In Harm's Way - Doug Stanton - 5 Stars

[Olivermagnus]

Anyone who has seen the original Jaws movie will probably remember the story told by the character, Quint, about the USS Indianapolis. On the night of July 29th, 1945, the USS Indianapolis, returning from a secret mission to deliver the Hiroshima atomic bomb, was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine and sunk within minutes. Of the approximately 1200 men on board, around 300 were killed immediately, and about 900 made into into the water alive. Even though the ship radioed for help, the message couldn't be confirmed, so the messages were ignored. The surviving men were picked up four and half days later after a bomber flying overhead happened to notice the oil slick in the water and groups of men in the water. By the time they were rescued, only a little more than 300 of the original 900 had survived. The rest had succumbed to injuries, dehydration, hallucinations, and of course, the sharks.

Upon rescue, the Navy decided to court-martial survivor, Captain McVay. In an amazing turn, the Navy summoned Japanese Commander Hashimoto to testify about the incident. The prosecution's theory of the case was that McVay's failure to zig-zag had been responsible for the sinking. I won't say any more because to do so would spoil a fascinating glimpse into the long lasting tragedy that became the legacy of the Indianapolis.

I first read this after attending my father-in-law's funeral. He was in the Navy during WWII and some of his old shipmates came to the cemetery. While speaking with one of the men, he mentioned he was a survivor of the Indianapolis. It's a tragic story filled with moments of great human endurance. The author did a wonderful job of laying out the timeline and making it a story you won't soon forget.

[Joanne]

I just started reading this one. I am about 1/3 of the way in and already feel it will be a 5 star read. Great review, thanks for sharing!

[Book Concierge]

I absolutely loved this book. I've read it twice (at least).

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