Loss of the US Indianapolis

Ultradog MN · Jul 30, 2015

In the final days of the Pacific War
Japanese submarine I 58 gets a lucky break and heavy cruiser Indianapolis gets an unlucky one.
It will be the heaviest loss of life of any US Navy ship.
click here

Ultradog MN · Jul 30, 2015

Darned smart phone ain't so smart sometimes.
I gotta watch close or it will correct me.
It recognizes US but not USS so it "fixed" it for me.
Grrr

souNdguy · Jul 30, 2015

yeah.. I hate that word guessing, and auto correction ( auto miss-correction i call it ).

that's all I post from anymore and it is a PITA!

john in la · Jul 30, 2015

I do not have one but it sure seems those smart phones are not so smart.

Words corrected to something you do not want and pictures sideways or upside down.

Something that is a PITA to use; and does not work as you expected;
But people keep buying them like hotcakes.
Sure seems odd to me.

johnlobb · Jul 30, 2015

I read a book on this disaster. The Navy really screwed up on this one. They did not recognize that the ship had gone missing and did not organize any rescue operation until many of the sailors in the water had been eaten by sharks or drowned or died. Then they court martialied (sp?) the Captain and even the Captain of the Jap sub testified that he just happened to surface and there the Indy was. He could not miss.

Dean · Jul 30, 2015

A truely tragic event.

One wonders the effect upon the Pacific war had this happened before the Indianapolis reached Tinian.

Dean

dhermesc · Jul 30, 2015

Probably none.

While Japan surrendered a few days after the second nuclear bombing the Soviets declaring war and launching a surprise attack in Manchuria was what sealed the deal. When you read about the final days of the imperial government in Japan it is shocking how little they reacted to the A-bombings.

Dick2 · Jul 30, 2015

Guy from my hometown was on the big gun crew; he had 3 ships sunk out from under him in the Pacific, he managed to survive every time. He said that they spent a lot of their downtime sewing canvas covers for the ends of the big gun barrels, because when they were called to battle stations they never took time to remove the covers over the ends of the gun barrels - they just started firing.

Sean Feeney · Jul 30, 2015

Quint Jaws: Anyway, we delivered the bomb
Quint

souNdguy · Jul 30, 2015

i admit they have their uses, and now with needing to be connected nearly 24/7 hard to part with.. but if they just turned off the auto-guess feature ont he typing it would be nice.

if i type PTO.. it corrects it to PRO unless i delete it like 2 times.

would be nice if the phone built up a library of words that it's user commonly types, then when it see's that word enough, that it would leave it alone.

seems the abbreviations that commonly get used confuse the phone..

Billy NY · Jul 30, 2015

One thing that stands out, is being a floater after it sunk. My grandfather experienced this in the Atlantic, U boat torpedoed his ship, it sunk, he and I don't know how many others had to tread water. Its a real test of ones will to live, that is for sure!

01gentdc · Jul 30, 2015

what lies in the Wheaties are they feeding you ???? , I must beg to differ . because the atom bomb was very necessary . the Russians learned of the atom bomb after Truman vaguely told stalin ,, he only attacked Manchuria to get some skin in the game so uncle joe could throw his weight around at the surrender table settlement,,. once the treaty was signed on the mity mo,,. the Russians continued their blood fest,,.. they would not stop ... it is true that the imperial gov , Hirohito.. because of all the suffering of the civilians from le mays incindary bombin was ready to quit monthes before the atom bomb ,,.. he knew japan could not win .. but the army pushed on and demanded japan slaughter every pound of Allied flesh it could torment ,. and in the final days of surrender decision , a rogue Japanese army coup to take over the emperor palace was cut off just in time .. . The exact opposite was in Germany ,, hitler refused defeat , but most his generals knew it was hopeless// after the battle of bulge but Rommel and others saw that a year earlier.. very sad that fate dealt her hand to the hapless indy crew ,, but in retrospect the evil was fair... sadly , because of her cargo the whereabouts of the indy were kept top secret,,.as if she did not exist . AND THERE WAS PLENTY GOING ON IN THE PACIFIC to watch over ,so the indy slipped thru the cracks ,. .few of the brass that knew her mission realized she was in trouble.., and therefore did nuthin to find her in the first days after getting sunk ,,. all the while the sharks were having a free for all ...

Goose · Jul 30, 2015

I saw a bit about the Indianapolis on the History Channel once. It was a bad scene all around. At the end, when they mentioned that some years later the Captain committed suicide, the narrator said, "The Indianapolis claimed its last victim".

I once worked with a fellow who was a survivor of the USS Juneau, a light cruiser sunk in the South Pacific. He was in the water some 12 hours before he was picked up.

