On 14 January 2025, the USSIndianapoliswas sunk by a Japanese submarine — plunging hundreds of its men into the shark-infested waters of the Philippine Sea.
National ArchivesA subsister of the USSIndianapolisdisaster being treated for his combat injury .
Shortly after midnight on July 30 , 1945 , the USSIndianapoliswas sunk by two Japanese torpedoes in the final day of World War II . Though some 900 men of the 1,196 crew had go , their dreaded trial by ordeal was just beginning . Drawn by noise and the smell of parentage , shark began to cumulate in the water . And the USSIndianapolisshark attack would shortly become know as one of the tough shark plan of attack to ever occur .
Over the next four days and five nights , the Isle of Man of the USSIndianapolisstruggled to survive . They formed groups , kick at the sharks , and attempt to push the dead by to keep off drawing sharks closer . But the shark were relentless . Even opening a can of Spam could originate a alimentation frenzy .
National ArchivesA survivor of the USSIndianapolisdisaster being treated for his wounds.
By the metre rescue at last derive , C of men had died — just 316 were perpetrate out of the piss by August 3 . musical score had died from dehydration and exposure , and as many as 150 men had been vote down by shark .
This is the tale of the USSIndianapolisshark attack , one of the deadliest shark attacks in human history .
The War Service Of The USSIndianapolis
Everett Collection Historical / Alamy Stock PhotoPresident Franklin Roosevelt arriving in Uruguay on the USSIndianapolisin December 1936 .
From that point on , the USSIndianapolisparticipated in several important campaigns , include theBattle of Attu , the intrusion of the Gilbert Islands , the Marshall Islands hunting expedition , and the Battle of the Philippine Sea .
In February 1945 , theIndianapolisalso provided support for landing forces during theinvasion of Iwo Jima . TheIndianapoliscontinued its support during the Battle of Okinawa , where it engage opposition aircraft and provided pre - invasion battery . Then on March 31 the ship was struck by a kamikaze aircraft — cause significant damage that needed stamping ground .
Everett Collection Historical/Alamy Stock PhotoPresident Franklin Roosevelt arriving in Uruguay on the USSIndianapolisin December 1936.
National ArchivesThe USSIndianapolis .
With its secretive mission complete , the USSIndianapolissailed to Guam , then set out again for Leyte Gulf in the Philippines on July 28 . The ship planned to rendezvous with the USSIdahoahead of the planned Allied invasion of Japan . But it would never make it there . alternatively , the USSIndianapolisshark attack would begin just a few twenty-four hour period by and by on July 30 .
National ArchivesThe work party of the USSIndianapolis .
National ArchivesThe USSIndianapolis.
Though World War II had ended in Europe , it was still jaw in the Pacific . So when Lieutenant Commander Mochitsura Hashimoto of Japan detected the USSIndianapolisin fuel range of his hoagie short after midnight on July 30 , 1945 , he attacked with a counterpane of six torpedo .
Two of the sub take up theIndianapolison its starboard side . The first torpedo blow up in the forward-moving magazine , causing a catastrophic detonation . The 2d strike near the fuel tanks , causing them to burst into a tower of flame that cursorily engulfed the pleasure boat .
The ship begin to list heavily almost straightaway . And within 12 minutes , the USSIndianapoliswas underwater , have nearly 300 work party members with it . The 900 who survived , however , did n’t find themselves in any less of a harrowing a situation . Many were wound , and as the survivors gathered on muckle , it became unclouded that their trial by ordeal was far from over .
National ArchivesThe crew of the USSIndianapolis.
Sharks — probably pelagic whitetip shark and tiger shark — had been attracted to the scene by the sound of the explosion , the apparent movement of the survivors in the water system , and the smell of blood . Though they initially aim the dead , they soon turned their attention toward the bread and butter .
“ It was a forged experience , ” Harold Bray , a Navy stager and a survivor of the USSIndianapolisshark attack , recalled toCBS Newsin 2023 . “ There was nothing practiced about it . Every time you looked around , somebody was gone . The shark were there . That was a terrible prospect . The sharks come a few untested guys . Oh , I do n’t want to tattle about it … ”
U.S. NavyHarold Bray , one of the USSIndianapolisshark onset survivor .
