Comments by "AtomicBabel" (@AtomicBabel) on "USS Indianapolis - Guide 191" video.

  1. A moment for remembering the human tragidity that came to an end 75 years ago this month.
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  2. In all honesty, if the sinking occurred a month earlier, it would be recorded as another "typical" wartime loss. The press would talk about the heroism of the men, the rescuers and the sacrifices of the families for the ultimate victory. No tribunals, at worst an inquiry and even a few medals to go around. That this news broke after the world started to celebrate the end of hostilities was a shocking blow in the US. Just, imagine the joy one moment that your son is no longer in harm's way and then to receive the news that he is already dead and died tragically. To the bereaved, it transcends a war loss and can easily turn into blame for an institution and a person's actions. The USN caved and offered McVey's head, far far far from a moment in the "finest tradition" of the service.
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  3. It's been a long time since my middle school English class book report on the story of this ship. By the time the the sinking and loss of life were reaching the news, the war was supposed to be over with the dropping of the 2 atomic bombs and VJ day. It was a shock to all that were celebrating that the killing was at at end and loved ones were coming home.
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  4. I wrote it on another thread and will offer it here as well. If the Indianapolis was loss a month before, it would be another of the many war losses. The reporting that the ship was sunk with great loss of life came at the wrong time because it was the same time that peace was declared.. The atomic bombings were within days of the rescue efforts and VJ day was the 15 th of August. The world was celebrating the end of the war and that the killing and dying will finally stop. Loved ones were supposed to be safe and will come home. Then the news of the tragedy of the Indianapolis made it to the papers, shock and outrage followed. All those men that were suppose to come home were in reality already dead. The navy needed to cover a political and publicity disaster and McVay was sacrificed.
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  5.  chris younts  that is so true! You can patiently provide a technical or historically accurate answer to a farcical, uninformed and or lazy question and they get offended and let you know about it.
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  6.  @TEHSTONEDPUMPKIN  there is a TV movie made of the Indianapolis called Mission of the Shark with Stacey Keach portraying CAPT McVay. The tribunal was included.
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  7.  @burtony3  and there was one, can't remember much from it, except for the miserable climate and the aforementioned dogs.
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