We are keeping alive the memories of the crew members who died at sea in the tragic sinking of USS Indianapolis on July 30, 1945. We tell their stories in a biography of each crew member. Included are photos, official Navy documents, news articles, personal letters and more.
879 men are honored including nine crew members who were killed March 31, 1945 when a kamikaze plane struck Indianapolis, thus the number 888.
Historical details related to the sinking, including the men's ordeal in shark infested water, reveal their struggle to survive. The impact on the families of the men lost at sea is told in letters written to Captain Charles McVay.
Resources, including videos, are available for learning more about the service and sinking of the ship. Materials for studying and teaching the story of USS Indianapolis in your community are free to download. Also, read about upcoming events as well as past events of interest.
This site was developed by the Education Committee of the Official USS Indianapolis Legacy Organization.
If you have additional biographical information and/or photos to submit, please contact us.
Lost at Sea
The committee is dedicated to informing the public of the loss of Indianapolis, considered the worst sea disaster in the history of the US Navy. In addition to the development of this website, committee members travel to schools, historical society meetings, veteran's organizations and other public and private venues requesting a presentation about the men and history of the famed USS Indianapolis.
Learn more about us and this project.
Marilyn Northcutt Henry
Carl Fahnestock
Dawn Ott Bollhoefer
Michael William Emery
Jim Belcher
Jeff Sweeney
Robert Cantrell
Ted Ott
