It seems appropriate that I finish the book “In Harm’s Way” today on the 71st anniversary of Pearl Harbor. The book is the story of the torpedoing of the USS Indianapolis. The Battle Cruiser was making its way to Leyte after delivering the Atomic Bomb “Little Boy” to the island of Tinian. Ultimately that cargo would lead to the end of the war that Japan forced the United States into on December 7, 1941.
The story of the Indianapolis ; its sinking, the terrible struggle of the 900 or so men who remained alive when the ship disappeared from site only 14 minutes after 2 torpedoes ripped through its hull and the ultimate rescue of just 317 of the initial crew of over 1,100 is one of the most amazing stories I have ever read. It is only one of the thousands of tales of heroism and horror of WWII. Unfortunately, without horror heroism cannot exist.
In 4 days adrift after the sinking of one of the Flagship Cruisers of the US Navy the devil surely showed his face to the fighting men who were the passengers and crew of the Indianapolis. From the initial contact of the first torpedo from the Japanese I-58 submarine, to the sighting of the first shark who brought hundreds with him to feed on the wounded sailors and Marines; to the dehydrated and delusional young men stripping off their life preservers to sink to their deaths because they could go on no longer; to psychosis setting in and the survivors attacking one another and finally to exhaustion, shark attacks and mental maladies claiming hundreds more lives even as rescue planes and ships pulled the survivors out of the water, this event embodied all forms of tragedy.
All of us have relatives that fought in World War II. My dad was a Marine and was awarded Purple Hearts from wounds at Tarawa and Saipan. Because of my close friendship with my dad I have been lucky enough to spend many hours with men that served in World War II. Men that fought with friends who died to make sure that our Country remained free. What an unbelievable group of heroes. I give thanks and prayers for all of them on the anniversary of a horrific day in their lives and the lives of so many families that lost loved ones on December 7, 1941.
Years ago (on a day that God showed himself to me and the aforementioned Devil was nowhere to be found) I ran into my Dad’s best friend Bob Lee in front of Napoleon’s tomb in Paris. Three million people and I run into my fishing buddy Bob Lee from Beaumont, Texas… there are no coincidences. Bob took us to dinner that night and we talked about the invasion of Normandy. Bob was wounded during the fighting in the countryside after landing at Utah beach. This trip in 1999 was Mr. Lee’s first trip back since 1945.
That night as I overflowed with awe and respect for the men of the Greatest Generation Bob stopped me short and told me the story of his 21st birthday.
“Aw hell William!” his big jovial voice boomed. “We weren’t doing anything different than you were in your 20’s. Drinkin’ and chasing girls. We just happened to be doing it in France. Most the time we just walked through the hedges and kept our heads low”. His big smile and round red face glowed as he continued. “I turned 21 over here. That night I shot a chicken with my M1; we stole a bottle of calvados from a farm, got drunk and boiled that bird with a bouillon cube in my helmet. Pretty darn good birthday”. Bob laughed that fantastic deep throated, strong laugh I love so much and that was the end of the conversation. That’s the way he wanted it. That’s what he wanted to remember that night.
Well Bob I know you all hold back on us. We hear way more of the good than the bad, but we appreciate every bit of it. We appreciate what all of you did in the Pacific and in Europe. Joe Bob kinsel Sr. navigating men to safety on runs that weren’t made to be run. Buddy Arnoult keeping men alive in planes that had more wrong than right with them. Captain McVay, the Commander of the Indianapolis, leading his men while waiting for sure death as no rescue boats were sent to a ship no one missed. You all fought for our Country and for our future. We honor you and we thank you.
On this day that lives in infamy. God Bless all of the veterans of World War II. God Bless the young men and women who have ever served in our military and those that serve today and God Bless America.
Will
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