ABANDON SHIP! The Saga of the U.S.S. Indianapolis, the Navy's Greatest Sea Disaster

In the waning months of WWII, the heavy cruiser USS INDIANAPOLIS delivered a top-secret cargo to Tinian island and then sailed for Guam and the Philippines. The cargo was the uranium for the atomic bomb that was dropped on Hiroshima. But before the ship could reach the Philippines, she was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine and sank in 12 minutes. More than 900 men spent four days and five nights in the water. Only 316 survived. This harrowing tale was originally published in 1958. This new version includes material based on now declassified documents that show the Navy knew of a submarine threat in the area but was afraid to reveal this, lest the Japanese know the United States had broken a most secret code. Kevin Corcoran gives a solid reading. His slightly gravelly voice exactly fits Newcomb's spare style. The harrowing stories of the survivors need no vocal embellishment. R.C.G. © AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine [Published: JUN/JUL 01]