In Harm's Way: The Sinking of the U.S.S. Indianapolis and the Extraordinary Story of Its Survivors
byDoug Stanton
A secret mission was given to the Indianapolis crew to deliver an enclosed cargo, that item would be parts for the nuclear bomb, Little Boy that was dropped on Hiroshima. After the mission was complete the battle ship set sail and an was later ambushed and sank by a Japanese submarine. This story talks about the disaster, and the story of the survivors from that sinking. I was shocked by the vivid details and the great odds the soldiers faced. You see the guilt of the captain of the ship, the psychological breakdown and even suicide many of the crew made a choice on, but also the braver that allowed some mens lives to be spared.
Motivations to Read
The stories of survival seem to have the best lessons on leadership and bravery and have shaped me in many ways over the years.
3 Reasons to Read
- The story of the sinking of the Indianapolis the heavy cruiser that delivered the little boy, nuclear bomb
- Survival story
- A look into naval procedures
Notable Quotes
“Where does a man go when there are no more corners to turn, when he's running out of hope, out of luck, out of time?” Doug Stanton, In Harm's Way
“They'd been afloat now without food, water, shelter, or sleep for over forty hours. Of the 1,196 crew13 members who'd set sail from Guam three days earlier, probably no more than 600 were still alive. In the previous twenty-four hours alone, at least 200 had likely slipped beneath the waves or been victims of shark attack. Since the sinking, each boy had been floating through the hours asking himself the same hard question: Will I live, or do I quit?” Doug Stanton, In Harm's Way
“. . . the sun set . . . with guillotine-like speed this close to the equator.” Doug Stanton, In Harm's Way
In Harm's Way: The Sinking of the U.S.S. Indianapolis and the Extraordinary Story of Its Survivors Notes & Summary