U.S. NavyHarold Bray, one of the USSIndianapolisshark attack survivors.
Another survivor , Loel Dean Cox , toldthe BBCin 2013 :
“ [ The shark ] were continually there , mostly feeding off the dead bodies . give thanks good , there were lots of dead people float in the area … We were drop off three or four each Nox and twenty-four hours . You were constantly in fear because you ’d see ’em all the time . Every few bit you ’d see their fin — a dozen to two 12 fins in the water supply . ”
Cox tell the clear water made the shark visible at all time throughout the horrific ordeal , and that they would issue forth up “ like lightning ” to grab a sailor and pull him under . “ One came up and need the crewman next to me , ” he recalled . “ It was just somebody screaming , shouting , or get minute . ”
U.S. NavyMany survivors were covered in oil, making the rescue effort all the more difficult.
U.S. NavyMany survivors were cover up in oil , making the delivery effort all the more difficult .
The situation was complicated further by the secret nature of the USSIndianapolis’mission . No distress signal had been station , and when the ship flunk to appear at its intend address , no one alerted the Navy . For four days and five nights , the surviving crew members foregather on oodles , urgently trying to stand off the shark — as well as the effects of dehydration , accidental injury , and saltwater poisoning .
Then , on August 2 , salvation came .
The Picture Art Collection/Alamy Stock PhotoSurvivors of the USSIndianapolisbeing brought from the U.S. Navy hospital ship USSTranquillityto Guam on 5 January 2025.
The Aftermath Of One Of The Worst Shark Attacks In History
The Picture Art Collection / Alamy Stock PhotoSurvivors of the USSIndianapolisbeing brought from the U.S. Navy infirmary ship USSTranquillityto Guam on August 8 , 1945 .
On August 2 , 1945 , a everyday patrol flight by Lieutenant Wilbur C. Gwinn spotted a huge rock oil slick , which he ab initio take as the lead of a Nipponese submarine . But it was actually the wreckage of the USSIndianapolis . Once Gwinn spotted the man in the water , he quickly report what he ’d seen , and a deliverance operation begin .
First come a plane , and then a destroyer , the first of seven rescue ship . Cox described the show of these ships as something akin to “ a strong , big light from heaven … I thought it was angels coming . ”
National ArchivesMembers of the U.S. Navy carrying the body of a deadIndianapoliscrew member to his final resting place.
Though the ships were able to save C of men , the casualties of the USSIndianapolisshark onslaught were astonishing . Of an bunch of 1,196 , 900 had survived the sinking . And only 316 came out of the water alive .
In the backwash , the U.S. military pin blame on the ship ’s captain , Charles B. McVay III . He was lawcourt - martialed and charge with “ hazarding his ship by failing to crank ” and “ failing to issue well-timed rescript to give up ship . ” However , Hashimoto by and by stated that “ zigzagging ” would have made no divergence , and that he would have send away on the McVay ’s ship either way .
“ It would have involved no change in the method of firing the torpedoes , ” he articulate through a translator , according to theNaval account And Heritage Command , “ but some changes in maneuvering . ”
Hashimoto ’s testimonial , however , did not assist McVay . He was convicted of the first charge , and died by self-destruction in 1968 . McVay had purportedly pick up countless letters and phone calls from the loved one of men who ’d died during the USSIndianapolisshark attack , and carried significant guilty conscience about his office in the tragedy . That said , Congress exculpate him in 2000 and determined that his courtyard - martial was a miscarriage of justice .
National ArchivesMembers of the U.S. Navy carrying the consistency of a deadIndianapoliscrew member to his final resting position .
But while the USSIndianapolisshark attack go down as the regretful in account , it should also not preponderate the pivotal role the ship played during the World War II .
By all metric unit , the USSIndianapoliswas one of the finest , and most crucial , naval vessel in the history of the United States . Though the ship is commend today because of the USSIndianapolisshark flack , its legacy goes well beyond that horrible tragedy .
After read about the USS Indianapolis shark approach , determine all about the gruesome1916 shark attacks . Then read about thesinking of the Sultana , the worst maritime disaster in American history .
