DATE(S)

15 Nov 1932

USS Indianapolis CA-35 was commissioned as a Portland Class Cruiser Ship by the United States Navy. (Coincidentally, she was commissioned just one week after Franklin Delano Roosevelt's (FDR's) successful win in the 1932 US Presidential Election. FDR selected Indy to serve as his "Ship of State".)

1933

Indy selected to serve as a host ship for a Presidential Cruise for FDR and his guests for a Panama Canal transition.

May 1934

Indy selected to serve as a host ship for FDR's review of selected air and naval forces of the United States Navy.

1934

Indy selected to serve as a host ship for FDR's Presidential Cruise which embarked to Brazil, Argentina & Uruguay.

1936

Indy selected to serve as a host ship for a South American "Good Neighbor" Tour which also included a special "Crossing the Equator Line Ceremony".

1933 thru Nov 1941

For the eight years leading up to 7 December, 1941, Indy was selected to serve an honorary role as the "Flagship" for the Commander of Scouting Force 1.

7 Dec 1941

Indy was participating in a mock bombardment at Johnston Atoll (an uninhabited island located about 750 nautical miles southwest of Hawaii). On that day, Indy joined Task Force 12 to search the area for Japanese ships.

13 Dec 1941

Indy arrived in Pearl Harbor and joined Task Force 11 to officially begin her WWII period of service.

Feb 1942

Indy began her WWII service under the command of CINCPAC (Commander in Chief, Pacific) Admiral Chester Nimitz.

20 Feb - 10 Mar 1942

10 Mar 1942 Earned 1st Battle Star for active participation and service in Bougainville Air Action and Salamaua-Lae Raid.

25 May - 2 Jun 1943

Earned 2nd Battle Star for active participation and service in Aleutians Operation: Attu Occupation.

5 August 1943

Vice-Admiral Raymond A. Spruance assumed command of the Central Pacific Force (ComCenPacFor) at Pearl Harbor and selected Indianapolis as his flagship.

20 Nov - 8 Dec 1943

Earned 3rd Battle Star for active participation and service in Gilbert Islands Operation at Tarawa and Makin Islands.

29 Jan - 2 Mar 1944

Earned 4th Battle Star for active participation and service in Marshall Islands Operation; Occupation of Kwajalein and Majuro Atolls and Occupation of Eniwetok Atoll.

4 Feb 1944

Vice-Adm Raymond A. Spruance promoted to Admiral. The Central Pacific Force was redesignated the Fifth Fleet and he continued command (COMFIFTHFLT). The same ships were designated the 3rd Fleet when Adm William F. Halsey, Jr. was in command.

30 Mar - 1 Apr 1944

Earned 5th Battle Star for active participation and service in Asiatic-Pacific Raids: Palau, Yap, Ulitihi and Woleai Raid.

11 Jun - 10 Aug 1944

Earned 6th Battle Star for active participation and service in Marianas Operation: Capture/Occupation of Saipan, Battle of the Philippine Sea and Capture/Occupation of Guam.

24-25 Jul 1944

Earned 7th Battle Star for active participation and service in the Capture/Occupation of Tinian Island. (Note: In July 1945, Tinian Island would be the destination for Indy's delivery of the components of the "Little Boy" bomb, the first of two bombs dropped on Japan which led to Japan's surrender)

6 Sep - 14 Oct 1944

Earned 8th Battle Star for active participation and service in Western Carolines Islands Operation: Capture/Occupation of Southern Palau Islands. Fifth Fleet became Third Fleet, Commanded by Adm. William F. Halsey, Jr.

15 Feb - 6 Mar 1945

Earned 9th Battle Star for active participation and service in Iwo Jima Operation: Fifth Fleet Raids against Honshu and the Nansei Shoto.

17 Mar - 5 Apr 1945

Earned 10th Battle Star for active participation and service in Okinawa Gunto Operation: Fifth/Third Raids in Support of Okinawa Gunto and Assault/Occupation of Okinawa Gunto.

31 Mar 1945

Indy was attacked by a Kamikaze Plane which crashed into Indy's fantail. Nine (9) sailors were killed and twenty (20) were injured. Indy suffered physical damage and would return to Mare Island Naval Shipyard for dry-dock and repairs.

3 May 1945

After receiving preliminary repairs in the South Pacific, Indy sailed under her own power to Mare Island in Vallejo, CA (35 miles north of San Francisco) and she arrived there on 3 May 1945.

4 May - 15 July 1945

Received overhaul and repair at Mare Island Naval Shipyard. During this period, approximately 25% of her crew turned over and many new crew members came aboard. On 12 July, Captain Charles McVay received unexpected orders to ready his ship and crew for departure. Then ordered to depart Mare Island on Sunday morning, 15 July, and proceed down the bay to Hunter's Point at the San Francisco Navy Yard to receive top-secret cargo. Arrived at Hunter's Point and cargo was loaded about 3:00 p.m. A large wooden crate was then transferred to the port hangar where armed marines were posted for guard duty around the clock. Also, a metal canister was hand carried to the Flag Secretary's quarters where it was chained and locked to the deck with eye bolts.

16 Jul 1945

Departed Hunter's Point, CA, about 6:00 a.m. for the Special Assignment. McVay opened a sealed letter once he reached open water. He was ordered to steam at flank speed to Pearl Harbor, refuel, and forward to Tinian, Northern Mariana Islands, to offload the cargo.

