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Пишет ancient_skipper (![[info]](http://lj.rossia.org/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} ancient_skipper)@ 2008-08-06 22:26:00 |
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This Day in Naval History - July 30
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
From the Navy News Service
1918 - Units of First Marine Aviation Force arrive at Brest, France.
1941 - Japanese aircraft bomb USS Tutuila (PR 4) at Chungking, China; First Navy ship damaged by Axis during World War II.
1942 - FDR signs act establishing Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service (WAVES). During World War II, more than 80,000 officer and enlisted women served in the WAVES.
1944 - Naval Task Force lands Army troops near Cape Opmarai, New Guinea.
1945 - Japanese submarine, I-58, sinks USS Indianapolis (CA 35) in Philippine Sea; 316 out of 1,199 crew survived.
The Sinking of the USS Indianapolis
Shortly before the end of World War II, a heavy cruiser called the USS Indianapolis was sunk by a Japanese submarine. Thanks to miscommunication, the Navy did not send a rescue party for several days. In the meantime, most of those who had survived the attack were killed. Because of its timing and its tragedy, the attack on the USS Indianapolis was one of the most memorable events of the war.
On January 30th, 1945, the USS Indianapolis, was on its way to the Philippines after delivering the parts for the first atomic bomb to the Island of Tinian. Shortly after midnight, the Japanese submarine I-58, saw the silhouette of the vessel against the moon and fired two torpedoes at it. Both were direct hits and the vessel sank in about 12 minutes. Of the 1197 sailors and marines aboard, only about 900 survived the explosions and the sinking.
Some of those 900 men were fortunate enough to get into lifeboats, but most of them just bobbed up and down in the water in their lifejackets. Unfortunately, many of the men died before help arrived. Although the radio operators sent out distress signals in the minutes following the attack, these calls for help were either not received or ignored. A declassified report indicates that three SOS messages were received, but not acted upon because one office was drunk, one had given orders not to be disturbed, and the other thought it was a prank. Whatever the reason, it was over five days before help arrived.
In the meantime, the sea claimed the lives of most of the 900 men. Those who did not drown or die of thirst or exposure were eaten by sharks. By the time Lt. Chuck Gwinn accidentally stumbled across the wreckage of the Indianapolis while on a patrol flight over the area. Because the Indianapolis had been on a top secret mission, few people knew that it was late for arrival in the Philippines. By the time the wreck was finally located on August 2nd, no one had yet reported it missing.
The rescue operation began right away, but took until the 8th to comb the vicinity of the wreck for any more survivors. 321 of the original 1197 sailors were found. Of those, 317 survived. It was the worst single losses that the American Navy has ever experienced. It was all the more tragic given the fact that it was so close to the end of the war, too.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
From the Navy News Service
1918 - Units of First Marine Aviation Force arrive at Brest, France.
1941 - Japanese aircraft bomb USS Tutuila (PR 4) at Chungking, China; First Navy ship damaged by Axis during World War II.
1942 - FDR signs act establishing Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service (WAVES). During World War II, more than 80,000 officer and enlisted women served in the WAVES.
1944 - Naval Task Force lands Army troops near Cape Opmarai, New Guinea.
1945 - Japanese submarine, I-58, sinks USS Indianapolis (CA 35) in Philippine Sea; 316 out of 1,199 crew survived.
The Sinking of the USS Indianapolis
Shortly before the end of World War II, a heavy cruiser called the USS Indianapolis was sunk by a Japanese submarine. Thanks to miscommunication, the Navy did not send a rescue party for several days. In the meantime, most of those who had survived the attack were killed. Because of its timing and its tragedy, the attack on the USS Indianapolis was one of the most memorable events of the war.
On January 30th, 1945, the USS Indianapolis, was on its way to the Philippines after delivering the parts for the first atomic bomb to the Island of Tinian. Shortly after midnight, the Japanese submarine I-58, saw the silhouette of the vessel against the moon and fired two torpedoes at it. Both were direct hits and the vessel sank in about 12 minutes. Of the 1197 sailors and marines aboard, only about 900 survived the explosions and the sinking.
Some of those 900 men were fortunate enough to get into lifeboats, but most of them just bobbed up and down in the water in their lifejackets. Unfortunately, many of the men died before help arrived. Although the radio operators sent out distress signals in the minutes following the attack, these calls for help were either not received or ignored. A declassified report indicates that three SOS messages were received, but not acted upon because one office was drunk, one had given orders not to be disturbed, and the other thought it was a prank. Whatever the reason, it was over five days before help arrived.
In the meantime, the sea claimed the lives of most of the 900 men. Those who did not drown or die of thirst or exposure were eaten by sharks. By the time Lt. Chuck Gwinn accidentally stumbled across the wreckage of the Indianapolis while on a patrol flight over the area. Because the Indianapolis had been on a top secret mission, few people knew that it was late for arrival in the Philippines. By the time the wreck was finally located on August 2nd, no one had yet reported it missing.
The rescue operation began right away, but took until the 8th to comb the vicinity of the wreck for any more survivors. 321 of the original 1197 sailors were found. Of those, 317 survived. It was the worst single losses that the American Navy has ever experienced. It was all the more tragic given the fact that it was so close to the end of the war, too.
