Why was USS Indianapolis sailing without destroyers?

The Herald Erjen
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Why was USS Indianapolis sailing without destroyers? Sept 17, 2020 21:11:37 GMT

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Post by The Herald Erjen on Sept 17, 2020 21:11:37 GMT

A couple of nights ago I had a very strange dream about time travel and the sinking of the cruiser USS Indianapolis in 1945. It reminded me to finally check the Internet and see if anyone else was asking the same question I've been wondering about for years. Yes, I know this is Reddit, so spare me.

www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/3g5fna/why_was_the_uss_indianapolis_sailing_without_an/?utm_source=BD&utm_medium=Search&utm_name=Bing&utm_content=PSR1

Not sure I buy the refueling-at-sea-is-dangerous story. And in 1914 did not a German submarine sink three British cruisers moving at high speed? Me, I would have put the stuff aboard a cargo ship and sent it to Tinian. IJN subs didn't go after cargo ships because there was no honor in it. Something to do with Bushido.

What do YOU think? Could this disaster have been avoided if the ship had zig-zagged? I don't think it would have made a damn one way or the other.

Last Edit: Sept 18, 2020 15:43:35 GMT by The Herald Erjen

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twothousandonemark Elite Member @twothousandonemark Posts: 21,016 Likes: 15,112	Why was USS Indianapolis sailing without destroyers? Sept 18, 2020 3:51:40 GMT Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top Post by twothousandonemark on Sept 18, 2020 3:51:40 GMT Not sure, but by 1945 I'd have to imagine whatever plan &/or maneuvers were not a mistake.
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Why was USS Indianapolis sailing without destroyers? Sept 18, 2020 5:33:06 GMT

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Post by The Herald Erjen on Sept 18, 2020 5:33:06 GMT

Sept 18, 2020 3:51:40 GMT twothousandonemark said:

Not sure, but by 1945 I'd have to imagine whatever plan &/or maneuvers were not a mistake.

Somebody made the decision, and it was blamed on the captain, and he shot himself to death after the war. He was found guilty of not zigzagging, although the captain of the enemy sub which sank him testified that zigzagging would not have saved the ship under those circumstances.

Trust no one, and believe half of what you see, because nothing is as it appears, and nobody is who they seem to be.

Winter_King Elite Member @blackphillip Posts: 18,250 Likes: 19,642	Why was USS Indianapolis sailing without destroyers? Sept 18, 2020 8:36:39 GMT politicidal and The Herald Erjen like this Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top Post by Winter_King on Sept 18, 2020 8:36:39 GMT Sharks ate the destroyers. Anyway, we delivered the bomb.
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Jonesy1 Junior Member @jonesy1 Posts: 4,643 Likes: 3,011	Why was USS Indianapolis sailing without destroyers? Sept 18, 2020 11:30:39 GMT Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top Post by Jonesy1 on Sept 18, 2020 11:30:39 GMT I suppose the reason was that as cruisers don't normally have a destroyer escort it would have drawn too much attention if the Indianapolis had been given an escort.
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Why was USS Indianapolis sailing without destroyers? Sept 18, 2020 15:25:17 GMT

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Post by The Herald Erjen on Sept 18, 2020 15:25:17 GMT

Sept 18, 2020 11:30:39 GMT Jonesy1 said:

I suppose the reason was that as cruisers don't normally have a destroyer escort it would have drawn too much attention if the Indianapolis had been given an escort.

Then it's a good thing that the Argentine Navy went against tradition by providing the General Belgrano with a destroyer escort in the Falklands War. The escort didn't stop the British sub from sinking the cruiser, but at least they were there to rescue the survivors. Most of the deaths from the Indianapolis were after the fact and need not have been.

Last Edit: Sept 18, 2020 15:48:25 GMT by The Herald Erjen

Trust no one, and believe half of what you see, because nothing is as it appears, and nobody is who they seem to be.

Why was USS Indianapolis sailing without destroyers?

Post by The Herald Erjen on Sept 17, 2020 21:11:37 GMT

Post by twothousandonemark on Sept 18, 2020 3:51:40 GMT

Post by The Herald Erjen on Sept 18, 2020 5:33:06 GMT

Post by Winter_King on Sept 18, 2020 8:36:39 GMT

Post by Jonesy1 on Sept 18, 2020 11:30:39 GMT

Post by The Herald Erjen on Sept 18, 2020 15:25:17 GMT