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Captain of the USS Indianapolis. The USS Indianapolis received orders to carry parts and nuclear material to Tinian for use in the atomic bombs which were soon to be dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. After delivering the top secret cargo, the ship was en route to report for further duty off Okinawa. Early in the morning of July 30, 1945, she was attacked by the Japanese submarine I-58 under Commander Mochitsura Hashimoto. Six torpedoes were launched and the Indianapolis was hit twice, the first removing over forty feet of her bow, the second hitting the starboard side at frame forty (below the bridge). The Indianapolis immediately took a fifteen degree list, capsized and sank within 12 minutes. Of the crew of 1,196 men, 879 men died. Capt. McVay was court-martialed for failing to zigzag. The conviction effectively ended McVay's career as he lost seniority, although the sentence was overturned by Secretary James Forrestal owing to McVay's bravery prior to the sinking, and McVay was finally promoted to rear admiral when he retired from the navy in 1949. He served 29 years. McVay took his own life by shooting himself with his service pistol at his home in Litchfield, Connecticut, holding in his hand a toy sailor he had received as a boy for a good luck charm. In October 2000, the United States Congress passed a resolution that McVay's record should reflect that "he is exonerated for the loss of the USS Indianapolis." In July 2001, Secretary of the Navy Gordon R. England ordered McVay's official Navy record purged of all wrongdoing. Final disposition - Cremated, Ashes scattered at sea, Specifically: ashes scattered at Bayou Liberty near Slidell, LA. Researched by Laura J Stewart #47412616
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Over the years, McVay received many letters from bitter relatives reminding him they feel he killed their sons, that holidays were empty without them. McVay retired from the Navy in 1949. In November 1968, unhappy in his third marriage and depressed, having lost his devoted wife Louise and his beloved 9-year-old grandson Mark, both to cancer, and his father in 1959, McVay shot himself in the head with his service revolver on the front lawn of his wife Vivian's Litchfield, Conn., home. His ashes were scattered over the Gulf of Mexico, as he had requested. Contributor: Bob Bardo (48069300)
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Pennsylvania and New Jersey, Church and Town Records, 1669-2013
Name: Charles Butler McVay
Baptism Age: 0
Event Type: Baptism
Birth Date: 31 Aug 1898
Baptism Date: 2 Nov 1898
Baptism Place: Sewickley, Allegheny, Pennsylvania, USA
Denomination: Anglican
Organization Name: St.Stephens Church
Father: Chas B McVay
Mother: Edith H McVay
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American Captain of the cruiser Indianapolis when it was sunk by a Japanese submarine on July 30th, 1945 after delivering the first atomic bomb to the air force. This sinking led to the largest loss of life by the United States Navy with 875 deaths. The ship was lost for 5 days by the navy with men in the water. The navy courtmarshaled the captain for not "zig zagging" the ship correctly. He is the only captain ever court marshaled for losing a ship by the United States Navy. Worn down by the many years of questions and letters of blame he committed suicide. In 2001 he was exonerated by congress and the Navy of all guilt after years of pleas from his remaining crew, school children, congressmen and even the captain of the sub that sank his ship. His story is told in the play "Failure to ZigZag" and the movie "Mission of the Shark, the last voyage of the Indianapolis". The general story is also mentioned in the movie "Jaws".
