USS Indianapolis Survivors and PVs

[IndyJen]

Inspired by Jack's "Harpoon A2A" pic, I was reminded that these pics were on my hard drive ...

This first one is the PV-1 crew who initially spotted the survivors of the USS Indianapolis.



These guys were on regular ASW patrol when they spotted what was left of the USS Indy crew in the water. They couldn't do too much for the poor guys in the water, but they got help on the way.

The crew of this Ventura were:

Lt. Wilbur C. Chuck Gwinn, Pilot
Lt. Warren Colwell, Co-pilot
Harold Hickman, AOM2T
William Hartman, Chief Radioman
Joeseph Johnson, AMM1C(T)

But I don't know which faces go with which names, unfortunately.

Being an Indianapolis-based PV ourselves (albeit a PV-2, not a PV-1), we have a lot of dealings with the USS Indy survivors' organization. We did a flyover of the dedication ceremony of their "museum," which is actually a nook in the Indianapolis War Memorial museum downtown.

A fair number of the remaining survivors were guests of honor at the Indianapolis Airshow a couple years ago, and we were parked right next to them. They came over for a bit of a commemorative photo:



There werent' all that many survivors in 1945, and the number only gets smaller with every passing year.

You know that the Harpoon's engines have a distinctive sound. Same sound--same engines-- as a PV-1. Some of those guys told us that when we came overhead, they just started weeping, before we were even in sight. Because sound is a powerful memory-generator, and that was the sound of "no more sharks," and "maybe we'll live after all." I cannot even imagine the emotions.

[PJ]

Sadly another Indianapolis survivor was lost this week, James C. Nicols.



PJ
PV-2 Harpoon "Hot Stuff"
www.amhf.org

[Ken]

I'm frequently in Indianapolis with work and enjoy jogging on the canal past the USS Indianapolis memorial. I often stop to read new names and I always give a quick salute to their service as I pass.

For anyone who's not visited Indianapolis, it's one of the nicest downtown areas in the US. The river canal hosts not only the USS Indianapolis memorial, but the Admiral Spruance basin, and Medal of Honor memorial.

[Steve Nelson]

Great pics!

I first heard the saga of the Indianapolis when I saw the movie "Jaws" as a kid (ironically, at a theatre in Indy.) I don't remember if Quint's soliloquy was also in the book, but historical details are spot-on (including his mention of being discovered by a "Lockheed Ventura" and being rescued by a "big, fat PBY.") I wonder if Speilberg or Peter Benchley actually interviewed any of the survivors.

I need to check out the downtown memorial. A freind of mine scratchbuilt a model of the ship for the museum (1/96 scale I believe.)

SN

[DaveG]

One of my co-workers just buried her mom this week. I didn't realize until then that my co-worker's grandfather was LCDR Kyle C. Moore, who was lost on the Indianapolis. That was his daughter who passed away. She was about 10 when her daddy died. Some Indianapolis survivors came through town a few years ago to visit with the family and remember LCDR Moore.

I can't imagine what that Harpoon must've sounded like to those men.

[IndyJen]

Steve Nelson, I have seen that model, any number of times. It is well protected whenever it's moved, in a custom-built case.

It is a tremendous model, a real craftsman's work. I think it is pictured on the survivor's org website.

Those guys were few enough in number sixty years ago. There are hardly any of them left now.

[SaxMan]

Great pics!

I first heard the saga of the Indianapolis when I saw the movie "Jaws" as a kid (ironically, at a theatre in Indy.) I don't remember if Quint's soliloquy was also in the book, but historical details are spot-on (including his mention of being discovered by a "Lockheed Ventura" and being rescued by a "big, fat PBY.") I wonder if Speilberg or Peter Benchley actually interviewed any of the survivors.

I need to check out the downtown memorial. A freind of mine scratchbuilt a model of the ship for the museum (1/96 scale I believe.)

SN

Spielberg is definitely a history buff. One other coincidence (or not?): in Back To The Future the DeLorean jumps back in time at 88 mph, which IIRC, is the speed that a B-17 needs to get airborne...or at least according to Martin Caidin, it is.

[PJ]

Steve Nelson....is your model builders last name Waldorf? If so, there is a picture of him on the Indianapolis Museum web-site-
http://www.ussindianapolis.us/
go to the site and click on "news" scroll down to opening ceremony

PJ
PV-2 Harpoon "Hot Stuff"
www.amhf.org