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If zigzagging had been the standard which McVay fell short of, then the Navy would have court-martialed every captain who failed to zigzag, which it did not. "On behalf of Christine McVie's . The Indianapolis sank about 12 minutes after it was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine on the night of July 29, 1945. Some 900 other men, including the captain, Charles B. McVay III, leaped into the sea. Captain McVay's defenders note that he had been given discretion -- not ordered -- to steer a zigzag course and had done so for a time, and that he had been advised there was little threat of enemy submarines. Only 316 men would survive. One ensign, Harlan Twible, organized shark watches when they noticed that the animals tended to attack those survivors who floated alone. I didnt even have a life jacket, so I was swimming from midnight to 5:30 in the morning. Survivors of the. King had been a junior officer under the command of McVay's father when King and other officers snuck some women aboard a ship. Nonetheless, there was little legal basis to appeal or overturn McVays conviction. Captain McVay was stripped of some seniority, although Navy Secretary James Forrestal lifted the sentence because of Captain McVay's bravery in combat before the sinking. There were a lot of sharks, he says, his voice nearly a whisper. . Christine McVie Died under Suspicious Circumstances So they gathered in large groups. When the ship did not reach Leyte on the 31st, as scheduled, no report was made that she was overdue. Edgar Harrell, Marine Corporal: On that fourth day, I said, I hear a plane! And we began to splash water, we began to yell, we began to prayeverything! Christine McVie, the longtime co-lead vocalist, keyboardist, and songwriter for Fleetwood Mac, died Wednesday, Nov. 30, at the age of 79. It was a little after midnight on July 30, 1945, when two torpedoes peeled across the Philippine Sea. The only solace was in prayer. The surviving sailors swam hurriedly from thewreckage. His eyes unfocus as he watches the scene play out, the predators still lurking just feet below him after all these years. It was a very exciting time for this old country boy. He was 33. Commander Mochitsura of I-58 was given special permission to visit the United States to testify in the inquiry, and said that zigzagging would not have saved the Indianapolis. Most men thought that meant theyd sit out the balance of the war. Stand by . 5 things to know about Carrie Olson's murder - Sportskeeda Christine McVie's cause of death has finally been revealed. INDIANAPOLIS and the lives of the men who died as a result of her sinking.". It only took 12 minutes to sink, bow first, before slipping to its tomb, which, according to National Geographic, was 18,044 feet below. At first, he received weekly letters from them leaving no room for argument as to their opinion, such as "If it weren't for you, my girls would have a father!" The purpose is to ensure commanders are aware that they are responsible for identifying and correcting problems before they arise. It is an in-depth film where the survivors tell the story of what happened and they speak about the aftermath of the tragic event. Charles B. McVay, III | United States naval officer | Britannica The shark, which you don't meet until one hour and 21 minutes into the movie, is a malevolent and mysterious force its absence makes it more terrifying. You couldnt wait for the sun to go down. He wasn't exonerated of any wrongdoing until 2000, after his death. [13][14], In his book Abandon Ship, author Richard F. Newcomb posits a motive for Admiral King's ordering McVay's court-martial.