Since her day of commencement, the USS Indianapolis had a great career, leaving her mark forever etched in American history. As flagship of the Navy's Scouting Force, she hosted President Roosevelt three times including a state visit to South America in 1936. She was at sea in the Pacific when World War II broke out, and then served in the Aleutian Islands in 1942 and 1943 rather than in the Solomon Islands, as most of her sister pre-war heavy cruisers did. Afterward, she served as Admiral Spruance's Fifth Fleet flagship and was hit by a kamikaze off Okinawa on March 31, 1945, the day before that island was invaded. The USS Indianapolis was the last major American warship to be lost at sea, and has become known as the greatest sea disaster in American naval history. .
The Journey.
After being hit by a kamikaze off the coast of Okinawa Japan, the USS Indianapolis headed for San Francisco, California for much needed repairs. Following the repairs, she received orders to transport top-secret cargo to Tinian Island, a destination 5,000 nautical miles away. "The Captain of the Indianapolis at this time was Capt. McVay and all he told his senior officers of the mission was that it was special. He even admitted, "I can't tell you what the mission is. I don't know myself but I've been told that every day we take off the trip is a day off the war."" Capt. McVay also informed his officers that if for any reason the orders were given to abandon ship, the canister in the Admiral's cabin was to be place in a boat before any crewmember."" (The Tragedy of the Indianapolis).
Upon arriving at Tinian in a 10-day record setting pace, the cargo was unloaded, after which she turned and headed for Guam. Unknown to any of the Indianapolis crew, they had just delivered the core for the Atom Bomb that was to be dropped on Hiroshima Japan only days later. After dropping off passengers at Guam, the Indianapolis and her crew of 1,199 continued unescorted, headed for Leyte in the Philippines.