
Swimming with Sharks: Navy Physician Remembers the Indianapolis Disaster - curtis
http://navymedicine.navylive.dodlive.mil/archives/9206
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rolal
This is the second in a series of three articles. The first and third parts
are
[http://navymedicine.navylive.dodlive.mil/archives/9200](http://navymedicine.navylive.dodlive.mil/archives/9200)
and
[http://navymedicine.navylive.dodlive.mil/archives/9242](http://navymedicine.navylive.dodlive.mil/archives/9242)
They are all worth reading.

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michaelcampbell
I wonder how many people were introduced to this story from that scene in
"Jaws"...

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marcelftw
I don't get it ... from the intro it seems the shark took away living human
down in the water. From the conclusion, it seems the shark only bite the dead
humans floating with the living human. Not even "taking them" ... a weird
read.

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shams93
It makes sense, humans are not normal food for sharks. However once you're
dead you're just floating meat in the water, the shark can take you without
risking any injury to itself. Sharks are more intelligent than we generally
assume, most shark attacks are not to eat people, they take a chunk out of a
person by mistake.

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mannykannot
I'm not sure that it is quite that clear-cut - if you are vaguely seal-shaped,
and furthermore not moving with the speed and agility of a healthy seal, you
might push a big shark's 'looks like food' button.

Staying together in a big, tight group might have been key.

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GurnB
I recommend the following book that details the U.S.S. Indianapolis.

In Harm's Way: The Sinking of the U.S.S. Indianapolis and the Extraordinary
Story of Its Survivors by Doug Stanton (Mass Market Paperback)

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KnightOfWords
A truly disturbing yet essential read.

Sounds like the reports of shark attacks on the living were greatly
exaggerated, but its no wonder if men were hallucinating from dehydration and
fever.

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sizzzzlerz
Sharks or no, it still had to be pretty terrifying to be floating in the ocean
without knowing when or if you were going to be rescued. But, like most
stories taken from actual events, there always seems to be a person or persons
who step up to help others without regard to their own well-being. I hope
Capt. Haynes received recognition for his efforts in keeping so many alive.

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pcunite
A word of mouth documentary:

[https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M0ULKCM](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M0ULKCM)

Also this survivor has a website of the event

[http://indysurvivor.com](http://indysurvivor.com)

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joshuaheard
I read recently that Steven Spielberg wanted to make Jaws 2 about the U.S.S.
Indianapolis, but the studio took the series in another direction so he quit.

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joekrill
I don't suppose there's any way to listen to the audio of these? Is it public?
Or online? All of the "oral history" links are 404s.

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RickJWagner
Wow. Unimagineable.

I hope we never have such a war again.

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djbelieny
We won't. If any new conflict actually escalates to the proportions of a world
war it'll be much much worse than the world wars of the past, it'll be a
thermonuclear holocaust, an extinction scale event. Apparently, we as a
species, have learned nothing.

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joshstrange
Dear god, the scrolling is breakneck due to some stupid JS plugin or something

