SPECIAL MISSION FOR THE SUBMARINE USS OHIO

1. The guided missile submarine, USS Ohio, surfaced somewhere in the Pacific near Guam. A young submariner walked out on the deck . He said a prayer and dropped a container into the water. The container was filled with ashes of his grandfather who had served on the USS Indianapolis when the she was sunk in July, 1945. The Indy, as she was lovely called, by her proud crew made history. She had delivered the first atomic bomb to an airbase in the Pacific. The Indy's next port- of- call was at Guam. In a few days, she was on her way to the Philippines. Fate would cross her course when a Japanese submarine was returning to Japan . The sub's captain saw a large warship in the moonlight without escort. After a torpedo attack, the Indy went down below the waves in less than 12 minutes carrying about 800 crewmen to their deaths. Only about 350 seamen were rescued after spending days in the water. In another twist of fate, the war ended two weeks later in the Pacific when two atom bombs were dropped on Japan.

The old Navy veteran had told his family he wanted to be buried with his shipmates. He said he would then be at peace after that day in July, 1945. His grandson happened to be serving on the USS Ohio when the veteran passed away this year. Never thinking his request would get very far, he put in his unique request through Navy channels to have his grandfather's ashes buried at sea. To his surprise, the Navy granted his request. At the very spot where the Indianapolis was sunk the old veteran's wish would come true.
Google- The history of USS Indianapolis

Note: I had a personal interest in this story since my father's ship, the USS Chourre, was only two days behind the Indianapolis on the same course. He recalled that the ship's captain told him and the crew they would be taking part in a search and rescue mission. He went on to tell them a large U.S. warship had been reported missing in the area.