Portal:Indiana/Selected article/2

USS Indianapolis (CA-35) was a Portland-class heavy cruiser of the United States Navy. She holds a place in history due to the notorious circumstances of her loss, which was the worst single at-sea loss of life in the history of the U.S. Navy. After delivering the first atomic bomb to be used in combat to the United States air base at Tinian Island on 26 July 1945, she was in the Philippine Sea when attacked at 00:14 on 30 July 1945 by a Japanese submarine. Most of the crew was lost to shark attacks, as they floated helplessly for several days, waiting for assistance. Indianapolis was the second to last US Navy ship sunk by enemy action in World War II (The submarine USS Bullhead was attacked by Japanese aircraft with depth charges and sunk on 6 August 1945).

Indianapolis was laid down on 31 March 1930 by the New York Shipbuilding Corp.; launched on 7 November 1931; sponsored by Miss Lucy Taggart, daughter of the late Senator Thomas Taggart; and commissioned at the Philadelphia Navy Yard on 15 November 1932. The USS Indianapolis National Memorial was dedicated on August 2, 1995. It is located on the Canal Walk in Indianapolis. Some material relating to the USS Indianapolis is held by the Indiana State Museum.