An Unforgettable WWII Story of Survival, Courage, and the Sinking of the USS Indianapolis
208 pages / 2016
by Edgar Harrel, USMC
Rating: GOOD/Great/Give
In 1944 Edgar Harrell served on board the USS Indianapolis until the “Indy” was sunk by a Japanese torpedo on July 30, 1945. Her last voyage was to the island of Tinian carrying the component parts for the two atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Because of the secrecy of the mission, no one missed them when they were sunk, and so no one started looking for them. The survivors ended up in the saltwater where they spent five harrowing days plagued by shark attacks, dehydration and saltwater poisoning, paddling in kapok-filled life jackets trying to keep their heads above water. It was only because of a miraculous sighting by a surveillance airplane (whose crew was not even aware of the sinking of the Indy) that the 316 survivors, out of the original crew of 1,195, were finally plucked from the waters.
The theme throughout the book is the great faith of Harrell, who was able to spiritually encourage them while in the water. The Holy Spirit brought Scripture passages to his mind. His group of 17 were brought to the bare bones of their faith, and to the acknowledgment that they were completely dependent on God.
This is a short memoir with a powerful message of faith, trust and dependence on our Creator and could be included in the biographical section of any church library.