A number of years ago, while "Dubby" and I were working together, the History Channel did a piece on the Juneau. On the show, they interviewed a Chief Petty Officer, and continually referred to him as the "sole survivor". He obviously wasn't, as I was working with another survivor. I wrote down the Chief's name and mentioned it to Dubby the next day. Dubby said, kinda scornfully, "Yeah, he was a cook. They lifelined him to another ship before the Juneau sank. He didn't even get his feet wet".

Dubby's comment on the sinking was, "Hell, I was a dumb 17 year old kid. I thought it was a big adventure, I didn't have sense enough to be scared".

buickanddeere · Jul 30, 2015

(quoted from post at 08:31:11 07/30/15) Probably none.

While Japan surrendered a few days after the second nuclear bombing the Soviets declaring war and launching a surprise attack in Manchuria was what sealed the deal. When you read about the final days of the imperial government in Japan it is shocking how little they reacted to the A-bombings.

It was all new and news did not get around back then like now. We have had 70 years to learn facts, secrets and policy then mull it over .

Ultradog MN · Jul 30, 2015

I agree with others here that it wouldn't have made much difference.
At the time, the US had the means to produce 2 more A bombs within 6 weeks of dropping the A bomb on Nagasaki - and 2 more bombs per month almost indefinately.
So with or without the Ruskies "assistance" the US could have turned the whole of Japan into a radioactive wasteland from which no further resistance could could have been mustered, had they not surrendered when they did.

oldtanker · Jul 30, 2015

(quoted from post at 06:46:05 07/30/15) what lies in the Wheaties are they feeding you ???? , I must beg to differ . because the atom bomb was very necessary . the Russians learned of the atom bomb after Truman vaguely told stalin ,, he only attacked Manchuria to get some skin in the game so uncle joe could throw his weight around at the surrender table settlement,,. once the treaty was signed on the mity mo,,. the Russians continued their blood fest,,.. they would not stop ... it is true that the imperial gov , Hirohito.. because of all the suffering of the civilians from le mays incindary bombin was ready to quit monthes before the atom bomb ,,.. he knew japan could not win .. but the army pushed on and demanded japan slaughter every pound of Allied flesh it could torment ,. and in the final days of surrender decision , a rogue Japanese army coup to take over the emperor palace was cut off just in time .. . The exact opposite was in Germany ,, hitler refused defeat , but most his generals knew it was hopeless// after the battle of bulge but Rommel and others saw that a year earlier.. very sad that fate dealt her hand to the hapless indy crew ,, but in retrospect the evil was fair... sadly , because of her cargo the whereabouts of the indy were kept top secret,,.as if she did not exist . AND THERE WAS PLENTY GOING ON IN THE PACIFIC to watch over ,so the indy slipped thru the cracks ,. .few of the brass that knew her mission realized she was in trouble.., and therefore did nuthin to find her in the first days after getting sunk ,,. all the while the sharks were having a free for all ...

Actually Stalin was told about the A bomb and acted like he knew about it which a few was verified in 48 when they busted up the Russian spy ring that had infiltrated the Manhattan Project from the beginning.

I read stuff that claimed that Japan would have surrendered without the bomb being used but there is ample evidence that they were training all their population to fight should the mainland be invaded right up until the emperor ordered the surrender.

Rick

ss55 · Jul 30, 2015

Actually the Soviets had two high level physicists working as spies at Los Alamos. Stalin knew about the bomb and received progress updates long before Truman did.

dhermesc · Jul 30, 2015

It is documented fact. Japan knew from day one of the war that it could not defeat the US. It's only hope was to make "victory" so costly the US would sue for peace leaving Japan in a favorable position - that was the war aim in 1942 that was the war aim in 1945. The difference being that in 1942 they hoped it would result in them occupying much of SE Asia in 1945 they hoped it would prevent the allies from occupying Japan. They never considered Manchuria an issue it was theirs and they were keeping it. Japan was secretly going through the Soviet Union to negotiate a peace deal with the US. When the Soviets instead of brokering peace actually invaded Manchuria the Japanese knew there would be no negotiated peace settlement other the unconditional surrender just as the Germans had. That and they could deal with the British and Americans doing the occupation or they could have the Soviet hordes taking and keeping parts of the home islands just as they were in Germany.

If you read what the Japanese were doing instead of what US military leaders THOUGHT the Japanese were doing you would realize how little regard the Japanese had for the loss of two cities. The Tokyo fire bombings caused much more death and destruction than the atomic bombings. The second issue is the leadership of Japan didn't fully understand the atomic bombings, conflicting reports on single bomb vs fleet of bombers, damage actually caused vs conflicting reports of damage etc... The leadership literally didn't know that they had been hit by a new weapon and failed to understand its destructiveness. For that matter the US wasn't quite sure what it had done either.

Uncle Joe only got into the Pacific war because the FDR begged and dealed him into it. Continued US material support to the Soviet Union was tied to the Soviets agreeing to attack Japan 3 months after the defeat of Germany, the surprise attack on Manchuria occurred exactly 3 months after the defeat of Germany (to the day).

dhermesc · Jul 30, 2015

They were training the population to repulse the expected allied attack on the home islands - which the allies were planning even with the atomic bomb - see Operation Downfall. It is amazing the massive invasion force that was planned. There is a reason the US had so many carriers at the end of WW2 that never saw action - they were to be used as part of the invasion that never happened.

