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Indianapolis

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Indianapolis

By: Lynn Vincent
Narrated by: John Bedford Lloyd
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About this listen

 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * “GRIPPING…THIS YARN HAS IT ALL.” —USA TODAY * “A WONDERFUL BOOK.” —The Christian Science Monitor * “ENTHRALLING.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review) * “A MUST-READ.” —Booklist (starred review)

A human drama unlike any other—the riveting and definitive full story of the worst sea disaster in United States naval history.

Just after midnight on July 30, 1945, the USS Indianapolis is sailing alone in the Philippine Sea when she is sunk by two Japanese torpedoes. For the next five nights and four days, almost three hundred miles from the nearest land, nearly nine hundred men battle injuries, sharks, dehydration, insanity, and eventually each other. Only 316 will survive.

For the first time Lynn Vincent and Sara Vladic tell the complete story of the ship, her crew, and their final mission to save one of their own in “a wonderful book…that features grievous mistakes, extraordinary courage, unimaginable horror, and a cover-up…as complete an account of this tragic tale as we are likely to have” (The Christian Science Monitor). It begins in 1932, when Indianapolis is christened and continues through World War II, when the ship embarks on her final world-changing mission: delivering the core of the atomic bomb to the Pacific for the strike on Hiroshima.

“Simply outstanding…Indianapolis is a must-read…a tour de force of true human drama” (Booklist, starred review) that goes beyond the men’s rescue to chronicle the survivors’ fifty-year fight for justice on behalf of their skipper, Captain Charles McVay III, who is wrongly court-martialed for the sinking. “Enthralling…A gripping study of the greatest sea disaster in the history of the US Navy and its aftermath” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review), Indianapolis stands as both groundbreaking naval history and spellbinding narrative—and brings the ship and her heroic crew back to full, vivid, unforgettable life. “Vincent and Vladic have delivered an account that stands out through its crisp writing and superb research…Indianapolis is sure to hold its own for a long time” (USA TODAY). Armed Forces Maritime History & Piracy Military Naval Forces World Survival Heartfelt War Franklin D Roosevelt
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It is wonderful to finally see justice done for this great ship and her brave crew.And not least finally justice done for Captain McVeigh. I have always had great regard for this American cruiser from a young age. And I have great regard for the veterans and lost crew of USS Indianapolis and the horrors that suffered in the water, I am not and American I am British and the story should be told around the world and of the great injustices that were done to this brave ships captain.🇬🇧🤝🇺🇸 respect....

Very moving

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One of the best in depth accounts of this tragic incident. I highly recommend this book.

A real in depth rendition

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absolutely loved this book , very poignant and does justice to the valiant men who served on the ship and justice(although belated) to the captain.
This book also helps expose the corrupt activities of the top brass in the US Navy and helps to restore some of the injustices done to the captain

Fantastic

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Truly stunning listen from start to finish. The authors have done an amazing job in uncovering the full story of the Indianapolis disaster following its successful delivery of the nuclear bomb in 1945. The stories of the men that survived the harrowing disaster give you a detailed picture of the horrors that befell not only the crew before the Japanese torpedoes struck USS Indy, but also the progressive diminishing of the survivors who initially survived the sinking but failed to last the five days at sea. Superbly presented, this is quite a listen that will long remember.

INDY TRUE STORY

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Review 10 - Indianapolis by Lynn Vincent and Sara Vladic, narrated by John Bedford Lloyd I loved this book, within 3 hours of listening to this audiobook, I was absolutely loving it. I especially liked the way the authors included the USS Indianapolis SSN-697 (which at the time was a Los Angeles class fast attack submarine) into the narrative and how her captain, William Toti, was involved with the ship throughout his career. He spent a part of his early career learning about the ship which this book is about and predated the SSN-697 Indianapolis. There were a number of things about this book which I won't reveal as I don't want to spoil them, but they were really touching especially what Captain Toti did when his submarine was due to be decommissioned. The number of errors which led to the survivors not being found for so long were unbelievable. I'm not going to reveal those errors but I think if you read this book or listen to the audio book you will be disgusted by the size of the errors that were made. The heroism of the men of USS Indianapolis CA-35 and the forces that were involved in the rescue of the survivors was astounding. The treatment of Indianapolis's captain, Charles McVay, following the sinking was disgusting and what happened to him 25 years after the sinking was terrible. If you have ever seen the Nicolas Cage film about this, you will know what I mean. This book is about the greatest at sea loss of life from a single ship in the history of the US Navy, but the story told is fantastic. This book made me wonder how the crew of the Indianapolis could have been left in the water for 4 days and 5 nights. If it wasn't for a lucky sighting of the oil slick from the wreck by a patrol plane, then I was wondering if they would have ever been rescued. This book is split into 5 separate books, the last of which is about the fight to exonerate their captain, Charles McVay, which involves US congressman, Commander William Toti and finally, a young school student named Hunter Scott (an 8th grader) who wrote a project about the Indianapolis. Hunter Scott was influential in getting this going. I can't recommend it enough. The narrator (John Bedford Lloyd) does a fantastic job and made this a very enjoyable book to listen. This book has made me want to read it as a physical book and I will be buying it in the near future. I have also found another book on Ebay which is mentioned in this book, even going as far as having interviews with various survivors including Captain Charles McVay. To the men of the USS Indianapolis who are forever on patrol, may you rest in peace. To those who have joined their crewmates, rest in peace. 5* *****

U.S.S. Indianapolis CA-35 : 5*

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