About this Unit
USS Indianapolis (CA-35) was a Portland-class heavy cruiser commissioned by the United States Navy in 1932. During World War II, she served as the flagship for Admiral Raymond Spruance and participated in major battles such as the Aleutian Islands campaign, the Battle of the Philippine Sea, and the bombardments of Iwo Jima and Okinawa. In July 1945, Indianapolis delivered critical components of the first atomic bomb to Tinian Island. Shortly after, on July 30, 1945, she was torpedoed and sunk by a Japanese submarine, leading to one of the worst naval disasters in U.S. history, with over 800 crew members lost.
Historical Facts
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Flagship of the Fifth Fleet: USS Indianapolis (CA-35) served as the flagship for Admiral Raymond Spruance during major Pacific campaigns, including the Battle of Iwo Jima and the Battle of Okinawa.
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Secret Atomic Mission: In July 1945, Indianapolis carried components of the first operational atomic bomb ("Little Boy") to Tinian Island, enabling the bombing of Hiroshima.
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Torpedoed by I-58: Shortly after completing her secret mission, Indianapolis was sunk by Japanese submarine I-58 on July 30, 1945, in the Philippine Sea.
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Worst Naval Disaster in US History: Of the 1,195 crew aboard, approximately 300 went down with the ship. The remaining 900 faced exposure, dehydration, and shark attacks while awaiting rescue.
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Shark Attacks: The survivors endured relentless shark attacks during the nearly five days they awaited rescue—a horror that became infamous in military and popular culture.
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Delayed Rescue: Due to communication failures and the ship's secret mission status, rescue did not begin until four days after the sinking. Only 316 sailors survived.
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Court-Martial of Captain McVay: Captain Charles B. McVay III was controversially court-martialed and convicted of "hazarding his ship by failing to zigzag," making him the only US captain court-martialed for losing his ship to enemy action during WWII.
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Redemption and Exoneration: Decades later, public campaigns and testimony by the Japanese submarine commander led to McVay's exoneration by Congress in 2000.
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Discovery of the Wreck: The wreck of the USS Indianapolis was discovered in August 2017 by a team led by Paul Allen, at a depth of over 18,000 feet in the Philippine Sea.
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Legacy in Pop Culture: The story of the Indianapolis is famously recounted by the character Quint in the movie "Jaws," introducing a new generation to the ship's tragic fate.
