Evening star., 1946-02-23
|McvaySentence
Is Ren1itted al
|Court'sRequest
Four Are Reprimonded
Or Admonished for
Loss Of Indianapolis

The Navy announced today
that Capt. Charles B. McVay III
was found guilty of negligence
IN the sinking of the cruiser In
dlanapolis last July 30 with the
loss of $50 creWmen, but that his
sentence had been remitted and
he had been restored to duty "in
view of his previous outstanding
record"
-Four other officers responsible
for failing to send rescue ships to
the scene Immediately were ordered
reprimanded or admonished by
Secretary of the Navy Forrestal
after a separate investigation, the
Navy disclosed simultaneously.
Capt. McVay, who lives at 2126
Connecticut avenue NV, had been
sentenced by a court-martial to a
reduction of 100 numbers in his
temporary grade of captain and 100
numbers in his permanent grade
OF commander, the Navy announce
ment revealed. Had the penalty
remained against his record, it
would have held up his promotion
for about four years.
Admiral Chester w. Nimitz, chief
OF naval operations, revealed, how
ever, that the Court Martial Board,
which completed its hearings De-
cember l9 at the Naval Gun Fac
tory here, had unanimously recon-
mended clemency because of Capt.
McVay's outstanding previous rec
ord.
King Approved Clemency.
This was concurred in by Admiral
Ernest j. King, retired chief of
naval operations, and by Secretary
of the Navy Forrestal.
High Navy officials had called q
special press conference this morn
ing to announce the findings.
Vice Admiral Louis E. Denfeld,
chief of Naval personnel, when asked
how the verdict would affect the
future of Capt. McVay in the Navy,
replied:
Il question if he will ever get
a command of great responsibility"
The four officers punished for
their part in failing to send rescue
ships until after the Indianapolis
survivors were accidentally dis
covered afloat by a patrol plane,
we're:
Commodore N. C. Gillette, U. S. N,
of Chicago, acting commander of
the Philippine sea frontier on Leyte
at the time. A letter of repri-
mand was issued which will become
part Of his permanent official record
and affect his future promotions and
commands.
Capt. A. M Granum, U. S. N. of
Milwaukee, who was operations off,
Ger of the Philippine sea frontier
at the time. He, also, was given
a letter of reprimand which will
become part of his permanent off,
cial record.
Gets Letter of Admonition.
Comdr. Jules c. Sancho, U. S.N.R,
who was acting port director at
Tacloban on Leyte. A letter of ad-
monition Qess severe than a letter
of reprimand was issued and will
become part of his permanent
record. Comdr. Sancho has left the
service.
1t. Stuart B. Gibson, U. S. N.R,
Richmond, Va, former operations
officer under the port director at
Tacloban, was issued a letter of
reprimand. 1t. Gibson also has re-
turned to civilian life.
Admiral Denfeld told reporters
reprlmand was "a serious affair"
and Is considered when an officer
comes up for promotion under the
Nays selection system.
Nimitz Once Reprimanded.
At this point, however, Admiral
Nlmltz broke in to point out that
ne had been reprimanded in 1908
for running his destroyer ashore
In Batangas Harbor of the Philip
pines. 1t obviously has not hamp-
cred his career.
Vice Admiral Forrest P. Sherman.
explaining the chain of events
which caused the failure of rescue
operations, disclosed that 16 hours
after the actual sinking of the Indi-
annapolis, a Japanese message in
code was intercepted which gave
an indication ito the effect that the
japanese had sunk something. the
nature of which was unknown. in a.
position which was approximately
the predicted position of the India
napolis at the time"
Had this information been evaIu-
ated as authentic, it is possible that
the survivors of the indianapolis
might have been located within "a
hours OF the time of the sinking of
the ship and many additional lives
might have been saved" declared
the statement issued by the Navy.
Many Were Drowned.
witnesses at the trial testified
that of the crew of 1,196, at least
TOO were in the water after the ship
sank as result of torpedo hits in
the Philippine Sea, while the unes-
corted cruiser was en- route from
Guam to Leyte. Only 316 crewmen
we're rescued after they were sighted
in the water on August 2, three DAYS
after the ship went down.
The Indianapolis was scheduled
to arrive at Leyte at II am, July 81.
TT is probable that under normal
conditions, no concern as to her
nonarrival would have been felt un-
til she was eight or nine hours over
due" the Navy statement said.
On July 81 the headquarters at
Guam recorded the ship as having
safely arrived on its operations
board, a routine method of handling
combatant vessels, the report said.
However, since the Indianapolis
did not arrive, the responsible off,
GERS at the Office of the port direc-
tor in Leyte, who knew of her non
arrival, should have instituted ac-
ton to determine the reason" This
was not done.
THE acting port director at Tac-
tSee McVAY, Page A-39
$500, 900 Church Fire
CLEVELAND, Feb. % R.-Fire