USS Indianapolis CL/CA35 served as the flagship for the commander of Scouting Force 1 for eight years in battles across the Central Pacific during World War II.In July 1945, Indianapolis completed a topsecret highspeed trip to deliver parts of the first nuclear weapon ever used in combat, to the United States Army Air Force Base on the island of Tinian. On 30 July, the ship was torpedoed by the Imperial Japanese Navy submarine I58, and sank in 12 minutes. Of 1,195 crewmen aboard, approximately 300 went down with the ship. The remaining 890 faced exposure, dehydration, saltwater poisoning, and shark attacks while stranded in the open ocean with few lifeboats and almost no food or water. The Navy only learned of the sinking four days later, when survivors were spotted by the crew of a PV1 Ventura on routine patrol. Only 316 survived. The sinking of Indianapolis resulted in the greatest single loss of life at sea, from a single ship, in the history of the US Navy. Richard Thelen has hand signed this 8x10 Photo with USS Indianapolis Survivor inscription. JSA Authentication Sticker SS17682 JSA Certificate of Authenticity. Specifications. Signed by Richard Thelen. Authentication JSA. Inscription USS Indianapolis Survivor. Size 8 x 10 in.