Indianapolis (CA-35)
USS Indianapolis (CA-35). Off the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, 10 July 1945, after her final overhaul and repair of combat damage. Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives. (19-N-86911)
The loss of USS Indianapolis (CA-35) was a tragic moment following the completion of a secret mission that directly contributed to the end of World War II. After a successful high-speed run to deliver atomic bomb components to Tinian, the decorated Portland-class cruiser continued to Guam. Indianapolis was en route from Guam to Leyte when she was torpedoed and sunk by the Japanese submarine I-58 within the first hour of 30 July 1945. The following resources, available on the NHHC website, document the history of Indianapolis, the sinking, the aftermath of the tragedy, and the discovery of the ship's wreck on 19 August 2017.
Research into the Loss
Documents Relating to the Loss of Indianapolis
Historians at the Naval History and Heritage Command have developed an online collection of primary documents and images. As tragic as the loss was, the Navy learned from its mistakes and implemented changes that improved reporting procedures, requirements for ship escorts, and increased lifesaving equipment. Documents in the collection provide information on the routing and sinking of the ship, the available intelligence, rescue operations, and the investigation and court martial that followed. The online collection also includes photographs of the survivors of Indianapolis in addition to paintings by combat artist Alexander Russo.
Final Contact: USS Indianapolis (CA-35) Passes USS LST-779, 29 July 1945
In this July 2016 paper, an NHHC historian discusses information about the last visual contact of Indianapolis with a U.S. Navy ship and what this indicates about the route of Indianapolis before the sinking.
A Grave Misfortune: The USS Indianapolis Tragedy
An e-book that examines the circumstances surrounding the sinking of Indianapolis on 30 July 1945, including primary source documents describing the sinking, rescue efforts, investigations, aftermath, and continuing commemoration efforts.
The Ship and the Sailors
Frequently the flagship of the 5th Fleet, Indianapolis served with honor from Pearl Harbor through the last campaign of World War II, earning ten battle stars.
Biography of Captain McVay
Captain Charles B. McVay III commanded Indianapolis on the final voyage.
USS Indianapolis WWII Battle Stars
Extracted from the book, A Grave Misfortune: The USS Indianapolis Tragedy.
USS Indianapolis (CA-35). Members of the ship's crew pose in the well deck, during World War II. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. (80-G-336932)
Final Voyage of Indianapolis
Final Overhaul Photos
This subset of the NHHC Photo Archives’ USS Indianapolis collection depicts the ship in July 1945 after her final overhaul at Mare Island. She arrived at Mare Island under her own power after being badly damaged by a kamikaze bomb in the pre-invasion of Okinawa the morning of 31 March 1945.
USS LST-779 Ship History
The day before the sinking, Indianapolis made visual contact with another U.S. Navy ship, which NHHC historians have identified as USS LST-779.
The Sinking of USS Indianapolis Story Map
This story map, created by the NHHC Underwater Archaeology Branch, provides an account of Indianapolis' final voyage.
USS Indianapolis (CA-35). View from astern, off the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, 10 July 1945, after her final overhaul. Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the National Archives. This photo has been released and is available for public use. (19-N-86914)
Aftermath
Honoring the Sacrifice of Those Who Served
Navy Shares Final Crew Accounting at USS Indianapolis Survivors Reunion
Setting the Record Straight: The Loss of USS Indianapolis and the Question of Clarence Donnor
NHHC Historian Richard Hulver and award-winning documentary filmmaker Sara Vladic set the record straight on the correct number of survivors and the total number of crew members 73 years after the loss of USS Indianapolis.
The Sinking of USS Indianapolis: Press Releases and Related Sources
The Navy Department Library Online Reading Room includes Navy Department press releases on the investigation and court martial of Captain Charles B. McVay III. Also available are oral histories from McVay and another survivor, Lieutenant Commander Lewis L. Haynes, and the Allied interrogation of Commander Mochitsura Hashimoto of the Japanese submarine I-58 regarding wartime tactics.
Loss of USS Indianapolis, July 1945. Indianapolis survivors en route to a hospital following their rescue, circa early August 1945. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. 80-G-490322.
Indianapolis Wreck Found
Indianapolis Wreck Site Located
On 19 August 2017, the U.S. Navy–supported expedition led by entrepreneur-philanthropist Paul G. Allen announced that it had located the wreck of Indianapolis. This Sextant blog entry recaps the exhilarating culmination of the search.
Remembrance
NHHC Director’s Remarks at USS Indianapolis 71st Anniversary Reunion
In July 2016, 71 years after the tragedy, survivors and family members gathered to honor and remember the Indianapolis Sailors and Marines. Indianapolis continues to serve her Navy and her nation by teaching our Sailors today something new about themselves and reminding them that we never forget.
