PHOTO COURTESY OF MIKE DELANEY USS Indianapolis survivor Richard “Dick” Thelen (second from left) of Michigan stopped by American Legion Post 355 after speaking at Perry Meridian High School May 19. The Indianapolis was hit by Japanese torpedoes July 30, 1945, and sank in less than 15 minutes, taking 400 men down with it and casting the rest into the dark, oil-soaked and flaming Pacific Ocean. The sailors had virtually no survival gear, food or water and were not found for almost five days. The ship was returning to the United States after delivering the world’s first atom bomb to the Tinian Island. Thelen, one of only 25 remaining survivors, had quite a few stories to tell, said Mike Delaney (left), post commander. Also seen are Kelli Childers, auxiliary president, and Dave Childers, state American Legion commander.
RSS Feed
