My wife and I were in Tucson a few days ago, and needing a steak dinner, went to the Texas Roadhouse. While enjoying our dinner, I noticed there was a young woman sitting at the bar, wearing a cap and a T-shirt both with the legend "USS Indianapolis".

Curious, I went to talk to her. She is part of a group that works with the remaining survivors (now 16 out of the 316 original survivors); and she attends the reunion of the crew in Indianapolis, IN each year.

She urged me to buy and read a book and I am doing that.

Here is the book link on Amazon:

Indianapolis: The True Story of the Worst Sea Disaster in U.S. Naval History and the Fifty-Year Fight to Exonerate an Innocent Man

The book is written by two young women, one of whom, Sara Vladic, has been obsessed with the story of the Indianapolis since age 13. The story is told with great attention to detail and accuracy; a great deal of research and hundreds of interviews went into the writing of it. As important, the story is told with great reverence for the human cost of this tragedy, yet it is as thrilling to read as, for example, Lauren Hillenbrand's Unbroken.

The book was written prior to the discovery of the wreckage of the Indianapolis by Paul Allen's group, but an afterword regarding this is included.

Highly recommended to those who feel drawn to military history, and to patriots in general.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: sjtill,

I just finished reading Out of the Depths, a first-hand account of the sinking and aftermath.

The Indy has always fascinated me. It's one of the past century's great stories.

Thanks for the recommendation. Got on the list for the library kindle (and hardcover - shorter list).

I read that book just after it came out to my local library. I was really impressed by the authors and their research and contacted Sara, who is on the book of faces. She is very nice.
Coincidently, I had met one of the survivors (Cletus Lebow) in the airport at DFW. He was just getting back from the annual survivors reunion. I chatted with him for a few moments. It was definitely a thrill to meet him.

I was astonished that two young women would be able to write a book that--so far as I, a civilian, can tell--is so accurate in details, and clearly driven by their desire to "evangelize" about this remarkable and tragic story.
I'm only about half-way through--just after the rescue.