Kimo McVay was a musician turned talent manager, who successfully promoted Hawaiian entertainment acts. McVay promoted and managed acts such as teenage heart throb Robin Luke, Don Ho, John Rowles, comic Andy Bumatai, Keolo and Kapono Beamer, ventriloquist Freddie Morris, magician John Hirokawa and many others.
He was the son of the late Kinau Wilder, a grand dame of Island theater and a prominent figure in Island society, and the controversial Capt. Charles Butler McVay III, who was the commanding officer in 1945 when the USS Indianapolis was struck by a Japanese torpedo, causing the ship to sink about 600 miles southwest of Guam after ferrying an atomic bomb to the Pacific island of Tinian. Only 316 of the Indy's crew of 1,196 survived in shark-infested waters and Capt. McVay was found guilty of negligence, ultimately committing suicide.
Kimo McVay's life-long efforts to clear the name of his father finally happened last year, when the commander was cleared of guilt through congressional action, 55 years after the incident.
"It doesn't really change history, but it certainly will let the world know that my father was innocent and will give some comfort to the survivors themselves," McVay said after the exoneration.
Two weeks after Kimo died, the Navy finally exonerated his father, who had been court-martialed. A directive from Navy Secretary Gordon England ordered that a document exonerating the elder McVay to be placed in his file, said Cmdr. Greg Smith, director of the Navy's media operations in Washington.
"Now Kimo can rest in peace," said Betsy McVay, Kimo McVay's widow.
He was the son of the late Kinau Wilder, a grand dame of Island theater and a prominent figure in Island society, and the controversial Capt. Charles Butler McVay III, who was the commanding officer in 1945 when the USS Indianapolis was struck by a Japanese torpedo, causing the ship to sink about 600 miles southwest of Guam after ferrying an atomic bomb to the Pacific island of Tinian. Only 316 of the Indy's crew of 1,196 survived in shark-infested waters and Capt. McVay was found guilty of negligence, ultimately committing suicide.
Kimo McVay's life-long efforts to clear the name of his father finally happened last year, when the commander was cleared of guilt through congressional action, 55 years after the incident.
"It doesn't really change history, but it certainly will let the world know that my father was innocent and will give some comfort to the survivors themselves," McVay said after the exoneration.
Two weeks after Kimo died, the Navy finally exonerated his father, who had been court-martialed. A directive from Navy Secretary Gordon England ordered that a document exonerating the elder McVay to be placed in his file, said Cmdr. Greg Smith, director of the Navy's media operations in Washington.
"Now Kimo can rest in peace," said Betsy McVay, Kimo McVay's widow.
Kimo McVay was a musician turned talent manager, who successfully promoted Hawaiian entertainment acts. McVay promoted and managed acts such as teenage heart throb Robin Luke, Don Ho, John Rowles, comic Andy Bumatai, Keolo and Kapono Beamer, ventriloquist Freddie Morris, magician John Hirokawa and many others.
He was the son of the late Kinau Wilder, a grand dame of Island theater and a prominent figure in Island society, and the controversial Capt. Charles Butler McVay III, who was the commanding officer in 1945 when the USS Indianapolis was struck by a Japanese torpedo, causing the ship to sink about 600 miles southwest of Guam after ferrying an atomic bomb to the Pacific island of Tinian. Only 316 of the Indy's crew of 1,196 survived in shark-infested waters and Capt. McVay was found guilty of negligence, ultimately committing suicide.
Kimo McVay's life-long efforts to clear the name of his father finally happened last year, when the commander was cleared of guilt through congressional action, 55 years after the incident.
"It doesn't really change history, but it certainly will let the world know that my father was innocent and will give some comfort to the survivors themselves," McVay said after the exoneration.
Two weeks after Kimo died, the Navy finally exonerated his father, who had been court-martialed. A directive from Navy Secretary Gordon England ordered that a document exonerating the elder McVay to be placed in his file, said Cmdr. Greg Smith, director of the Navy's media operations in Washington.
"Now Kimo can rest in peace," said Betsy McVay, Kimo McVay's widow.
He was the son of the late Kinau Wilder, a grand dame of Island theater and a prominent figure in Island society, and the controversial Capt. Charles Butler McVay III, who was the commanding officer in 1945 when the USS Indianapolis was struck by a Japanese torpedo, causing the ship to sink about 600 miles southwest of Guam after ferrying an atomic bomb to the Pacific island of Tinian. Only 316 of the Indy's crew of 1,196 survived in shark-infested waters and Capt. McVay was found guilty of negligence, ultimately committing suicide.
Kimo McVay's life-long efforts to clear the name of his father finally happened last year, when the commander was cleared of guilt through congressional action, 55 years after the incident.
"It doesn't really change history, but it certainly will let the world know that my father was innocent and will give some comfort to the survivors themselves," McVay said after the exoneration.
Two weeks after Kimo died, the Navy finally exonerated his father, who had been court-martialed. A directive from Navy Secretary Gordon England ordered that a document exonerating the elder McVay to be placed in his file, said Cmdr. Greg Smith, director of the Navy's media operations in Washington.
"Now Kimo can rest in peace," said Betsy McVay, Kimo McVay's widow.
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