When the atomic bombs were dropped the US had already destroyed 60 Japanese cities through bombing attacks - what was 2 more (in their minds). I have no issue with Truman dropping the bombs and in a situation of total war against and enemy as cruel as the Japanese it would have been treasonous for him to hold back such a weapon while risking hundreds of thousands of GI lives.

oldtanker · Jul 30, 2015

(quoted from post at 08:03:32 07/30/15) It is documented fact. Japan knew from day one of the war that it could not defeat the US. It's only hope was to make "victory" so costly the US would sue for peace leaving Japan in a favorable position - that was the war aim in 1942 that was the war aim in 1945. The difference being that in 1942 they hoped it would result in them occupying much of SE Asia in 1945 they hoped it would prevent the allies from occupying Japan. They never considered Manchuria an issue it was theirs and they were keeping it. Japan was secretly going through the Soviet Union to negotiate a peace deal with the US. When the Soviets instead of brokering peace actually invaded Manchuria the Japanese knew there would be no negotiated peace settlement other the unconditional surrender just as the Germans had. That and they could deal with the British and Americans doing the occupation or they could have the Soviet hordes taking and keeping parts of the home islands just as they were in Germany.

If you read what the Japanese were doing instead of what US military leaders THOUGHT the Japanese were doing you would realize how little regard the Japanese had for the loss of two cities. The Tokyo fire bombings caused much more death and destruction than the atomic bombings. The second issue is the leadership of Japan didn't fully understand the atomic bombings, conflicting reports on single bomb vs fleet of bombers, damage actually caused vs conflicting reports of damage etc... The leadership literally didn't know that they had been hit by a new weapon and failed to understand its destructiveness. For that matter the US wasn't quite sure what it had done either.

Uncle Joe only got into the Pacific war because the FDR begged and dealed him into it. Continued US material support to the Soviet Union was tied to the Soviets agreeing to attack Japan 3 months after the defeat of Germany, the surprise attack on Manchuria occurred exactly 3 months after the defeat of Germany (to the day).

Actually Russia didn't invade Manchuria until the 9th of Aug. 1945 while the first combat drop of the A bomb was 6 Aug 1945.

So that means that Stalin held off attacking until after the first bomb because that was the only possible way for him to get a peace of the pie. It did result in him getting North Korea. While most often in history date are not that important but the event is the Soviet invasion of Manchuria and the timing makes the date important to that event. And some Japanese military leaders, senior ones, did indeed thing that they could win before the Pearl Harbor attack. ADM Yamamoto was moved to a sea command because the Navy was afraid that the Army was going to assonate him because he was against starting a war with the US. Once given the order to plan that attack he did it with great skill but also made the statement in the history books about being able to produce a string of victories for 6 months. Then after the attack he is quoted as making the coming about waking up a sleeping giant.

Rick

dhermesc · Jul 30, 2015

"So that means that Stalin held off attacking until after the first bomb because that was the only possible way for him to get a peace of the pie."

I don't understand that. Stalin was going to take what he wanted and the bombing of two cities in Japan wasn't going to have much effect on the progress his armies made against the Manchurian occupaton troops. A week earlier or a week later didn't much matter. Its not like the US was going to fight the Soviets for property in Asia when FDR had already handed half of Europe over to him.

Chuck MA · Jul 30, 2015

Its strange you brought that up i just finished reading the book In Harms Way by Doug Stanton about the mission of and sinking of the USS Indianapolis and fight to survive. Very good book and the stories of the survivors and those who didn't were unbelievable. I highly recommend it.
Chuck

RJKeith · Jul 30, 2015

The Juneau was damaged earlier in the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal. It was in a convoy of three cruisers and the other two kept going so they didn't get torpedoed. I think of a crew of 500 to 600, there were only about 30 survivors.

blue water massey · Jul 30, 2015

great piece of history and it happened on this date in history 1945
none of my history sites even mention it
thanks for sharing

RBoots · Jul 30, 2015

I bought that book a few months back after someone on here recommended it. Started it, but haven't yet had the time to continue it, yet. Will get to it this winter, starts good though

Ross

JerryS · Jul 30, 2015

There's a movie, "Mission of the Shark", starring Stacy Keach, that tells this story. It supposedly runs close to the actual event, but......?

gwstang · Jul 30, 2015

I still remember the lessons that were taught in Navy boot camp about this. One thing I have never understood is why we didn't hang the "Emperor of Japan" like many of the other war criminals that did get hung? Was the U.S. trying to keep up appearances of sort by letting him live? Just curious.

Loss of the US Indianapolis

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Member

Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Similar threads