19 Jul 1945

Indy arrived at Pearl Harbor for a brief stop to unload passengers and refuel. The over 2,000 mile voyage from Farallon Light, San Francisco to Diamond Head, Pearl Harbor set a new US Navy Speed Record. Indy would depart Pearl Harbor a few hours later to complete her remaining voyage to Tinian Island.

26 Jul 1945

Arrived at Tinian Island and her "Top Secret Cargo" was unloaded. McVay received orders via radio transmission that he was to report to Apra Harbor, Guam, for further routing instructions. She departed Tinian that afternoon for the 120 mile trip.

27 Jul 1945

Arrived at Apra Harbor, Guam where she was refueled and cargo and ammunition was loaded. Capt. McVay went ashore to CINCPAC Headquarters where he received orders to proceed to Leyte, Visayan Islands, in the central Philippines. After lunch with Adm. Spruance, McVay reported to the port director's office to receive routing instructions to Leyte.

28 Jul 1945

On Saturday morning, at 0900, Indy departed Apra Harbor, Guam and proceeded to her assigned "Peddie convoy route" for the 1,300 mile journey to Leyte.

29 Jul 1945

Indy continued in her westward bound voyage headed for Leyte. By the end of the evening of 29 July, Indy had completed about half of her scheduled voyage from Guam to Leyte.

30 Jul 1945 (2-3 minutes after midnight)

Two Torpedoes hit Indy on the Starboard Side! At approximately 0002 hours (2 minutes after midnight), the first of two successful torpedoes hit the bow area forward of the 8" Gun Turret #1 on Indy's starboard side. Within seconds, the second successful torpedo hit close to amidships adjacent to 8" Gun Turret #2 also on Indy's starboard side.

30 Jul 1945 (15 minutes after midnight)

USS Indianapolis CA-35 sank. It is estimated that about 300 men went down with the ship.

30 Jul - 3 Aug 1945

It is estimated that 895 men were stranded in the water initially after the sinking. It is estimated that 579 men died during the 4 1/2 days following the sinking. 316 men survived to ultimately return home to their families.

2 Aug 1945 (12:00 Noon)

By chance (84 hours post sinking), Lt. Chuck Gwinn (Pilot of a PV-1 Ventura plane) discovered survivors floating in the water. Radio Communication of his discovery would initiate rescue efforts.

2 Aug 1945
(Daylight Hrs after 12:00 Noon)

A PBY-5A Catalina Playmate 2 plane (piloted by Lt. Adrian Marks) arrives on scene and lands in the water. Fifty Three (53) survivors were picked up and transferred to the plane on this first day of rescue.

2-3 Aug 1945

The remaining balance of 263 survivors were picked up by multiple rescue ships that arrived on the scene.

4-5 Aug 1945

All 316 survivors were transported to land based hospitals and would remain under medical care for weeks.

6 Aug 1945

"Little Boy" Atomic Bomb dropped on Hiroshima, Japan as the initial step to end the war with Japan. The "Top Secret Cargo" that Indy delivered to Tinian Island on 26 July included "Little Boy" bomb components.

9 Aug 1945

"Fat Boy" Atomic Bomb dropped on Nagasaki, Japan.

15 Aug 1945

Japan surrenders to end WWII

13-20 Aug 1945

A "Court of Inquiry" was convened in Guam. The purpose of the inquiry was to investigate and assign responsibility as appropriate with regard to the sinking of USS Indianapolis CA-35.

Dec 1945

The "Court-Martial" of Capt. McVay was held in Washington, D.C. at the Washington Navy Yard during the first week of December 1945.

30-31 Jul 1960

Fifteen (15) years after Indy' sinking, the first of many reunions was held in Indianapolis. After meeting with fellow shipmates at this First Reunion, survivors joined together to initiate efforts aimed at securing an exoneration for Captain McVay.

1975

The release of the movie "JAWS" introduced the story of USS Indianapolis CA-35 for the first time to many in the general public.

2 Aug 1995

Coinciding with the 50th Reunion, USS Indianapolis CA-35 National Memorial was dedicated at the north end of the Canal Walk in the city of Indianapolis.

Late 1990's

The combined efforts of Florida middle-schooler Hunter Scott, Congressman Bob Smit of New Hampshire, and Captain William Toti, skipper of the namesake submarine USS Indianapolis (SSN-697), led to Captain McVay's Exoneration.

2001

President George W. Bush's Secretary of the Navy (Gordon England) directed U.S. Navy Captain William Toti to have the Exoneration Language entered into Captain McVay's Service Record.

18 Aug 2017

Just over 72 years after the sinking, USS Indianapolis CA-35 was found by an underwater search team. Indy is resting 18,000+ feet below the surface in the North Pacific Ocean.

2018

USS Indianapolis CA-35 Legacy Organization was founded by family members and friends of Indy's final crew. It is a non-profit entity that was founded for the purpose of educating the public about the accomplishments and sacrifices made by this highly decorated ship and its storied crew.

30 Jul 2020

On the 75th Anniversary of the sinking of USS Indianapolis CA-35, the United States Congress held a ceremony to commemorate the sacrifices made by Indy and her crew. At the ceremony, a Congressional Gold Medal was presented.