The USS Indianapolis was sunk in 1945 by a Japanese submarine. For the
most part, the story has gone untold, as the American public is not nearly
aware of the ship's history as they are with other World War II events.
That does not mean however, that there has not been efforts made to bring
the Indianapolis' tale to the nation.
The USS Indianapolis in 1941.
In 1975 a movie which would sweep the nation and the world was released. It was about a shark, and most people can still remember the first time they saw the giant mouth of the great white smile for the camera. Yet for me and for a certain number of other people, the most memorable moment of Jaws was when the ship's captain was relaying a story.
As the three men were sailing around Long Island Sound in search of the great white, the ship's captain Quint told them a tale of his experience in the Second World War. Due to size restrictions I am unable to show the clip, so words must suffice. Here is the transcript of that chilling scene.
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Quint: The U.S.S. Indianapolis. Hooper: You were on the Indianapolis? Brody: What happened? Quint: Japanese submarine slammed two torpedoes into our side, chief. It was comin' back, from the island of Tinian Delady, just delivered the bomb. The Hiroshima bomb. Eleven hundred men went into the water. Vessel went down in twelve minutes. Didn't see the first shark for about a half an hour. Tiger. Thirteen footer. You know, you know that when you're in the water, chief? You tell by lookin' from the dorsal to the tail. Well, we didn't know. `Cause our bomb mission had been so secret, no distress signal had been sent. Huh huh. They didn't even list us overdue for a week. Very first light, chief. The sharks come cruisin'. So we formed ourselves into tight groups. You know it's... kinda like `ol squares in battle like a, you see on a calendar, like the battle of Waterloo. And the idea was, the shark nearest man and then he'd start poundin' and hollerin' and screamin' and sometimes the shark would go away. Sometimes he wouldn't go away. Sometimes that shark, he looks right into you ... Noon the fifth day, Mr. Hooper, a Lockheed Ventura saw us, he swung in low and he saw us. He'd a young pilot, a lot younger than Mr. Hooper, anyway he saw us and come in low. And three hours later a big fat PBY comes down and start to pick us up. You know that was the time I was most frightened? Waitin' for my turn. I'll never put on a lifejacket again. So, eleven hundred men went in the water, three hundred and sixteen men come out, the sharks took the rest, June the 29, 1945. Anyway, we delivered the bomb. |
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The sinking of the Indianapolis is the greatest naval tragedy in the history of the United States Navy. Please click on the link below to learn more about the ship's horrors in July of 1945, and the personal horrors that affected one Navyman aboard the ship many years after he got pulled from the waters.
Follow along to The Ship
This exhibit was researched and designed by Edward Pincar, Jr.
This exhibit and museum were created during an introductory seminar on the Asia-Pacific War, taught at Wake Forest University during the spring semester 2002.
The material and opinions are those of their respective authors and do not represent the views of the University or the Department of History.