The USS Indianapolis Memorial

 

The USS Indianapolis has become a special part of our Sea Cadet unit.  In July of 1945 the ship was returning from a top secret mission- delivering atomic weapon components to the island of Tinian in the Phillipines.  Having completed its mission, the USS Indianapolis was dispatched to the area of Manila to assist with the invasion of Japan preparations happening in this part of the world.  Every available US Navy warship was being assembled to prepare to attack the Japanese homeland!

 

As the USS Indianapolis got underway enroute to her new destination, a Japanese submarine found her and shadowed her for awhile.  When the moment was right, the submarine commander fired 6 torpedos at the USS Indianapolis.  4 of the torpedoes failed to hit their target- but two of them found her.  The first torpedo ripped off the entire front end of the ship, causing her to fill with sea water quickly.  Another torpedo found her amidships and exploded causing her keel to buckle and hasten her descent into the ocean depths.

 

About 1200 men were on board that fateful day- around 900 of which ended up in the sea.  Of those, only 317 men survived the next 4.5 days waiting for rescue that was never arranged.  Only by luck and God's grace were these men pulled from death's clutches allowing us to hear their story today.

 

On May 25th, 2014 Ensign Bykerk was visiting a local Target and found an elderly gentleman making his way through the store with his grandson.  Upon seeing his baseball cap with the USS Indianapolis on it, she inquired as to how he came about receiving that cap.  He replied that he was George Horvath and had been on board the ship.  Instantly Ensign Bykerk recognized the significance and adopted him into the unit so everyone can render him the honor he deserves and hear his story of how he and his shipmates survived their terrible ordeal.

 

24 July  2014 the remaining 37 survivors of the 317 sailors who were rescued from the sea will meet in Indianapolis, IN to remember and honor the ones who are still at sea.  This may be the last time these brave souls meet to remember and honor their shipmates.  Our cadets keep watch over them- wherever they may be.

 

Click on the picture of the memorial to go to the website to learn more about the USS Indianapolis and what happened on that terrible day!