Did the captain of the uss indianapolis kill himself. Mcvay of the uss. Captain of the uss indianapolis convicted. Charles butler mcvay iii was an american naval officer and the commanding officer of the cruiser uss indianapolis when she was lost in action in 1945 resulting in a significant loss of life.
Mcvay was exonerated in 2001. Ultimately president clinton pardoned him. Mcvay would be charged with negligence in the loss of the ship.
Among the survivors was the captain of the indianapolis charles b. Captain mcvay was stripped of some seniority although navy secretary james forrestal lifted the sentence because of captain mcvays bravery in combat before the sinking. After years of mental health problems he took his own life aged 70 ye.
Indianapolis during world war ii. After the deaths of 880 men under his command capt. On november 6 1968 charles mcvay shot himself with a navy issued sidearm at his home.
Just over twenty eight years after his ships loss mcvay died of a self inflicted gunshot wound on november 61968. Of all captains in the history of the united states navy he is the only one to have been subjected to court martial for losing a ship sunk by an act of war despite the fact that he was on a top secret mission maintaining radio silence. Mcvay was from ephrata lancaster county.
Captain mcvay was court martialed as responsible for the sinking in which almost almost 900 men were killed. He died in november 1968 at the age of 70 in connecticut. When he was found he was holding a toy soldier in his hand.
He later committed suicide in 1968 after reportedly suffering from mental health problems for years. Navy captain charles b. He was promoted to rear.
His motivations may never be fully understood but the emotional weight of the loss of his crew and ship likely played some role. While the world at large soon forgot about captain mcvay the survivors of the indianapolis sinking did not. Mcvay iii was court martialed by the navy.