[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 107 (Friday, July 27, 2001)]
[House]
[Page H4764]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
EXONERATION OF CAPTAIN CHARLES B. McVAY III
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the
gentlewoman from Indiana (Ms. Carson) is recognized for 5 minutes.
Ms. CARSON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to call to the
attention of the House of Representatives a decision by the Department
of the Navy that exonerates the late Charles Butler McVay III, captain
of the heavy cruiser, the USS Indianapolis who was court-martialed and
convicted 56 years ago after his ship sank in the closing days of World
War II.
The survivors of that tragedy, Mr. Speaker, have relentlessly sought
to have Captain McVay vindicated; and those who remain are relieved by
the Navy's long-delayed yet justifiable decision.
On May 14, 1999, I ushered an 11-year-old student from Florida to
drop H.J. Res. 48 into the system for consideration by the House.
Hunter Scott went to a movie in Pensacola, Florida, and saw Jaws, in
which there was a brief soliloquy about the sinking of the USS
Indianapolis. Hunter's interest in the ship's disaster was the
beginning of a school history project, trips to Washington, D.C., media
attention, and an upcoming movie.
Language to exonerate Captain McVay was inserted in the Defense
Authorization Act of 2001. The legislation expresses the sense of
Congress that Captain McVay should be exonerated because some facts
important to the case were never considered by the 1945 court-martial
board. Classified data were not even made available to the board.
Survivors of the greatest sea disaster in our Navy's history at that
time sought to have their captain's name cleared for periods that
spanned several years, oftentimes efforts that drew controversy. The
magnitude of the crusade was elevated by this young man's trip to the
movies, his campaign to derive justice for the captain and the crew.
Indeed, one person can make a difference.
Captain McVay's record has been modified to reflect his exoneration,
a profound tribute to the crew, myself and young Hunter Scott
especially.
Of the 317 survivors of the USS Indianapolis disaster, only 120
remain alive today. One of our strongest supporters has been Michael
Monroney. Mike, the son of the late Senator A.S. Mike Monroney of
Oklahoma and the retired vice president of TWR, Inc., is no stranger to
Indiana. Mike served as administrative assistant to former Congressman
John Brademas of Indiana in his first term.
Mike has an original poem, Mr. Speaker, which tells the story of the
sinking of the USS Indianapolis, the fight for the survival of his
crew, and the steadfast loyalty to their Captain. I submit herewith for
the Record his poem:
A Tribute to the Men of the USS Indianapolis
(By Michael Monroney)
A still across the peaceful night
As the great ship split the sea
No omen nor warning
Of the disaster yet to be
The ship soon steered a straightened course
When the midnight bells did sound
Still no omen nor warning
Of the blast to drive her down
But then it struck in black of night
The death that came their way
With no omen nor warning
With no time for them to pray
The ripping crash of metal torn
The sound of dreadful screams
Though no omen nor a warning
It was, for some, the end of dreams
The torpedo hits had doomed their ship
She slipped into the deep
Too many of her youthful crew
Rode down to eternal sleep
Spread far across the heaving waves
In shock and left alone
The men of the Indianapolis
Had lost their mighty home
The dawn was slow in coming
But, when the sun rose in the sky
You could hear the sounds of moaning
From those who were yet to die
The tropic sea was cold at night
A merciless sun by day
Oh, yes, Lord be my shepherd
For the time had come to pray
They fought the thirst and hunger
And the monster from below
They shared their fears together
And watched their comrades go
As dead men slipped beneath the waves
Those left were heard to say
Oh, Lord, Please be my shepherd
Time had surely come to pray
The days went by, their ranks grew thin
And hopes began to fade
Would salvation ever reach them
As apparitions on them played
Ashore their ship was never missed
Their fate was in God's hands
But upon the empty ocean
Rose visions of fair lands
They had no food nor water
And more their rank grew thin
Until an angel flew above
A man named Wilbur Gwinn
An oil-slicked sea and blackened forms
Is what the pilot saw
What ship has sunk? He asked himself
As he looked down in awe
He dipped his wings, their spirits soared
Help must be on the way
And all their prayers seemed answered
On that sunny August day
Soon a second angel came in sight
His name was Adrian Marks
He set the plane down on the sea
To save them from the sharks
Their prayers were finally answered
Those living had been saved
Oh, yes, the Lord's their shepherd
For their ordeal have been waived
But no so for their captain
His anguish lay ahead
They blamed him for this tragic loss
Unjust charges to him read
His youthful crew was mystified
What could he have done wrong?
A man of such great honor
And they stood behind him strong
The trial took place, the statement heard
But facts were not exposed
The jury's verdict had been made
Yet truth was ne'er disclosed
The captain's name was ruined
And, though many questioned why,
So great the weight upon him
By his own hand did he die
Yet he's never been forgotten
By his crew he's still revered
And they'll remain united
Until his name's cleared
They seek the wrongful verdict
Struck from their captain's name
And all left from that fateful night
Stay angered by his shame
Their numbers dwindle through the years
Yet their fervor is still high
For their captain they'll seek justice
Until the last of them shall die
As legend grows around these men
Their story transcends time
Such loyalty to their captain
Should also live in rhyme
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