Captain Charles McVay III, USS Indianapolis Skipper
Charles McVay III, Captain of USS Indianapolis. McVay was unjustly court martiled -- charged and convicted of "Hazarding his ship." (The Indy was not "zig zagging" when it was hit by two torpedoes fired from Japanese submarine I-58.) For years after the Indianapolis disaster, Captain McVay battled depression. He felt haunted by letters from family members of those lost at sea — some expressing the heartbreak of losing their loved ones — and others containing hate filled messages. On November 6, 1968, Captain McVay, at his home in Litchfield, Connecticut, shot himself in the head and died a few hours later. The men of the Indianapolis would not give up on their 50+ year quest to restore their captains good name. On October 13, 2000, the Defense Authorization Act passed by Congress contained a “Joint Resolution” exonerating Captain McVay from all blame in the sinking of the ship and the tragic loss of life.