I am in total awe about this book. Gripping and mind-numbing are understatements. Second only to Pearl Harbor, this is the greatest Navy disaster in US history. And NO ONE knows anything about it. Why? Thats a story in itself; one worth reading and learning about. This book charts the history of and final demise of, the USS Indianapolis, a US Navy ship sunk a few weeks before the end of WWII. 1200 men on board, 317 survived. This is their story. One of heroism, fear, courage, family and loyalty. ( )

True story of the worst sea disaster in US Naval history. It starts with a high-level overview of the U.S.S. Indianapolis, tracing its involvement in various events over its lifetime. It sets the context for how it was involved in the Pacific theatre. It is known for delivering the atomic bomb that was subsequently dropped on Hiroshima. It was torpedoed by the Japanese in the Philippine Sea, resulting in the deaths of 879 sailors. The secondary narrative involves Captain Charles McVay III, who was subsequently court-martialed for not seeing to the safety of the ship by zig zagging, a technique later discredited.

The authors have obviously done their homework. This book is extremely detailed and thorough. They do a top-rate job in covering the sailors (whom they interviewed) – where they were on the ship and their individual experiences in the water. The court martial and subsequent attempt to exonerate the captain become rather tedious. It may depend on which book you read first, but I enjoyed In Harm’s Way by Doug Stanton more than this one, although they are both worth reading. I read this in honor of Veteran’s Day. ( )

Interesting, dragged at the the end. ( )

Ever since Man gathered in groups, formed tribes and opened villages, there have been wars. Frequently, those in power or influence did not have to participate in the wars or battles and those who did, often had little or no idea what they were there. Those who start such conflicts often suffer nothing from them and frequently even become enriched by them.
In wars, good people who have had nothing to do with the decision to fight and kill other good people suffer and die in the conflict. And sometimes in wars, tragedies that one side or the other receives from the other side are too big, too horrible to escape the notice and anguish of the populations who’ve watched their sons and daughters go off to fight.
The USS Indianapolis was torpedoed near the end of the war and hundreds died. Other than the attack on Pearl Harbor it is America’s greatest naval tragedy. The men who sent the ship in harm’s way made many, many mistakes that caused the catastrophic loss of life to be worse than it could have been. Much worse. With the tragedy in the public eye, these men needed a scapegoat to blame for their actions and the book, Indianapolis, tells the story of the tragedy itself, the scapegoating that followed and the crusade by those who survived the tragedy to achieve justice.
Today, two major movements are being led by children—the March for Your Lives movement against gun violence, and the international climate change activities The Navy’s scapegoat for the tragedy was Captain Charles McVay III. The movement to remove the disgrace that was heaped upon him was led by a child a sixth grader writing a school History report.
The research involved in this book is massive, yet minutely detailed. From the “big picture” accounts to the individual stories of victims of the ship’s sinking, every detail is brought forward. The authors give the story life. This is not a dull history book, a factual accounting, or an expose. It s a story of courage, of suffering, of turmoil, of intrigue and of the indomitable human spirt refusing to give up against high odds.
It is no wonder that this bookhas been retold as a movie. Reading the book delivers a plot that is the absolute bedrock of good movies, and the book itself is the about best in fascinating historical reporting. ( )

Wait...wasn't the Indianapolis the one they built that big, white memorial for in Hawaii?? I thought that ship was destroyed right there in Pearl Harbor? Or is that a totally different ship? See, this is why I read. To learn. Otherwise I would obviously be a clueless idiot. LOL