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In "In Harm's Way" author Doug Stanton reveals, with brilliant, often heart-breaking detail the tragedy of the USS Indianapolis. Most notable, was the realization that in the final chapter of the Pacific Theater of WWII, complacency and perhaps at least a little anticipation of War's end lead to terrible events that followed the ships historically climactic task of delivering the "Little Boy" atomic bomb to its final departure point at Tinian. A classic comedy of errors plagued the ship and its crew following what must have the most important mission of the ship's career that was anything but comical. To say the events of the several days that followed the sinking were tragic, is to not begin to grasp the meaning of the word. Stanton vividly recounts important facts of the people, situations, procedures and events that would condemn most of the ship's crew to their demise and the rest to perhaps an even worse fate: suffering for days without food or water on the open sea in water teeming with vigilant sharks and the diminishing hope of rescue. The book is daunting and puts blame where perhaps it has been long overdue. The political machinations of the United States Navy have rarely served honorable means, they fall no less short in this gruesome chapter of the Navy’s generally otherwise honored and storied history. It has been my great privilege to meet, if only briefly, one of the book’s main characters and local survivor. For all their suffering, these men survived to tell their tale to men like Stanton, and hopefully serve to prevent such an event from ever recurring. A fascinating and painful book that deserves much praise.Read full review
This is an excellent accounting of the sinking of the Indy. Lots of detail but is an easy read. Keeps your interest throughout the entire book. This writer does not glorify the story. He just gives the facts as given to him by the survivors. Really makes the reader appreciate what these men went through. Highly recommend to anyone interested in the life aboard a navy ship in the 1940s and survival at sea. One of those books that you hate to get to the end because you want more. This book also has some great pictures of the event and the men involved.
Our father was on this ship and was taken off at Pearl by Admiral Nimitz. Dad never recovered from the loss of his ship mates and the bombing of Pearl. He spent the rest of his life in fear, grief, paranoia and guilt that he was a survivor. I have given copies of this book to both my siblings. The reading and our visit to the USS Arizona gave us a much deeper understanding of our father's mental health issues.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
Because I had a friend who survived the sinking, and he gave me a first hand of what they experienced. I bought the first book to be published and gave it to him as a gift.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
There can't be enough said about this historically accurate account of this WW2 event and the dedication it pays to the survivors. Highly recommended.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
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