USS Indianapolis (CA-35)

USS Indianapolis (CA-35) was a Portland-class cruiser of the United States Navy that served with distinction during World War II. It is most infamously known for its catastrophic sinking in July 1945, which resulted in the greatest single loss of life at sea in the history of the United States Navy. The ship earned ten battle stars for its service in the Pacific War, including major campaigns from the Aleutian Islands to Okinawa. Its final, secret mission involved delivering components for the atomic bomb "Little Boy" to the United States Army Air Forces base on Tinian.

Service history

Commissioned in 1932, the vessel initially served as the flagship for Scouting Force and later for Commander, Scouting Force. In the pre-war years, it conducted goodwill cruises and participated in Fleet Problem exercises. Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, it joined the Pacific Fleet and saw early action in the Southwest Pacific. The cruiser provided naval gunfire support during the Aleutian Islands Campaign and was later assigned to the Fifth Fleet under Admiral Raymond Spruance. It played a pivotal role in the Marianas and Palau Islands campaign, including the Battle of the Philippine Sea, and supported amphibious landings at Iwo Jima and the Battle of Okinawa. In March 1945, it was damaged by a kamikaze attack off Okinawa but was repaired at the Mare Island Naval Shipyard.

Sinking

On 30 July 1945, while sailing unescorted from Tinian to the Philippines after its secret delivery, the ship was struck by two torpedoes fired by the Imperial Japanese Navy submarine I-58, commanded by Mochitsura Hashimoto. The vessel, hit on the starboard side, sank in just 12 minutes in the Philippine Sea. Of the approximately 1,195 crewmen aboard, around 900 survived the initial sinking. These survivors were left adrift in the open ocean with few lifeboats and rafts, facing exposure, severe dehydration, and relentless oceanic whitetip shark attacks. Due to a series of communication failures, the United States Navy was unaware of the sinking for over three days, delaying rescue efforts.

Aftermath and legacy

The delayed rescue, initiated only after survivors were spotted by a Lockheed Ventura patrol aircraft flown by Lieutenant Commander Wilbur Gwinn, meant that only 316 men were ultimately rescued from the water by the USS *Cecil J. Doyle* and other vessels. The tragedy prompted a major court-martial of the ship's captain, Charles B. McVay III, who was controversially convicted of hazarding his vessel, a decision later seen as unjust. The incident led to significant changes in United States Navy procedures, including improved distress signaling and reporting protocols. The story of the *Indianapolis* has been memorialized in numerous books, documentaries, and films, and its survivors formed a powerful veterans' association. In 2000, the United States Congress passed a resolution exonerating Captain McVay.

Discovery of wreck

For over seven decades, the exact location of the wreck remained a mystery. In August 2017, a civilian research team led by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, using the RV *Petrel*, located the wreckage at a depth of approximately 18,000 feet in the Philippine Sea. The discovery was confirmed by the United States Navy and the site is protected as a war grave under international law. The find provided closure for families and historians, and subsequent surveys have documented the extensive debris field, offering new insights into the final moments of the vessel.

Category:Portland-class cruisers Category:World War II cruisers of the United States Category:Ships sunk by Japanese submarines