Virtual Reunion for Survivors of the USS Indianapolis
2020 isn’t just the 45th anniversary of Jaws, this year also marks the 75th anniversary of the sinking of the USS Indianapolis. The story was made famous by Robert Shaw’s electrifying monologue as Quint in Jaws.
The USS Indianapolis was a Portland-class heavy cruiser of the United States Navy, named for the city of Indianapolis, Indiana.
At 0015 on 30 July, the ship was torpedoed by the Imperial Japanese Navy submarine I-58, and sank in 12 minutes. Of 1,195 crewmen aboard, approximately 300 went down with the ship. The remaining 890 faced exposure, dehydration, saltwater poisoning, and shark attacks while stranded in the open ocean with few lifeboats and almost no food or water. Only 316 survived. The sinking of Indianapolis resulted in the greatest single loss of life at sea from a single ship in the history of the US Navy.
Virtual Reunion
To mark the 75th anniversary of the sinking, ussindianapolis.com is hosting a ‘virtual reunion’. The 3 day day event starts tomorrow (30th July) and runs through to Saturday, August 1st.
“We hope that you will join us for the virtual Congressional Gold Medal Ceremony in honor of the crew of the USS Indianapolis (CA-35) on Thursday, July 30th at 11 am, Eastern Daylight Time. You will be able to view the ceremony on our Facebook & YouTube Platforms. Additional Details and a link will be provided here the week of July 27th. ”
WATCH: Robert Shaw’s delivery of the now legendary ‘Indianapolis speech’ recounting the story