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The Sinking of USS Indianapolis

Navy Department Press Releases and Related Sources

Painting of USS Indianapolis (CA-35)

The USS Indianapolis (CA-35) was commissioned at the Philadelphia Navy Yard on 15 November 1932. The ship served with honor from Pearl Harbor through the last campaign of World War II, sinking in action two weeks before the end of the war. On 30 July 1945, while sailing from Guam to Leyte, Indianapolis was torpedoed by Japanese submarine I-58. The ship capsized and sank in twelve minutes. Survivors were spotted by a patrol aircraft on 2 August. All air and surface units capable of rescue operations were dispatched to the scene at once, and the surrounding waters were thoroughly searched for survivors. Upon completion of the day and night search on 8 August, 316 men were rescued out of the crew of 1,196.

Press Releases:

The Sinking of USS Indianapolis: Navy Department Press Release, Charges and Specifications in Case of Capt. Charles B. McVay, III, USN, 3 Dec. 1945

The Sinking of USS Indianapolis: Navy Department Press Release, Report on Court Martial of Capt. Charles B. McVay, III, USN, 23 February 1946

The Sinking of USS Indianapolis: Navy Department Press Release, Memorandum to Press on Scheduled Testimony of CDR Hashimoto

The Sinking of USS Indianapolis: Navy Department Press Release, Narrative of the Circumstances of the Loss of USS Indianapolis, 23 February 1946

Oral Histories:

Oral History -The Sinking of USS Indianapolis -Recollections of Captain Charles B. McVay, III, USN, Commanding Officer of USS Indianapolis (CA-35) which was sunk by Japanese submarine I-58 on 30 July 1945 near the Philippines

Oral History -The Sinking of USS Indianapolis - Recollections of the sinking of USS Indianapolis (CA-35) by CAPT Lewis L. Haynes, MC (Medical Corps) (Ret.), the senior medical officer on board the ship.

Interrogation:

Oral History -The Sinking of USS Indianapolis - Interrogation of Commander Mochitsura Hashimoto, former commanding officer of the Japanese submarine I-58 regarding the sinking of USS Indianapolis (CA-35) as well as Japanese Navy tactics and technology.

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Published: Tue Oct 31 12:31:54 EDT 2017