The USS Indianapolis (CA-35), a Portland-class heavy cruiser of the United States Navy, sank on July 30, 1945, after being torpedoed by the Japanese submarine I-58. The ship had just completed a top-secret mission to deliver parts of the atomic bomb "Little Boy," which was later dropped on Hiroshima. After the mission, the Indianapolis was sailing unescorted from Guam to Leyte Gulf when it was struck by two torpedoes. The ship sank in just 12 minutes, and of the 1,195 crew members on board, approximately 300 went down with the ship. The remaining 900 faced harrowing conditions in the water, including dehydration, exposure, and shark attacks. Due to a delayed rescue operation, only 316 sailors survived the ordeal, making it one of the worst naval disasters in U.S. history.
The loss of the Indianapolis is remembered for the bravery of its crew and the tragic circumstances surrounding the sinking and subsequent survival ordeal.