**************************************
Captain of the USS Indianapolis. The USS Indianapolis received orders to carry parts and nuclear material to Tinian for use in the atomic bombs which were soon to be dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. After delivering the top secret cargo, the ship was en route to report for further duty off Okinawa. Early in the morning of July 30, 1945, she was attacked by the Japanese submarine I-58 under Commander Mochitsura Hashimoto. Six torpedoes were launched and the Indianapolis was hit twice, the first removing over forty feet of her bow, the second hitting the starboard side at frame forty (below the bridge). The Indianapolis immediately took a fifteen degree list, capsized and sank within 12 minutes. Of the crew of 1,196 men, 879 men died. Capt. McVay was court-martialed for failing to zigzag. The conviction effectively ended McVay's career as he lost seniority, although the sentence was overturned by Secretary James Forrestal owing to McVay's bravery prior to the sinking, and McVay was finally promoted to rear admiral when he retired from the navy in 1949. He served 29 years. McVay took his own life by shooting himself with his service pistol at his home in Litchfield, Connecticut, holding in his hand a toy sailor he had received as a boy for a good luck charm. In October 2000, the United States Congress passed a resolution that McVay's record should reflect that "he is exonerated for the loss of the USS Indianapolis." In July 2001, Secretary of the Navy Gordon R. England ordered McVay's official Navy record purged of all wrongdoing. Final disposition - Cremated, Ashes scattered at sea, Specifically: ashes scattered at Bayou Liberty near Slidell, LA. Researched by Laura J Stewart #47412616
**************************************
Over the years, McVay received many letters from bitter relatives reminding him they feel he killed their sons, that holidays were empty without them. McVay retired from the Navy in 1949. In November 1968, unhappy in his third marriage and depressed, having lost his devoted wife Louise and his beloved 9-year-old grandson Mark, both to cancer, and his father in 1959, McVay shot himself in the head with his service revolver on the front lawn of his wife Vivian's Litchfield, Conn., home. His ashes were scattered over the Gulf of Mexico, as he had requested. Contributor: Bob Bardo (48069300)
**************************************
Pennsylvania and New Jersey, Church and Town Records, 1669-2013
Name: Charles Butler McVay
Baptism Age: 0
Event Type: Baptism
Birth Date: 31 Aug 1898
Baptism Date: 2 Nov 1898
Baptism Place: Sewickley, Allegheny, Pennsylvania, USA
Denomination: Anglican
Organization Name: St.Stephens Church
Father: Chas B McVay
Mother: Edith H McVay
**************************************
American Captain of the cruiser Indianapolis when it was sunk by a Japanese submarine on July 30th, 1945 after delivering the first atomic bomb to the air force. This sinking led to the largest loss of life by the United States Navy with 875 deaths. The ship was lost for 5 days by the navy with men in the water. The navy courtmarshaled the captain for not "zig zagging" the ship correctly. He is the only captain ever court marshaled for losing a ship by the United States Navy. Worn down by the many years of questions and letters of blame he committed suicide. In 2001 he was exonerated by congress and the Navy of all guilt after years of pleas from his remaining crew, school children, congressmen and even the captain of the sub that sank his ship. His story is told in the play "Failure to ZigZag" and the movie "Mission of the Shark, the last voyage of the Indianapolis". The general story is also mentioned in the movie "Jaws".
**************************************
**************************************
Captain of the USS Indianapolis. The USS Indianapolis received orders to carry parts and nuclear material to Tinian for use in the atomic bombs which were soon to be dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. After delivering the top secret cargo, the ship was en route to report for further duty off Okinawa. Early in the morning of July 30, 1945, she was attacked by the Japanese submarine I-58 under Commander Mochitsura Hashimoto. Six torpedoes were launched and the Indianapolis was hit twice, the first removing over forty feet of her bow, the second hitting the starboard side at frame forty (below the bridge). The Indianapolis immediately took a fifteen degree list, capsized and sank within 12 minutes. Of the crew of 1,196 men, 879 men died. Capt. McVay was court-martialed for failing to zigzag. The conviction effectively ended McVay's career as he lost seniority, although the sentence was overturned by Secretary James Forrestal owing to McVay's bravery prior to the sinking, and McVay was finally promoted to rear admiral when he retired from the navy in 1949. He served 29 years. McVay took his own life by shooting himself with his service pistol at his home in Litchfield, Connecticut, holding in his hand a toy sailor he had received as a boy for a good luck charm. In October 2000, the United States Congress passed a resolution that McVay's record should reflect that "he is exonerated for the loss of the USS Indianapolis." In July 2001, Secretary of the Navy Gordon R. England ordered McVay's official Navy record purged of all wrongdoing. Final disposition - Cremated, Ashes scattered at sea, Specifically: ashes scattered at Bayou Liberty near Slidell, LA. Researched by Laura J Stewart #47412616
**************************************
Over the years, McVay received many letters from bitter relatives reminding him they feel he killed their sons, that holidays were empty without them. McVay retired from the Navy in 1949. In November 1968, unhappy in his third marriage and depressed, having lost his devoted wife Louise and his beloved 9-year-old grandson Mark, both to cancer, and his father in 1959, McVay shot himself in the head with his service revolver on the front lawn of his wife Vivian's Litchfield, Conn., home. His ashes were scattered over the Gulf of Mexico, as he had requested. Contributor: Bob Bardo (48069300)
**************************************
Pennsylvania and New Jersey, Church and Town Records, 1669-2013
Name: Charles Butler McVay
Baptism Age: 0
Event Type: Baptism
Birth Date: 31 Aug 1898
Baptism Date: 2 Nov 1898
Baptism Place: Sewickley, Allegheny, Pennsylvania, USA
Denomination: Anglican
Organization Name: St.Stephens Church
Father: Chas B McVay
Mother: Edith H McVay
**************************************
American Captain of the cruiser Indianapolis when it was sunk by a Japanese submarine on July 30th, 1945 after delivering the first atomic bomb to the air force. This sinking led to the largest loss of life by the United States Navy with 875 deaths. The ship was lost for 5 days by the navy with men in the water. The navy courtmarshaled the captain for not "zig zagging" the ship correctly. He is the only captain ever court marshaled for losing a ship by the United States Navy. Worn down by the many years of questions and letters of blame he committed suicide. In 2001 he was exonerated by congress and the Navy of all guilt after years of pleas from his remaining crew, school children, congressmen and even the captain of the sub that sank his ship. His story is told in the play "Failure to ZigZag" and the movie "Mission of the Shark, the last voyage of the Indianapolis". The general story is also mentioned in the movie "Jaws".
