The USS Indianapolis Sinking was Blamed on the Captain

Despite being the "worst loss of life involving a ship at sea in US Navy history," the story of the USS Indianapolis is not one that is frequently repeated (with the exception of in the movie Jaws). This is in part due to the Navy's efforts to hide what transpired.

As part of a top-secret mission, the Indianapolis was transporting the components of the bomb that was dropped on Hiroshima. Clearly, that portion was successful. But something went wrong on the way back. A Japanese submarine torpedoed the ship while it was sailing toward the Philippines. Of the 1,197 crew members, 300 perished along with the ship. Only 316 of those who were left made it back home.

Since the sinking happened quickly, few lifeboats were used. Many people in the water were burnt, hurt, and unable to remain afloat. The waves were 12 feet high. Men either died of hypothermia at night or drying out throughout the day. Sharks were attracted to the blood, thousands of them.

Due to the Navy's failure to recognize that the boat was missing, the men remained in the ocean for four days. Three SOS calls were placed and answered, but the Navy disregarded them—in one instance, because the responding officer was intoxicated. They were discovered by a chance plane.

The captain was court-martialed and placed on trial for the disaster. He struggled for years with the guilt, eventually killing himself, but was later cleared when the truth about the captain's innocence was revealed by a sixth-history grader's project.

• Year: 1945
• Damage: only 316 survivors