The USS Indianapolis was the prime battleship of her time. Part of the Pacific Fleet during World War II, she was even chosen as President Roosevelt's flag ship -- the ship he would choose to ride on when visiting troops and such. After a torpedoing that caused some damage, but which she was able to survive, the Indy found herself at a shipyard in San Francisco, getting repairs. Her repairs set to last several months, her crew raced off on liberty and enjoyed the city. But due to a twist of fate, the Indy was brought back for duty far sooner than anyone anticipated, her repairs not yet finished. The importance of the mission that was now hers and her crew's was paramount and top secret. Not even her captain, Charles McVay, fully understood the significance of the cargo he was tasked with delivering to Tinian, an island in the Pacific. He knew only that, if their ship were to be attacked by the enemy, they were to release the cargo into the open ocean. What was this precious cargo? It was the major components of Little Boy, the atomic bomb that would shortly be dropped on Hiroshima.

The USS Indianapolis was successful in its delivery. She followed her next orders, where were to take her to Leyte, another Pacific Island. But en route -- in waters Captain McVay had been assured were free of enemy submarines -- the Indy was torpedoed twice, just after midnight. Within 12 minutes, the battleship had sunk, and several hundred of her crew had been killed. Those who survived believed rescue would come. Of those nearly 900 who made it off the ship and into the salty, unforgiving sea alive, approximately 600 would not find that belief to be true; succumbing first to shark attacks, delirium, and exposure to the sun and saltwater. The loss of life was horrendous, and could have been avoided, had the Navy realized the USS Indianapolis had sunk. But they didn't; and so those survivors fought to stay alive for over 4 days and nights in the treacherous, shark-infested Pacific.

Why didn't the Navy know? What went wrong? How could they have lost track of a ship that, only hours before, was carrying the United States' most effective weapon and means to end the war? Author Doug Stanton delivers the story of the ill-fated battleship and her crew. It is a story of survival and strength, told from interweaving the first-hand accounts of several of the survivors. A tale of honor, courage, and the perseverance of the human soul that will remain in the mind and heart of the reader for years to come.

***I loved this book. Absolutely loved it. I am fascinated by World War II era materials, and also by ship disasters. When I saw this book when I was working at a library, I immediately put it on my "to-read" list. I was not disappointed. Stanton writes this so that it reads like a novel, which I greatly appreciate. The story is poignant, at times horrifying, and altogether unforgettable. I felt emotion welling up within me on more than one occasion, and I can't help but feel hurt and sorrow for Captain McVay and the affect this event had on his life and future. A fabulous read that taught me more about our nation's history, I would recommend this book to anyone.