When Sharks Attacked the USS Indianapolis in 1945

Shark fins next to a Navy Ship like the USS Indianapolis during World War Two

Blood in the Water

In 1945 the USS Indianapolis was sailing from Guam to the Philippines to prepare for the invasion of Japan. While en route to their rendezvous with the main fleet, a Japanese submarine I-58 struck the Indianapolis with two Type 95 Torpedos. The ship sunk in just 12 minutes and 300 sailors were lost to the sea. The remaining 900 were set adrift, disorganized and terrified.

Many of the survivors were seriously wounded, and the blood in the water attracted hundreds of sharks to the area. There were limited life rafts available, so many men were stuck floating in the water wearing life vests. Without adequate supplies and with most of the leadership missing, the crew of the USS Indianapolis was in peril.

Navy command was not aware of the sinking for three and a half days, so the men were left to fend for themselves. Sharks, wounds, and a lack of food or water took a serious toll on the survivors.

Rescue

Lieutenant Robert Adrian Marks was the first to spot the survivors while patrolling the area in an amphibious PBY-5A Catalina plane. He and his crew bravely landed in the open ocean against orders, and were able to pull 56 men out of the water onto their plane in a heroic effort. They weren’t able to take off again, but they were able to send word to Navy Command and coordinate a rescue. Seven rescue ships arrived later on to bring the remaining men home.

Exposure and dehydration had been brutal for the sailors. Only 316 out of the original 900 survivors were rescued. Estimated casualties attributed to the sharks number from dozens to 150. Captain McVay of the USS Indianapolis was court-martialed but eventually his name was cleared. This came years later, in part because of a 6th grader’s science project in 1966. The incident was made into a movie starring Nicolas Cage titled USS Indianapolis: Men of Courage.

These sailors braved conditions that few of us will ever face. The next time you’re having a hard day just remember, at least you aren’t floating in a life raft surrounded by sharks!