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Monument to the fallen
[[image: photo of the dedication of a monument to the USS Indianapolis survivors]]
[[caption: Survivors of the cruiser USS Indianapolis, the last ship sunk during World War II, stand while "Taps" is played during dedication ceremonies Wednesday for the recently completed monument to the ship in Indianapolis. One hundred six of the remaining survivors and more than 1,000 family members of the original crew attended the dedication.
^[[166]]

USS Indianapolis gets memorial
^[[Journal Gazette
   8/13/95]]
INDIANAPOLIS - A flag recently flown over the first U.S. ship sunk during World War II, the USS Arizona, was hoisted Wednesday over the newly dedicated memorial to the last ship sunk, the USS Indianapolis.

It remained twisted atop its pole for several minutes until a light breeze blew it free above 106 of the Indianapolis' survivors and more than 2,000 people gathered for the ceremony.

The event took place 50 years after 316 men were rescued from a crew of 1,197 in what was the war's worst single U.S. naval loss.

Rep. Andrew Jacobs, D-10th, read the congressional act that established the site as a national memorial, then told the survivors who lived through four days without food or fresh water in shark infested water they set a standard for valor.

"Heroism exists not so much in inflicting pain, but in enduring it," said Jacobs, a former Marine.

Glancing at the unfurled flag, Jacobs added it had "appeared twisted in sorrow for a few minutes" as a reminder of men who didn't survive.

The hour-long ceremony steeped with military traditions left man of the survivors struggling to maintain their composure.

When retired Navy Capt. James H. Holds, president of the USS Indianapolis Memorial Organization, ordered the memorial's veil removed, one survivor saluted and another danced next to his seat.

Most applauded, stopping only to wipe a tear.

It's just overwhelming," said Donald Beaty, a Fort Wayne man who was a seaman on the Indianapolis. "A man's allowed to shed a tear once in a while."

The Indianapolis, a 610-foot cruiser commissioned in 1932, earned 10 battle stars during its wartime service in the Pacific Theater.

In the wee hour of July 30, 1945, it was struck by a pair of Japanese torpedoes.

By chance, a bomber on routine patrol saw the ship's oil slick and alerted officials. The last man was pulled from the sea nearly five days after the ship sank.

A pair of planes similar to those that initiated the rescue flew over the crowd.

"Look, there they are," said Gene Zinkiewicz, a member of Fort Wayne American Legion Post No. 82, who accompanied Beaty to the ceremony. "They look great, but they're about 10 minutes late."

"That's sure a lot better than four days," Beaty said, laughing. "It sure is."
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Transcription Notes:
The left half of this page is a duplicate of page 227, which is transcribed.