Robert was a Pvt. in the United States Marine Corps. He was one of 39 marines stationed on board USS Indianapolis CA-35 in July 1945.
He was born Apr 7, 1927, in Washington, DC, to William R. and Mary Redd of Jessup, MD. The 1940 census shows the family living in Elkridge, Howard Co., MD. Robert's brother, William, was in the home, 16 years old, born in Virginia. Their father, William, was born in Virginia and mother, Mary, born in Maryland.
A notice in his hometown newspaper states Robert "enlisted in the US Marine Corps in Aug 1944 while still a student at Elkridge, High School." This was a common practice for students. It allowed them to continue in school without the threat of being drafted into service or being drafted after graduation into a branch of service they did not prefer. The student was placed on the USMC "inactive" roll until he graduated. This may account for the Aug 1944 date when his actual enlistment date was Nov 20, 1944.
His name appears on the Jan 1945 muster roll for the 4th Recruit Battalion, Recruit Depot, Marine Barracks, Paris Island, SC. It is assumed this was Robert's boot camp training.
Robert was at Camp LeJeune, NC in April 1945. He was part of the 9th Training Battalion, Infantry Training Regiment, Marine Training Center. From there he was transferred to Marine Corps Base, San Diego, CA, to attend "Sea School". He arrived April 15, 1945.
At Sea School Robert would be trained in rifle, pistol, and naval gunfire. Ships with naval guns always had at least one gun manned by Marines during battle engagements, including anti-aircraft gunfire.
On May 10, 1945, he was transferred from Sea School to the Marine Barracks, Navy Yard, Mare Island. Robert reported aboard USS Indianapolis CA-35 on May 14, 1945. His name appears on the Indy Marine Detachment Muster Roll as a PFC (Private First Class).
Indy had arrived at Mare Island on May 2nd for repairs following a kamikaze plane attack on Mar 31st off Okinawa. Robert would serve his first two months in port.
Robert served proudly as an orderly for Captain Charles B. McVay, III. In this duty, Robert would have provided security for the captain and his quarters as well as handling communications.
Life in port for Robert ended abruptly on July 12th, 1945 when Captain Charles B. McVay received an unexpected order to immediately prepare his crew for departure and he should depart no later than July 16th.
Indianapolis departed Mare Island on Sunday morning, July 15th, for a short trip to Hunter's Point Navy Yard at San Francisco. Later that afternoon, top-secret cargo was loaded on board for transport to Tinian in the Northern Mariana Islands. A large wooden box was hoisted on board and placed in the port hanger that normally housed one of the scouting planes. The box was strapped securely to the deck. In addition, a metal canister, about the size of an old-fashioned ice cream freezer, was brought aboard and placed in the flag lieutenant's cabin located in what was known as "officer's country." Enlisted men were not allowed to enter this part of the ship. Like the large crate, the canister was strapped and bolted to the deck.
Captain Edward L. Parke, USMC, called his men to the deck where they were informed they would stand guard on the mystery cargo, never leaving it unattended. With only 39 Marines on board, it is likely everyone, including Robert, would participate in the duty.
When Indy departed Hunter's Point the next morning, July 16, 1945, it was Robert's first real trip to sea. Captain McVay had been ordered to proceed at flank speed on the mission, and he did. Off the coast the weather was rough with high seas, but improved in the afternoon allowing the ship to resume her high speed. During the trip, Robert dropped an ammunition canister on his foot.
Dr Lewis L. Haynes, Lt. Commander treated Robert for his injury and believing his foot was fractured, applied a leg cast. He informed Robert that it would be best for him to transfer off the ship at Pearl Harbor where he could receive additional medical care. Robert protested, preferring to stay on board, good Marine that he was.
When Indy arrived at Pearl Harbor, there was good news and bad. The good news was that Indy had steamed, averaging 29.5 knots, over 2,000 nautical miles in 74.5 hours from the Farallon lightship at San Francisco to Diamond Head, Oahu, TH, setting a new time record. The crew erupted with shouts and cheers when Captain McVay made the announcement.
The bad news, according to Dr. Haynes, not Robert, was that no one was allowed off the ship except those who had already received orders to disembark.
