James Bernard Annis Jr. was born June 22, 1920 at Joplin, Missouri, the eldest son, and second child, of James B. and Elizabeth Pearl {Griffin} Annis.
Jim was described to me by his brother John as a quiet young man, and recounts many good memories growing up with his brother. There was five years difference in their ages, and the two boys ran in different circles, but John says, "he kept his eyes open for me"
Following the lead of his father, who was a career Navy man and veteran of World War One, Jim enlisted in the United States Navy in 1939 after graduating from High School at Lowry City, Missouri. He attended "boot" training at the Great Lakes Naval Training Center near Chicago, Illinois and afterwards was assigned duty aboard the heavy cruiser "USS Indianapolis" with the rank of Seaman 2/C.
On December 7, 1941, the "Day of Infamy", the Indy was not at Pearl Harbor, it's home port, but rather was on a routine run to Johnson Island. Now a major ship in a war that the United States was little prepared for, the Indy became an important weapon in the devastated Pacific Fleet. Over the course of the next three years the ship and crew would earn 10 Battle Stars for action against the Japanese.
James had returned home on leave in the Spring of 1943 and married his high school sweetheart of six years, Geraldine Hawkins on April 22, 1943. He returned to his ship after his leave was over and resumed his duties aboard his ship.
In July of 1945 the "Indy", now commanded by Captain Charles McVay, was assigned a new, and top secret job. The ship and crew were ordered to pick up a mysterious cargo and sail from San Francisco and then toward the island of Tinian. The cargo consisted of major components that would be used to assemble the atomic bomb which would, on August 5, 1945, be dropped on Hiroshima.
After safely delivering her cargo on July 26th, the "Indy" set sail for Leyte in the Philippines to join the fleet that was assembling for the invasion of the Home Islands of Japan.
At about 11:00 PM, under a quickly clearing and moonlit sky, she was struck by three torpedoes by the Japanese submarine I-58, commanded by Commander Mochitsura Hashimoto. As a result of the swiftness of the attack on the Indy, the immediate massive damage resulting in a quick sinking, damage to communications equipment that prevented sending a distress signal, and the Navy regulation forbidding the reporting of combatant ships in port, rescue craft were not able to to reach the site for more than 80 hours. During that time the 883 crewmen of the Indy who had survived the initial attack and sinking, were subject to exposure, lack of fresh water and food, and massive shark attacks while awaiting rescue. Only 320 crewmen were ultimately rescued and four of those men died soon after rescue.
There is also a government memorial at Manila American Cemetery and Memorial, Manila Philippines
Plot: Final resting place unknown. Name listed on the Tablets of the Missing.
Jim was described to me by his brother John as a quiet young man, and recounts many good memories growing up with his brother. There was five years difference in their ages, and the two boys ran in different circles, but John says, "he kept his eyes open for me"
Following the lead of his father, who was a career Navy man and veteran of World War One, Jim enlisted in the United States Navy in 1939 after graduating from High School at Lowry City, Missouri. He attended "boot" training at the Great Lakes Naval Training Center near Chicago, Illinois and afterwards was assigned duty aboard the heavy cruiser "USS Indianapolis" with the rank of Seaman 2/C.
On December 7, 1941, the "Day of Infamy", the Indy was not at Pearl Harbor, it's home port, but rather was on a routine run to Johnson Island. Now a major ship in a war that the United States was little prepared for, the Indy became an important weapon in the devastated Pacific Fleet. Over the course of the next three years the ship and crew would earn 10 Battle Stars for action against the Japanese.
James had returned home on leave in the Spring of 1943 and married his high school sweetheart of six years, Geraldine Hawkins on April 22, 1943. He returned to his ship after his leave was over and resumed his duties aboard his ship.
In July of 1945 the "Indy", now commanded by Captain Charles McVay, was assigned a new, and top secret job. The ship and crew were ordered to pick up a mysterious cargo and sail from San Francisco and then toward the island of Tinian. The cargo consisted of major components that would be used to assemble the atomic bomb which would, on August 5, 1945, be dropped on Hiroshima.
After safely delivering her cargo on July 26th, the "Indy" set sail for Leyte in the Philippines to join the fleet that was assembling for the invasion of the Home Islands of Japan.
At about 11:00 PM, under a quickly clearing and moonlit sky, she was struck by three torpedoes by the Japanese submarine I-58, commanded by Commander Mochitsura Hashimoto. As a result of the swiftness of the attack on the Indy, the immediate massive damage resulting in a quick sinking, damage to communications equipment that prevented sending a distress signal, and the Navy regulation forbidding the reporting of combatant ships in port, rescue craft were not able to to reach the site for more than 80 hours. During that time the 883 crewmen of the Indy who had survived the initial attack and sinking, were subject to exposure, lack of fresh water and food, and massive shark attacks while awaiting rescue. Only 320 crewmen were ultimately rescued and four of those men died soon after rescue.
There is also a government memorial at Manila American Cemetery and Memorial, Manila Philippines
Plot: Final resting place unknown. Name listed on the Tablets of the Missing.
