[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 115 (Friday, July 15, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1149]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     TRIBUTE TO MARINE PRIVATE FIRST CLASS GILES McCOY AND THE USS 
                         ``INDIANAPOLIS'' CREW

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. WM. LACY CLAY

                              of missouri

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 14, 2016

  Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a constituent of mine, 
Marine Private First Class Giles McCoy, and the rest of the USS 
Indianapolis crew who were on board before the ship was tragically sunk 
on July 30, 1945 just after midnight. Of the 1,196 members who were on 
board, 900 were able to make it into the water. The men floated in the 
water while at the mercy of the sharks lurking beneath them. The 
Captain of the ship was not alerted that there were enemies in the 
water due to the fact that his ship was carrying crucial parts for the 
atomic bomb.
   The crew was sure that they would be rescued after they did not show 
at their destination; however, due to the secrecy of the mission, the 
Navy did no such thing. Slowly, the men perished in the water due to 
lack of hydration and the merciless shark attacks that kept on coming. 
Out of the 900 men who made it into the water, only 317 made it out 
alive. They were accidently spotted by Lieutenant Gwinn while he was on 
patrol in an airplane. This event happened four days after the ship 
sunk. They were rescued after five.
   Tragically, the Navy court martialed Captain McVay for not taking 
precautions like zig zagging his ship to avoid enemy fire; however, he 
was not made aware of the possible enemies lurking nearby the vessel. 
Captain McVay was shamed publically for being responsible for the 
deaths of his crew. He was a recipient of so much hate mail that he 
tragically committed suicide in 1968. He was seventy years old. The 
surviving crew has publically said that they do not believe the Captain 
was at fault, and in 1999 a hearing was held with a survivor, in the 
Senate.
   One survivor, Cleatus Lebow, said at the hearing that Captain McVay 
was unjustly court martialed. His name was cleared with a Senate 
resolution in the year 2000. In 2001, the Secretary of the Navy ordered 
Captain McVay's record to be cleared. The brave crewmembers inspired 
many movies like Men of Courage that was released in 2016. I stand here 
today to honor my constituent who survived the sinking, Marine Private 
First Class Giles McCoy. I honor all of the crew that perished and 
those who survived.

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