"Dr. Haynes vigorously protested to Commander Flynn", arguing that Robert did not need to remain on board because it was difficult for him to walk in the cast and he would not be able to perform his normal duties. "Sorry, captain’s orders' was the reply" from Commander Flynn. The decision was final.
With Robert on board, Indy departed Pearl Harbor a few hours later. The trip to Tinian was uneventful and the secret cargo was off-loaded. Indianapolis departed Tinian and after a short stop at Apra Habor, Guam, she sailed for Leyte, her final destination.
Half-way to Leyte, on July 30, 1945, Indy was struck by two torpedoes from Japanese submarine I-58. She was mortally wounded and sinking. Fires erupted. The crew was in chaos.
Dr. Haynes, although severely wounded, offered what medical care he could to wounded men gathered on the quarterdeck. The ship suddenly keeled and all the men Haynes was caring for began rolling off the deck and into the sea. "He would never see them again, certainly not Marine Private First Class Redd, ..... "
Robert had grabbed the starboard rail when the ship first began to list. He would hold on as long as he could rather than meet the fate of the men in the water. The final sudden severe list made this no longer possible. He had to let go. His heavy leg cast took him deep into the ocean to his death.
Robert's death would be a tragedy that Dr. Haynes would remember the rest of his life.
None of the men lost at sea would know Indy had transporting the components of the atomic bomb that would later be dropped on Hiroshima. Robert, at only 18 years old, would never know that the mission of his first ship would be part of bringing an end to WWII.
Robert's name is inscribed on the Tablets of the Missing in the Manila American Cemetery, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig, Philippines. He was awarded the Purple Heart, posthumously.
Robert, you are not forgotten.
In Sept 1964, Robert's brother, William, ordered a government issued military headstone to be placed as a cenotaph in Ivy Hill Cemetery, Laurel, Prince George's Co., MD.
Source Credits1940 US Census, MD, Howard Co., Elkridge election district, Jessup, unincorporated place. Enumerated April 2-3, 1940. HH #25; citing William Redd family.
Muster Rolls of the USMC online at archives.gov
Muster Roll of Officers and Enlisted Men of the USMC; Headquarters, Eastern Procurement Division, Philadelphia, PA.; 1 Nov to 30 Nov, 1944 [catalog.archives.gov, USMC, Nov 1944, Vol. 6, image #944 (p. 2760)]
Robert F. Redd, 548527 Nov 1-19, inactive; 20, assigned active duty.
Muster Roll of Officers and Enlisted Men of the USMC; THIRD Recruit Battalion, Recruit Depot, Marine Barracks, Parris Island, SC
1 Dec to 31 Dec 1944
Robert F. Redd 548527, 10-26, sk (sick) USNH, Post; 27th to 4th Recruit Bn, RDep, Post.
Muster Roll of Officers and Enlisted Men of the USMC; FOURTH Recruit Battalion, Recruit Depot, Marine Barracks, Parris Island, SC
1 Dec to 31 Dec 1944
Dec. 27, 1944, joined from 3d Recruit Bn, RDep, Post and in same record dated 1 Feb to 28 Feb 1945
13th - Transferred to Marine Training Command, Camp Lejeune, NC
Navy Department, Casualty Section, Office of Public Information (1946): Combat Connected Naval Casualties, WWII, by States; Vol. AL-MO; MD, p. 10; citing Robert Frank Redd, Pvt. USMC
Kurzman, Dan. Fatal Voyage: The Sinking of the USS Indianapolis; Broadway Books, Random House, NY (2001); p. 42 & 96, Kindle edition.
Newcomb, Richard D. Abandon Ship! HarperCollins, NY (2001); p. 86
US Government, Department of Veterans Affairs, Application for Memorial Grave Marker; citing request for Robert Frank Redd and verifying enlistment date.
Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/194126921/robert_frank-redd: accessed July 19, 2025), memorial page for PVT Robert Frank Redd (7 Apr 1927-30 Jul 1945), Find a Grave Memorial ID 194126921, citing U.S.S. Indianapolis National Memorial, Indianapolis, Marion County, IN.
The Washington Daily News, (DC), Thu, Oct 11, 1945, p. 20; citing Roll of Honor.
Rank / Rating: PVT-Private