James Bernard Annis Jr. was born June 22, 1920 at Joplin, Missouri, the eldest son, and second child, of James B. and Elizabeth Pearl {Griffin} Annis.
Jim was described to me by his brother John as a quiet young man, and recounts many good memories growing up with his brother. There was five years difference in their ages, and the two boys ran in different circles, but John says, "he kept his eyes open for me"
Following the lead of his father, who was a career Navy man and veteran of World War One, Jim enlisted in the United States Navy in 1939 after graduating from High School at Lowry City, Missouri. He attended "boot" training at the Great Lakes Naval Training Center near Chicago, Illinois and afterwards was assigned duty aboard the heavy cruiser "USS Indianapolis" with the rank of Seaman 2/C.
On December 7, 1941, the "Day of Infamy", the Indy was not at Pearl Harbor, it's home port, but rather was on a routine run to Johnson Island. Now a major ship in a war that the United States was little prepared for, the Indy became an important weapon in the devastated Pacific Fleet. Over the course of the next three years the ship and crew would earn 10 Battle Stars for action against the Japanese.
James had returned home on leave in the Spring of 1943 and married his high school sweetheart of six years, Geraldine Hawkins on April 22, 1943. He returned to his ship after his leave was over and resumed his duties aboard his ship.
In July of 1945 the "Indy", now commanded by Captain Charles McVay, was assigned a new, and top secret job. The ship and crew were ordered to pick up a mysterious cargo and sail from San Francisco and then toward the island of Tinian. The cargo consisted of major components that would be used to assemble the atomic bomb which would, on August 5, 1945, be dropped on Hiroshima.
After safely delivering her cargo on July 26th, the "Indy" set sail for Leyte in the Philippines to join the fleet that was assembling for the invasion of the Home Islands of Japan.
At about 11:00 PM, under a quickly clearing and moonlit sky, she was struck by three torpedoes by the Japanese submarine I-58, commanded by Commander Mochitsura Hashimoto. As a result of the swiftness of the attack on the Indy, the immediate massive damage resulting in a quick sinking, damage to communications equipment that prevented sending a distress signal, and the Navy regulation forbidding the reporting of combatant ships in port, rescue craft were not able to to reach the site for more than 80 hours. During that time the 883 crewmen of the Indy who had survived the initial attack and sinking, were subject to exposure, lack of fresh water and food, and massive shark attacks while awaiting rescue. Only 320 crewmen were ultimately rescued and four of those men died soon after rescue.
There is also a government memorial at Manila American Cemetery and Memorial, Manila Philippines
Plot: Final resting place unknown. Name listed on the Tablets of the Missing.
Jim was described to me by his brother John as a quiet young man, and recounts many good memories growing up with his brother. There was five years difference in their ages, and the two boys ran in different circles, but John says, "he kept his eyes open for me"
Following the lead of his father, who was a career Navy man and veteran of World War One, Jim enlisted in the United States Navy in 1939 after graduating from High School at Lowry City, Missouri. He attended "boot" training at the Great Lakes Naval Training Center near Chicago, Illinois and afterwards was assigned duty aboard the heavy cruiser "USS Indianapolis" with the rank of Seaman 2/C.
On December 7, 1941, the "Day of Infamy", the Indy was not at Pearl Harbor, it's home port, but rather was on a routine run to Johnson Island. Now a major ship in a war that the United States was little prepared for, the Indy became an important weapon in the devastated Pacific Fleet. Over the course of the next three years the ship and crew would earn 10 Battle Stars for action against the Japanese.
James had returned home on leave in the Spring of 1943 and married his high school sweetheart of six years, Geraldine Hawkins on April 22, 1943. He returned to his ship after his leave was over and resumed his duties aboard his ship.
In July of 1945 the "Indy", now commanded by Captain Charles McVay, was assigned a new, and top secret job. The ship and crew were ordered to pick up a mysterious cargo and sail from San Francisco and then toward the island of Tinian. The cargo consisted of major components that would be used to assemble the atomic bomb which would, on August 5, 1945, be dropped on Hiroshima.
After safely delivering her cargo on July 26th, the "Indy" set sail for Leyte in the Philippines to join the fleet that was assembling for the invasion of the Home Islands of Japan.
At about 11:00 PM, under a quickly clearing and moonlit sky, she was struck by three torpedoes by the Japanese submarine I-58, commanded by Commander Mochitsura Hashimoto. As a result of the swiftness of the attack on the Indy, the immediate massive damage resulting in a quick sinking, damage to communications equipment that prevented sending a distress signal, and the Navy regulation forbidding the reporting of combatant ships in port, rescue craft were not able to to reach the site for more than 80 hours. During that time the 883 crewmen of the Indy who had survived the initial attack and sinking, were subject to exposure, lack of fresh water and food, and massive shark attacks while awaiting rescue. Only 320 crewmen were ultimately rescued and four of those men died soon after rescue.
There is also a government memorial at Manila American Cemetery and Memorial, Manila Philippines
Plot: Final resting place unknown. Name listed on the Tablets of the Missing.
Gravesite Details
James was lost at sea and this is a family memorial only.
Family Members
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