OFFICIAL LEGACY SITE: ENDORSED BY USS INDIANAPOLIS SURVIVORS, FAMILIES OF LOST AT SEA & RESCUE CREW MEMBERS
80th Anniversary & Honor Watch Recap
Date: July 27-30, 2025
The 80th anniversary week of remembrance for USS Indianapolis brought together survivors, families, rescuers’ descendants, and supporters for a moving series of events in Indianapolis that blended tradition, education, and living history.
80th Anniversary Gathering in Indianapolis
The 80th anniversary week of remembrance for USS Indianapolis brought together survivors, families, rescuers’ descendants, and supporters for a moving series of events in Indianapolis that blended tradition, education, and living history.
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Throughout the program, multiple generous speakers, including RADM Sam Cox, USN (Ret.), shared reflections that honored, memorialized, and highlighted the courage and sacrifice of the crew who served their ship and nation. The Indiana War Memorial and Museum and the USS Indianapolis National Memorial on the Canal also served as key venues, hosting a series of presentations that paid tribute to the crew, told the ship’s story to new generations, and marked the 30th anniversary of the National Memorial’s dedication.
Victory Field Commemoration and Live Tribute
As part of the 80th anniversary commemoration, events at Victory Field brought the story of USS Indianapolis into the heart of the city’s summer festivities. Jason Goodall, grandson of rescue pilot Lt. Cmdr. Chuck Gwinn, had the honor of throwing out the ceremonial first pitch, directly linking the evening’s celebration to the legacy of the men who spotted and helped save so many of the Indy’s survivors.During the game, Honorary Survivor and historian/filmmaker Sara Vladic conducted a live interview from the announcers’ box, sharing the ship’s history, the ordeal after the sinking, and the enduring importance of remembering the crew. Her presence and commentary helped ensure those in attendance understood not only the tragedy of July 30, 1945, but also the resilience, camaraderie, and ongoing legacy that have defined the USS Indianapolis story across eight decades.
Honor Watch and July 30 Events
The remembrance extended beyond formal ceremonies into a solemn vigil marking the exact date of the sinking. The Honor Watch, now a cherished annual tradition, was held on July 30 in conjunction with the 80th anniversary, bringing families, supporters, and community members together in quiet reflection to remember the ship, her crew, and those lost at sea.This year also marked the 10th Annual Honor Watch, a milestone that underscores the commitment of the USS Indianapolis community to stand guard over the memory of the 879 men who never came home and to support the families and friends who preserve their stories. With the Indiana War Memorial, the canal-side National Memorial, and the historic Omni Severin as the backdrop, the day’s events created a powerful through-line: from the crew’s service in 1945, to the first reunion in 1960, to today’s multi‑generational effort to ensure their legacy endures.
Meanwhile, across the country in Fredericksburg, Texas
​At the National Museum of the Pacific War, Honorary Survivor Stephanie Hagee presented a moving wreath endowment to the family of Survivor Glen Morgan, honoring the entire final sailing crew of USS Indianapolis. Accepting on behalf of the family was Glen’s daughter-in-law, Sharon Morgan. Held in the museum’s Memorial Courtyard, the ceremony included a moment of reflection at the ship’s commemorative plaques, capped by a special screening of the documentary USS Indianapolis: The Legacy in the historic Nimitz Ballroom.
Last Living Survivor Harold Bray, reflected upon the anniversary from the West Coast
The last living survivor of USS Indianapolis, Harold Bray, spent the day quietly in his hometown of Benicia, California, just across the waterway from Mare Island, where Indy departed on her final mission. Surrounded by family and close friends, Harold shared stories and memories of his shipmates, ensuring their names and experiences remained vividly present in the conversations. The group visited the new monument