The demise of the USS
Indianapolis (CA-35) is one of the worst naval tragedies in United
States history. In July 1945, with a crew of 1,197,
Indy embarked from Guam for Leyte, but
would never reach her destination. Just after midnight on 30 July, she was spotted by the Japanese
submarine I-58 and torpedoed, sinking in less than 12 minutes. After five days in the water,
only 316 men survived. The story of the USS
Indianapolis began years earlier, and includes
a long history of distinguished service and a spirit of perseverance, determination, and bravery
that her crew demonstrated even to the very end.
When published, the above photo had an incorrect assesment of the number (881) of the Lost At Sea.
Her sinking led to the greatest single loss of life at sea in the history of the U.S. Navy. Of the 1,195
sailors and marines on board, only 316 survived. This website is dedicated to honoring
the 888 men who were Lost at Sea (LAS) in
1945. The 888 men who were Lost at Sea (LAS) in 1945 includes the 9 sailors who died onboard
Indianapolis
on March 31st as the result of a
kamikaze plane attack at Okinawa and 879 men who died as a result
of the July 30th sinking of the ship.
Painting by Chris Mayger, from the Indiana Historical Society.
