[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 181 (Tuesday, November 7, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1525]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   RECOGNIZING THE CREW OF U.S.S. ``INDIANAPOLIS'' FOR THEIR COVERT 
OPERATION TO BRING OVER COMPONENTS OF THE ``LITTLE BOY'' ATOMIC BOMB TO 
                                 TINIAN

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. DAVID P. ROE

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, November 7, 2017

  Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, today I honor the nearly 1200 crew 
members who were aboard the U.S.S. Indianapolis when it was attacked by 
a Japanese submarine in the early morning of July 30, 1945. Among those 
sailors was Seaman Second Class James Smith, a resident of the First 
Congressional District now living in Blountville, Tennessee.
  The ``Indy'' was returning from a secret trip to Tinian, carrying 
critical parts and the enriched uranium for the atomic bomb Little Boy, 
when it was struck by two torpedoes that caused massive damage to the 
hull. She sank after only 12 minutes. While approximately 900 of the 
crew members made it into the water after the attack, only a fraction 
of them survived the conditions in which they found themselves. Seaman 
Smith was one of just over 300 survivors, and had to survive for nearly 
four days in shark-infested waters relying on few food rations before 
being rescued.
  As an Army veteran myself, I extend my most sincere gratitude and 
appreciation to James and his shipmates for their service, and offer my 
condolences to the families of the sailors lost at sea. With the 
wreckage having recently been located on August 19th of this year, it 
is yet another reminder of their incredible sacrifice, and gives us an 
opportunity to recognize them for taking on a mission that was so 
important to ending World War II.
  I was proud to join Congressman Bishop last week in introducing 
legislation that would authorize the Congressional Gold Medal to be 
awarded to the crew of the U.S.S. Indianapolis in recognition of their 
perseverance, their bravery and their service to our nation. I am 
forever grateful to the men and women who serve our great nation, 
especially to those who make the ultimate sacrifice in order to protect 
our freedom.

                          ____________________