**************************************
Captain of the USS Indianapolis. The USS Indianapolis received orders to carry parts and nuclear material to Tinian for use in the atomic bombs which were soon to be dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. After delivering the top secret cargo, the ship was en route to report for further duty off Okinawa. Early in the morning of July 30, 1945, she was attacked by the Japanese submarine I-58 under Commander Mochitsura Hashimoto. Six torpedoes were launched and the Indianapolis was hit twice, the first removing over forty feet of her bow, the second hitting the starboard side at frame forty (below the bridge). The Indianapolis immediately took a fifteen degree list, capsized and sank within 12 minutes. Of the crew of 1,196 men, 879 men died. Capt. McVay was court-martialed for failing to zigzag. The conviction effectively ended McVay's career as he lost seniority, although the sentence was overturned by Secretary James Forrestal owing to McVay's bravery prior to the sinking, and McVay was finally promoted to rear admiral when he retired from the navy in 1949. He served 29 years. McVay took his own life by shooting himself with his service pistol at his home in Litchfield, Connecticut, holding in his hand a toy sailor he had received as a boy for a good luck charm. In October 2000, the United States Congress passed a resolution that McVay's record should reflect that "he is exonerated for the loss of the USS Indianapolis." In July 2001, Secretary of the Navy Gordon R. England ordered McVay's official Navy record purged of all wrongdoing. Final disposition - Cremated, Ashes scattered at sea, Specifically: ashes scattered at Bayou Liberty near Slidell, LA. Researched by Laura J Stewart #47412616
**************************************
Over the years, McVay received many letters from bitter relatives reminding him they feel he killed their sons, that holidays were empty without them. McVay retired from the Navy in 1949. In November 1968, unhappy in his third marriage and depressed, having lost his devoted wife Louise and his beloved 9-year-old grandson Mark, both to cancer, and his father in 1959, McVay shot himself in the head with his service revolver on the front lawn of his wife Vivian's Litchfield, Conn., home. His ashes were scattered over the Gulf of Mexico, as he had requested. Contributor: Bob Bardo (48069300)
**************************************
Pennsylvania and New Jersey, Church and Town Records, 1669-2013
Name: Charles Butler McVay
Baptism Age: 0
Event Type: Baptism
Birth Date: 31 Aug 1898
Baptism Date: 2 Nov 1898
Baptism Place: Sewickley, Allegheny, Pennsylvania, USA
Denomination: Anglican
Organization Name: St.Stephens Church
Father: Chas B McVay
Mother: Edith H McVay
**************************************
American Captain of the cruiser Indianapolis when it was sunk by a Japanese submarine on July 30th, 1945 after delivering the first atomic bomb to the air force. This sinking led to the largest loss of life by the United States Navy with 875 deaths. The ship was lost for 5 days by the navy with men in the water. The navy courtmarshaled the captain for not "zig zagging" the ship correctly. He is the only captain ever court marshaled for losing a ship by the United States Navy. Worn down by the many years of questions and letters of blame he committed suicide. In 2001 he was exonerated by congress and the Navy of all guilt after years of pleas from his remaining crew, school children, congressmen and even the captain of the sub that sank his ship. His story is told in the play "Failure to ZigZag" and the movie "Mission of the Shark, the last voyage of the Indianapolis". The general story is also mentioned in the movie "Jaws".
**************************************
Gravesite Details
Cremated, Ashes scattered at sea in the Gulf of Mexico, Specifically: ashes scattered at Bayou Liberty near Slidell, LA.
