Page 39 - Amarrilo Senior Link Magazine Spring 2019- Online Magazine

WWII
miracle that our Marines were followed because she could tell there were
able to take the island. I could something was bothering him. He no enemy
not have been prouder than I told her he was really dreading subs along
was on the morning of February returning to the ship because he the route.
23, 1945 when I watched them felt something awful was going to
raise the American flag on Mount happen. His mother said, “I wish On July 30, a few minutes past
Suribachi. I could go with you, but I can’t, midnight, a Japanese submarine
but we know who can.” Her son torpedoed the Indianapolis. It sank
“On the morning of March answered, “Yes, Mama. Jesus can in only 12 minutes. An order was
31, 1945, we were hit by a go with me.” given to abandon ship. Of the
kamikaze… 1195 men on board, it is estimated
and sent to dry He returned that 300 went down with it.
dock for major “He spent the next to the ship in The 880 others jumped into the
repairs.” Cleatus five days and nights California, and fuel-covered ocean. There were
was able to go clinging to a net unbeknownst to only a few rubber rafts; most just
home on leave with 80 other men any of its crew, it clung to debris. Many were badly
to Abernathy watching hundreds would be carrying burned, and a number died from
in June. He of sharks swarm the components of shark attacks. There was no food
vividly recalls beneath them. “ the atomic bomb or fresh water available to sustain
the conversation that would soon them in the ocean.
he had with be dropped on
his mother just Hiroshima. After Because Cleatus had passed
before his return to the ship. delivering the top-secret cargo to a test for a promotion the day
He had been playing a game of Tinian Island, the Indianapolis left before, he had been asked by
touch football with his brothers for the Philippines. Capt. McVay his division officer to move to
and sisters in the front yard and had requested an escort ship but forward quarters, but he was
went into the house. His mother was told not to worry because given permission to postpone it a
day. He remembers, “I
was in my bunk when
we were hit. If I’d been
in the one up forward,
I would never have
seen another morning
on this earth. Our after
compartment was not
damaged by the blast
so I was able to slip
on my clothes before
I went up to the main
deck. I started passing
out lifejackets and put
one on myself. Smitty
and Gaither and I went

“What a sleek good-looking ship.”

Amarillo Senior Link 39