James, who resided at R.D. 2, Laurel, Delaware, served as a Seaman First Class with the U.S.S. Indianapolis, U.S. Navy during World War II.
The Indianapolis was struck on her starboard bow by two Type 95 torpedoes from the Japanese submarine I-58 approximately half way between Guam and the Philippines. The explosions caused massive damage. The Indianapolis took on a heavy list, and settled by the bow. Twelve minutes later, she rolled completely over, then her stern rose into the air, and she plunged down during the war.
Out of a total crew of 1,196, approximately 310 went down with ship and approximately 880 were set adrift. The Navy was, at that time, unaware that anything had happened to the ship until survivor were seen adrift in the water. When spotted they had been adrift three and a half days. Out of the 880 only 321 survived with 4 of them dying within the next few days.
James was declared "Missing In Action" in this sinking during the war.
He had served in the Navy for one year and five months at the time of his death and was decorated with a Purple Heart.
Service # 9064873
James also has a "Cenotaph" in the Beechwood Memorial Cemetery, Princess Anne, Maryland.
( see below family links )
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Historical Note: The Indianapolis was assigned a secret mission which they completed only four days prior to the ships sinking. On July 16th they departed San Francisco heading to Tinian island carrying parts and the enriched uranium (about half of the world's supply of Uranium-235 at the time) for the atomic bomb Little Boy, which would later be dropped on Hiroshima. They successfully completed that mission.
Bio by:
Russ Pickett
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Indianapolis was struck on her starboard bow by two Type 95 torpedoes from the Japanese submarine I-58 approximately half way between Guam and the Philippines. The explosions caused massive damage. The Indianapolis took on a heavy list, and settled by the bow. Twelve minutes later, she rolled completely over, then her stern rose into the air, and she plunged down during the war.
Out of a total crew of 1,196, approximately 310 went down with ship and approximately 880 were set adrift. The Navy was, at that time, unaware that anything had happened to the ship until survivor were seen adrift in the water. When spotted they had been adrift three and a half days. Out of the 880 only 321 survived with 4 of them dying within the next few days.
James was declared "Missing In Action" in this sinking during the war.
He had served in the Navy for one year and five months at the time of his death and was decorated with a Purple Heart.
Service # 9064873
James also has a "Cenotaph" in the Beechwood Memorial Cemetery, Princess Anne, Maryland.
( see below family links )
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Historical Note: The Indianapolis was assigned a secret mission which they completed only four days prior to the ships sinking. On July 16th they departed San Francisco heading to Tinian island carrying parts and the enriched uranium (about half of the world's supply of Uranium-235 at the time) for the atomic bomb Little Boy, which would later be dropped on Hiroshima. They successfully completed that mission.
Bio by:
Russ Pickett
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
James, who resided at R.D. 2, Laurel, Delaware, served as a Seaman First Class with the U.S.S. Indianapolis, U.S. Navy during World War II.
The Indianapolis was struck on her starboard bow by two Type 95 torpedoes from the Japanese submarine I-58 approximately half way between Guam and the Philippines. The explosions caused massive damage. The Indianapolis took on a heavy list, and settled by the bow. Twelve minutes later, she rolled completely over, then her stern rose into the air, and she plunged down during the war.
Out of a total crew of 1,196, approximately 310 went down with ship and approximately 880 were set adrift. The Navy was, at that time, unaware that anything had happened to the ship until survivor were seen adrift in the water. When spotted they had been adrift three and a half days. Out of the 880 only 321 survived with 4 of them dying within the next few days.
James was declared "Missing In Action" in this sinking during the war.
He had served in the Navy for one year and five months at the time of his death and was decorated with a Purple Heart.
Service # 9064873
James also has a "Cenotaph" in the Beechwood Memorial Cemetery, Princess Anne, Maryland.
( see below family links )
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Historical Note: The Indianapolis was assigned a secret mission which they completed only four days prior to the ships sinking. On July 16th they departed San Francisco heading to Tinian island carrying parts and the enriched uranium (about half of the world's supply of Uranium-235 at the time) for the atomic bomb Little Boy, which would later be dropped on Hiroshima. They successfully completed that mission.
Bio by:
Russ Pickett
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Indianapolis was struck on her starboard bow by two Type 95 torpedoes from the Japanese submarine I-58 approximately half way between Guam and the Philippines. The explosions caused massive damage. The Indianapolis took on a heavy list, and settled by the bow. Twelve minutes later, she rolled completely over, then her stern rose into the air, and she plunged down during the war.
Out of a total crew of 1,196, approximately 310 went down with ship and approximately 880 were set adrift. The Navy was, at that time, unaware that anything had happened to the ship until survivor were seen adrift in the water. When spotted they had been adrift three and a half days. Out of the 880 only 321 survived with 4 of them dying within the next few days.
James was declared "Missing In Action" in this sinking during the war.
He had served in the Navy for one year and five months at the time of his death and was decorated with a Purple Heart.
Service # 9064873
James also has a "Cenotaph" in the Beechwood Memorial Cemetery, Princess Anne, Maryland.
( see below family links )
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Historical Note: The Indianapolis was assigned a secret mission which they completed only four days prior to the ships sinking. On July 16th they departed San Francisco heading to Tinian island carrying parts and the enriched uranium (about half of the world's supply of Uranium-235 at the time) for the atomic bomb Little Boy, which would later be dropped on Hiroshima. They successfully completed that mission.
Bio by:
Russ Pickett
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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