On this day is history the cruiser USS Indianapolis (CA-35) was sunk by a Japanese submarine. Indianapolis had departed Hunters Point Naval Shipyard (San Francisco) on July 16 with the destination of the Naval Base on Tinian Island in the Marianas.

Indianapolis received orders to undertake a top-secret mission: transporting major parts of the atomic bomb that was later dropped in Hiroshima, Japan. The parts included the complete non-nuclear assemblies, several hundred pounds of scientific instruments and tools, and 85 lbs of enriched uranium. The materials were delivered and off-loaded at Tinian on July 26th, Indianapolis left the same day and sailed to Guam where a number of the crew who had completed their tours of duty were relieved by other sailors. Leaving Guam on 28 July, she began sailing unescorted toward Leyte in the Philippines. On July 30th she was attacked by Japanese submarine I-58 who launched two “Long Lance” torpedoes each carrying 1,000 lb high explosive warhead. The Indianapolis sank in 12 minutes.