HR 114 (LSB 5864YH (8) 91)

HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 114

BY  BARKER, THOMPSON, VONDRAN, MOORE, GOSA, BRADLEY, DETERMANN, RINKER, SITZMANN, GERHOLD, KURTH, HOLT, JENEARY, WILLS, BLOOMINGDALE, BLOM, SMITH, BEHN, SORENSEN, GUSTOFF, HAYES, WILLIAMS, FISHER, WOOD, A. MEYER, WELDON, LATHAM, JONES, INGELS, LARSON, THOMSON, R. JOHNSON, and DUNWELL

A Resolution honoring the Iowans who were killed in or survived the attack on the USS Indianapolis on July 30, 1945.

   WHEREAS, on November 15, 1932, the USS Indianapolis was accepted and commissioned in the United States Navy; and
   WHEREAS, the USS Indianapolis served as the flagship of the Fifth Fleet through much of World War II, under the command of Admiral Raymond A. Spruance; and
   WHEREAS, all who served aboard the USS Indianapolis distinguished themselves and their ship in the Pacific during World War II, with the ship earning a total of 10 battle stars in the Pacific between 1942 and 1945; and
   WHEREAS, the USS Indianapolis was struck by a kamikaze plane in March 1945 at Okinawa, during the Okinawa Gunto Operation, resulting in 38 casualties; and
   WHEREAS, on July 26, 1945, the USS Indianapolis delivered parts for the first operational atomic bomb to the island of Tinian, which less than two weeks later was flown by a B-29 bomber, the Enola Gay, and dropped on Hiroshima to bring an early end to the war with Imperial Japan; and
   WHEREAS, on July 30, 1945, the USS Indianapolis, while transiting unescorted from Guam to the Leyte Gulf, was struck by two torpedoes fired by a Japanese submarine, the first torpedo striking the bow and the second striking near midship on the starboard side; and
   WHEREAS, the resulting explosion split the ship to the keel and knocked out electrical power, causing the USS Indianapolis to sink rapidly; and
   WHEREAS, of the 1,195 men aboard, some 900 made it to the water in the 12 minutes before the ship sank; and
   WHEREAS, few life rafts were released and most survivors wore standard life jackets as shark attacks began at sunrise that day and continued until nearly five days later when 316 survivors were removed from the water, after their accidental discovery during a routine antisubmarine patrol; and
   WHEREAS, there were 34 Iowans on board the USS Indianapolis in the early morning of July 30, 1945; and
   WHEREAS, 30 soldiers from Iowa, Seaman Second Class Frederick H. Baker, Seaman First Class Robert E. Batten, Seaman Second Class Raynard R. Boege, Mailman Third Class Harold V. Briley, Water Tender Second Class Harley D. Figgins, Ensign Cecil D. Foell, Machinist’s Mate Third Class Leonard A. Fritz, Fireman Second Class Richard C. Gries, Fireman First Class Donald R. Griggs, Seaman Second Class Lester B. Hodgins, Private First Class Leland R. Hubbard, Seaman First Class Harry H. Huebner, Seaman Second Class Merle B. Hutchison, Seaman Second Class Chris A. Jensen, Seaman First Class Harold B. Johnson, Ensign David A. Jump, Seaman Second Class Robert H. King, Seaman First Class Elbern L. Knott, Seaman Second Class Darwin G. Kruse, Seaman First Class Leo W. Lohr, Seaman Second Class Raymond A. Nutt, Yeoman First Class Theodore G. Ott, Fireman Second Class Welburn M. Pender, Fireman First Class Leroy Reinert, Fireman Second Class Roy E. Rhoten, Radarman Third Class James R. Schlotter, First Lieutenant Edward H. Stauffer, Gunner’s Mate Third Class Charles B. Stickley, Seaman Second Class Joseph M. Strain, and Private First Class Arthur A. Thomsen, perished at sea; and
   WHEREAS, only four of the Iowans on board that morning, Seaman First Class Charles O. Wells of Camanche, Seaman Second Class Glen Laverne Milbrodt of Akron, Electrician’s Mate Second Class Edward Chris Koch of Denison, and Seaman First Class Robert H. Brundige of Des Moines, survived the attack on the USS Indianapolis; NOW THEREFORE,

   BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, That the House of Representatives honors the lives and service of each of the Iowans who were killed in or survived the attack on the USS Indianapolis on July 30, 1945.