butler McVay III was born in Ephrata, Pennsylvania, on August 31, 1898, to a Navy family. His father, Charles Butler McVay Jr. (1868–1949), commanded the tender Yankton during the cruise of the Great White Fleet (1907–1909), was an admiral in the United States Navy during World War I, and served as Commander-in-Chief of the Asiatic Fleet in the early 1930s.
Charles III was a 1920 graduate of the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland. Befo…
Sinking of Indianapolis
Later that year, Indianapolis received orders to carry parts and nuclear material to Tinian to be used in the atomic bombs which were soon to be dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. After delivering her top secret cargo, the ship was en route to report for further duty off Okinawa.
Early in the morning of July 30, 1945, it was attacked by the Japanese submarine I-58 under Commander Mochitsura Hashimoto. Hashimoto launched six torpedoes and hit Indianapolis twi…
Delayed rescue
About 300 of the 1,196 men on board either died in the initial attack or were trapped belowdecks and drowned when compartments were sealed in an effort to prevent sinking. The remainder of the crew, about 900 men, were able to abandon ship. Some were left floating in the water, many without lifeboats, until the rescue of 316 survivors was completed four days (100 hours) later. Because of Navy protocol regarding secret missions, the ship was not reported "overdue" and th…
Controversy
McVay was wounded but survived, and was among those rescued. He repeatedly asked the Navy why it took four days to rescue his men but never received an answer. The Navy long claimed that SOS messages were never received because the ship was operating under a policy of radio silence; declassified records show that three SOS messages were received separately, but none were acted upon because one commander was drunk, another thought it was a Japanese ruse, …
Suicide
On November 6, 1968, McVay took his own life by shooting himself with his service pistol at his home in Litchfield, Connecticut, holding in his hand a toy sailor he had received as a boy for a good luck charm. He was found in his back porch by his gardener. Though a note was not left, McVay was known by those close to him to have suffered from loneliness, particularly after losing his first wife to cancer in 1961. McVay also struggled throughout his life from the impact of vitriolic …
Exoneration
USS Indianapolis survivors organized, and many spent years attempting to clear their skipper's name. Many people, from McVay's son Charles McVay IV (1925–2012) to author Dan Kurzman, who chronicled the Indianapolis incident in Fatal Voyage, to members of Congress, long believed McVay was unfairly convicted. Paul Murphy, president of the USS Indianapolis Survivors Organization, said: "Captain McVay's court-martial was simply to divert attention from the terribl…
In popular culture
McVay's ship, but not McVay himself, is mentioned in the 1975 blockbuster movie Jaws, in which the character of Quint is portrayed as a survivor of the incident.
In 1978, the events surrounding McVay's court-martial were dramatized in The Failure to ZigZag by playwright John B. Ferzacca. The 1991 made-for-television movie Mission of the Shark: The Saga of the U.S.S. Indianapolis depicts the ordeal of the men of the Indianapolis during her last v…