[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 160 (Thursday, November 13, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2371]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 HUNTER SCOTT VINDICATES CAPTAIN McVAY

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JOE SCARBOROUGH

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, November 13, 1997

  Mr. SCARBOROUGH. Mr. Speaker, I want to call the attention of my 
colleagues to the work of 12-year-old Hunter Scott, from my hometown of 
Pensacola, FL. Hunter was recently featured on the NBC Nightly News 
``American Spirit'' segment for his work in vindicating Captain McVay, 
skipper of the U.S.S. Indianapolis.
  Captain McVay was commander of the World War II heavy cruiser, the 
U.S.S. Indianapolis. On July 30, 1945, after delivering the atom bomb 
to the Enola Gay on the Pacific Island of Tinian, the U.S.S. 
Indianapolis was torpedoed by the Japanese sub I-58, and sank in 12 
minutes. The first torpedo knocked out all power, the SOS was ignored. 
Since arrivals of combat ships were not then reported, no one knew the 
ship was sunk. Of the 1,196 men aboard, 300 went down with the ship. 
After 4\1/2\ days without food or water, they were discovered by 
chance. Only 316 survived the shark attacks in the Philippine Sea.
  McVay was court-martialed and convicted on a micro-technicality, 
making him the only skipper in history court-martialed for losing his 
ship in combat. Survivors felt their captain was a scapegoat and, with 
the McVay family, have tried unsuccessfully to vindicate him for years. 
Captain McVay committed suicide in 1968, and the guilty verdict still 
stands.
  One year ago, Hunter saw the movie ``Jaws,'' and was so taken by 
Captain Quint's soliloquy on his hatred of sharks due to being a shark 
bitten Indy survivor, he decided to find out more. He placed an ad in a 
military based newspaper at Pensacola Naval Air Station, searching for 
survivors. He discovered 80 survivors, and became aware of five books 
and documentaries highlighting Captain McVay. Hunter took the 
extraordinary step of interviewing survivors, examining documentary 
evidence and beginning his personal mission to search out the truth.
  Hunter Scott, who now aspires to be a Navy Blue Angel, explains that 
the action taken against Captain McVay was misguided. He has focused a 
tremendous amount of effort and energy on clearing the good captain's 
name.
  Hunter has requested Congress' support his efforts to expunge the 
court-martial from Captain McVay's record. I hope my colleagues will 
join me in supporting the efforts of this tremendous young man.
  An even greater wish of mine is that Hunter Scott's example of 
courage and diligence in seeking the truth will be followed not only by 
his peers but also by adults inside Congress and across America.

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