They have found the USS Indianapolis.

Found in 18,000 feet of water. For those who are unfamiliar, the USS Indianapolis was a heavy cruiser involved with the Manhattan Project (it delivered some of the components for the atom bomb used at Hiroshima).  It was shortly thereafter targeted by a submarine and sunk.  Contrary to sometimes lurid legend*, the delay in rescue efforts was not due to the ship’s location still being classified; what apparently happened instead was a combination of bad luck, end-of-war syndrome, and several different overlapping circles of incompetence.

Still, there’s some kind of grim narrative power about the ship’s fate. You can understand why people want to tell gruesome stories about the USS Indianapolis and her ill fate. I don’t really care to, myself, but I grasp why folks might have the impulse.

*Thanks largely to Jaws. In its defense, this is a great scene.

One thought on “They have found the USS Indianapolis.”

  1. You know how they knew that was the Indianapolis in the water, Chief? They could tell by looking from the dorsal to the tail.

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