Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1945-12-27
BY MALCOLM JOHNSON,

NEW YORK, Dec. 27.-I was
among the first to interview Capt
Charles B. McVay III and other
survivors of the cruiser Indianapolis
who were rescued after four night
marish days in the open sea, many
of them without RATS or even life
jackets. This was at Peleliu in the
Palau Islands, early in August, just
after the rescue had been effected,
and about 10 days before the Navy
saw fit to release news of the dis
aSter.
To obtain that story Cater sab
otaged by the Navy, correspondents
had flown to Peleliu from Guam
The sight of that pitiful handful of
survivors, all suffering from the ef-
fects of their frightful experience,
many Of them in no condition to
talk, is still fresh in my memory. AS
is known now, there were only 315
known survivors of the ships COM
plement of 1893 men.
In the hospital at Peleliu we talked
with Capt. McVay for the better
part of an afternoon. He told a
vivid story, describing in detail the
terrific explosion which sent the
indianapolis to the bottom in Is
minutes, and the horrors of the en-
suing days in the open sea. Aware
that there would be court of in
quiry into the sinking, Capt. McVay
had the forethought to have a
stenographer present at the inter-
view. The transcript Of his state
ment that day, together with the
many pointed questions put to him
by the correspondents, should make
good reading.
1t soon developed that although
the Indianapolis was long overdue
at her destination in Leyte Gulf
no search was instituted for her
and presumably no inquiry was
made as to her whereabouts. Then,
as now, this was the big mystery
concerning the Indianapolis. Why,
We asked Capt. McVay that day,
was no search begun?
The captains reply was firm. en-
phatic and to point. That" he said
and there was more than trace
Of Indignation in his voice-"is my
$64 question, and I intend to ask 1t. y
He left no doubt that in his opin-
ion a search should have been in
stituted within "a hours after the
Indianapolis was overdue.
He told us that he was due ir
Leyte Gulf at II am Tuesday, July
81, and furthermore he had asked
for target planes to meet his ship
at 8 am. on that day to provide
sleeve practice for his gunners.
Captains Query Unanswered.
Presumably those planes went tc
the rendezvous and saw that the
Indianapolis was missing. Yet SC
far as is known no inquiry was
made then about her! So far as
the public knows the Navy to this
day has not yet answered that s64
question of Capt. McVay's. Why
Capt. McVay told us when his
damage-control officer first recon-.
mended that he give the order tt
abandon ship he had demurred
The ship at the moment was on 6
fairly even keel, he said, and hi
wanted to find out, If possible, the
extent OF the damage. This, hi
said, was within a very few min.
utes after the explosion. A few
minutes later, however, on the ad.
vice of his executive officer. Capt
McVay said he did give the ordel
to abandon ship. But the ship!
INSTRUMENTATION system hac
been knocked out and it was neces.
sary to pass this order along by
word of mouth.
Returning to Guam the CORE
spondents prepared their stories
all inquiring extensively why NJ
search had been made for the shir
and all pointing out that the first
survivors were sighted, quite by
accident, by a Navy plane on 8
routine flight. This was on August
"a, and the first survivors were picked
up by destroyer early the fol-
lowing morning.
Story Held Up.
In my opinion. the peculiar man.
ner in which the Navy finally re.
leased the Indianapolis story is GER
tainly open to question. Through
official channels, Guam asked the
Navy Department in Washington
whether the stories could be re-
leased from Guam, if and when
Washington gave the word. No
Washington replied, the copy would
have to be sent to Washington. The
correspondents prepared their stories