Attorney General Todd Rokita speaks at U.S. Navy ceremony honoring crew 80 years after ship went down in 1945

08/04/2025

USS Indianapolis was instrumental in securing victory for US in World War II

The sacrifice of the sailors and Marines aboard the USS Indianapolis when it sank 80 years ago continues — quite rightly — to be commemorated, Attorney General Todd Rokita said today. But some Americans, he added, may forget the pivotal role of that crew in securing victory for the United States in World War II.

The vessel made famous in World War II was a heavy cruiser commissioned in 1932. It carried 1,196 sailors and Marines at the time of its sinking. About 300 crew members went down with the ship, leaving about 890 to try to survive in shark-infested waters. By the time rescuers arrived after four days and five nights, they were able to save 316 individuals.

The crew of the USS Indianapolis delivered atomic bomb materials to Tinian Naval Base in the Pacific on July 26, 1945.

“Those materials were immediately loaded onto two U.S. B-29 aircraft that proceeded to bomb Hiroshima and Nagasaki,” Attorney General Rokita said. “As we all know, those bombings effectively secured the end of the war. The USS Indianapolis played a huge role, then, in achieving victory for America over the forces of fascism and imperial aggression.”

Attorney General Rokita spoke at a U.S. Navy ceremony in Jacksonville, Florida, commemorating the sinking of the USS Indianapolis on July 30, 1945, when it was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine.

Four U.S. Navy ships have borne the name USS Indianapolis, and Friday’s ceremony was held aboard the current one — a Freedom-class littoral combat ship commissioned in 2019.

“We honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice,” Attorney General Rokita said Friday, “and we honor those who survived.”

He expressed gratitude for the continued service of military personnel in modern times.

“You honor these past generations by following in their footsteps and — like they did — entering military service,” Attorney General Rokita said. “One of the best ways to honor our heroes of the past is to do the work necessary to ensure we win the future.”

Civilians can honor the service of U.S. military personnel by considering the things for which they are willing to fight and die, he added, and dedicating themselves to finding ways to work to preserve those same things.

“Going forward, we must fight for America to remain a beacon of liberty,” he said. “We must fight for America to remain safe and for America to remain strong.”

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