Seaman Warner Gilbert Jr was on board the USS Indianapolis when she sailed the South Pacific from Guam toward the Philippines in late July 1945. She was torpedoed en route by a Japanese submarine and quickly sank in shark-infested waters. Here are the statistics from the USS Indianapolis memorial website:
"Of the 1,196 aboard, about 900 made it into the water in the twelve minutes before she sank. Few life rafts were released. Most survivors wore the standard kapok life jacket. Shark attacks began with sunrise of the first day, and continued until only 316 men were still alive when rescued, almost five days later."
The Navy records showed 320 survivors, of whom four died shortly after being rescued. The Indianapolis survivors' association after more research determined that 321 survivors were pulled alive out of the water.
USS Indianapolis memorial website
Full list of crew and officers of the Indianapolis
Warner Gilbert family page
"Of the 1,196 aboard, about 900 made it into the water in the twelve minutes before she sank. Few life rafts were released. Most survivors wore the standard kapok life jacket. Shark attacks began with sunrise of the first day, and continued until only 316 men were still alive when rescued, almost five days later."
The Navy records showed 320 survivors, of whom four died shortly after being rescued. The Indianapolis survivors' association after more research determined that 321 survivors were pulled alive out of the water.
USS Indianapolis memorial website
Full list of crew and officers of the Indianapolis
Warner Gilbert family page
Seaman Warner Gilbert Jr was on board the USS Indianapolis when she sailed the South Pacific from Guam toward the Philippines in late July 1945. She was torpedoed en route by a Japanese submarine and quickly sank in shark-infested waters. Here are the statistics from the USS Indianapolis memorial website:
"Of the 1,196 aboard, about 900 made it into the water in the twelve minutes before she sank. Few life rafts were released. Most survivors wore the standard kapok life jacket. Shark attacks began with sunrise of the first day, and continued until only 316 men were still alive when rescued, almost five days later."
The Navy records showed 320 survivors, of whom four died shortly after being rescued. The Indianapolis survivors' association after more research determined that 321 survivors were pulled alive out of the water.
USS Indianapolis memorial website
Full list of crew and officers of the Indianapolis
Warner Gilbert family page
"Of the 1,196 aboard, about 900 made it into the water in the twelve minutes before she sank. Few life rafts were released. Most survivors wore the standard kapok life jacket. Shark attacks began with sunrise of the first day, and continued until only 316 men were still alive when rescued, almost five days later."
The Navy records showed 320 survivors, of whom four died shortly after being rescued. The Indianapolis survivors' association after more research determined that 321 survivors were pulled alive out of the water.
USS Indianapolis memorial website
Full list of crew and officers of the Indianapolis
Warner Gilbert family page
Gravesite Details
Entered the service from Mississippi.
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