"I would not have hesitated to serve under him again. His treatment by the Navy was unforgivable and shameful."
-From statement submitted at September 1999 Senate hearing by Florian Stamm, USS Indianapolis Survivor; USSIndianapolisCA35.org
A 1920 graduate from the US Naval Academy, Charles Butler McVay III had a career as a Naval officer with a perfect record whose father, Admiral Charles Butler McVay II, had once commanded the Navy's Asiatic Fleet in the early 1900s. Before taking command of the Indy in November 1944, Captain McVay was chairman of the Allies' highest intelligence unit, Joint Intelligence Committee of the combined chiefs of staff in Washington.
-From statement submitted at September 1999 Senate hearing by Florian Stamm, USS Indianapolis Survivor; USSIndianapolisCA35.org
A 1920 graduate from the US Naval Academy, Charles Butler McVay III had a career as a Naval officer with a perfect record whose father, Admiral Charles Butler McVay II, had once commanded the Navy's Asiatic Fleet in the early 1900s. Before taking command of the Indy in November 1944, Captain McVay was chairman of the Allies' highest intelligence unit, Joint Intelligence Committee of the combined chiefs of staff in Washington.
Captain McVay, was one of the lucky survivors, but once he got home he wasn't sure how lucky he really was. He was court-martialed and convicted of "hazarding his ship by failing to zigzag". Despite huge evidence that the Navy itself had placed the ship in harm's way, and despite that over 350 Navy ships were lost in combat during WWII, McVay was the only captain to be court-martialed. The Navy also purposefully waited to declare the loss of the Indianapolis until right before Truman announced Japan's surrender to the country. They did this because they knew how huge of a mistake had been made, so now the problem could easier be blamed on Mcvay and citizens would be more caught up in the surrender. Due to huge ammounts of hatred aimed towards him, Mcvay took his own life on November 6, 1968.
In October of 2000, after years of effort by the survivors and their supporters, legislation was passed in Washington, signed by President Clinton, saying that Captain McVay's record should say he is not responsible for the loss of the Indianapolis and for the deaths of the crew.
In July of 2001 the Navy Department announced that Captain McVay's record had been amended to not blame him for the loss of the Indianapolis and the lives of those who were taken as a result of the sinking. The advocating survivors were grateful to Secretary of the Navy Gordon R. England, New Hampshire Senator Bob Smith, and Hunter Scott of Pensacola, Florida, all of whom brought the injustice done to captain Mcvay to the media and Congress.
Unfortunately, the conviction for hazarding his ship by failing to zigzag remains on Captain McVay's record. Never in the history of the U.S. military has the verdict of a court-martial been changed, and there is no process set up for doing so.
In October of 2000, after years of effort by the survivors and their supporters, legislation was passed in Washington, signed by President Clinton, saying that Captain McVay's record should say he is not responsible for the loss of the Indianapolis and for the deaths of the crew.
In July of 2001 the Navy Department announced that Captain McVay's record had been amended to not blame him for the loss of the Indianapolis and the lives of those who were taken as a result of the sinking. The advocating survivors were grateful to Secretary of the Navy Gordon R. England, New Hampshire Senator Bob Smith, and Hunter Scott of Pensacola, Florida, all of whom brought the injustice done to captain Mcvay to the media and Congress.
Unfortunately, the conviction for hazarding his ship by failing to zigzag remains on Captain McVay's record. Never in the history of the U.S. military has the verdict of a court-martial been changed, and there is no process set up for doing so.