Comments by "Sar Jim" (@sarjim4381) on "USS Indianapolis - Guide 191" video.
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The sinking and subsequently botched rescue effort, combined with the mendacious and scurrilous effort to save the navy brass on the back of a single captain, was one of the most shameful incidents to have taken place in any modern navy. This was the final incident in the long and rotten career of Admiral Earnest J King, a person who deserves his special place in Hell. There were also many stories of heroism in the rescue, from the PBY pilot alighting on the sea after seeing men in the water being attacked by sharks, machine gunning every shark the crew could see, and then strapping men on the wing to prevent more attacks. The pilot's frantic radio calls bought the USS Cecil J Doyle and her captain, W Graham 'Claytor (later famous as an American railroader) at top speed to the scene, all without orders. The Doyle was a John C Butler class DE, theoretically capable of a top speed of 24 knots. According the the engineering officer, the ship averaged between 28 and 29 knots during the high speed run, surely a record for the class. She was able to save 93 survivors and recover 21 of the dead, all the while towing the PBY and her survivors until the men could be transferred and the PBY was cut lose and sunk by gunfire. In the worst stories of incompetence, stupidity, and lying, a few men shine thorough that uphold the finest traditions of naval service.
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