Ordeal by the Sea : The Tragedy of the U.S.S Indianapolis [Paperback]

Thomas Helm (Author), William J. Toti (Afterword, Foreword), Captian William J. Toti USN (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 12, 2001

July 30, 1945: The heavy cruiser U.S.S. Indianapolis was sunk by a torpedo. 1,196 men went into the water. When rescue arrived five days later, only 317 remained.

What happened during those five terrible days?

Full of harrowing personal accounts from survivors, and written by a veteran who served aboard the cruiser before the attack, Ordeal by Sea chronicles the stark human drama and sensational aftermath of one of the worst disasters in naval history.

Product Details

• Paperback: 251 pages
• Publisher: Signet (June 12, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451204476
• ISBN-13: 978-0451204479
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #430,143 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Rekindled Interest in America's Worst At-Sea Naval Tragedy, July 11, 2001

By 

Billy Shaw (Boulder CO USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ordeal by the Sea : The Tragedy of the U.S.S Indianapolis (Paperback)

Interestingly, this book is not a collaboration between Thomas Helm and Capt. Toti. Mr. Helm released this book to the public in the early 60's. What makes this reissue worth reading and owning (in addition to the inherent worth of the original manuscript it houses) is the forward and afterward by Capt. Toti, written within the last six months (eg., George W. Bush is already President) and specific to the ongoing efforts of many Indianapolis survivors to clear the name of Capt. McVay once and for all in the eyes of American history. If you have never read or studied anything about the ordeal of the Indianapolis (except of course, maybe for Robert Shaw's description in "Jaws") then this is a very readable, very human history written by a one-time Indianapolis crewmember. However, if you have read this or other accounts of the tragedy (or perhaps remember some of the subsequent sensationalized controversy through the years including the court-martial of the Indy's Captain) then you'll enjoy this book all the more owing to the fact that the retiring Captain of the Indy's latest and perhaps last namesake (a decommissioned nuclear submarine) had been approached by the original survivors of the cruiser Indianapolis and asked to help clear the memory of Capt. McVay (who had committed suicide in the late sixties) within their lifetimes. The result is this book. I won't give away "the ending" (ie., paraphrase Capt. Toti's conclusions), but the result is a measured and honest discussion during which Capt. Toti shares his thinking on the subject as well as his feelings in a brutally frank and unhindered manner. This story may well reach out to you from the distance of ocean and time on the basis of its own human interest, but as Capt. Toti very potently identified, the repercussions of the tragedy of the Indianapolis and especially its aftermath have had a direct bearing in our more recent past, specifically the manner in which the Navy chose to handle issues surrounding the recent USS Cole tragedy. I feel that this offering deserves five stars because it's a shade more than a history book even at this early period of its issue. This book is attempting to involve itself in the continuing historical evolution of its subject, and for (in each author's opinions) urgent and timely reasons well-conveyed by both writers, even across the span of the nearly fourty years between them. Intentions and agendas aside, Helm writes simply, clearly, and easily. At 200 or so pages, it's not a hard read; the story flows, the details simple and graphic, and it's easy to follow. You should own it if you're interested in naval history (incl. WWII) or collect survival-at-sea stories (which is really what first attracted me to the book). Alternatively, it's a reasonably casual read if you want a change-of-pace WWII nostalgia book this summer and you've had your fill of Pearl Harbor... (but I'm not so sure I'd read it at the beach though).

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Different perspectives on a a terrible ordeal., August 12, 2001

By 

mirope "mirope" - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Ordeal by the Sea : The Tragedy of the U.S.S Indianapolis (Paperback)

I was fascinated and amazed by the story of the U.S.S. Indianapolis when I read Doug Stanton's recently released book on the topic, "In Harm's Way." If you've read Stanton's book, you will find that even though it covers the same topic as this one, the two books are not duplicative. There is little overlap in the survivors interviewed by Thomas Helm for "Ordeal by Sea" and those interviewed by Stanton. Consequently, reading both books gives you a more complete picture of this poignant historical tragedy. The story is an amazing one - 317 men surviving in the open water for 4 days during the closing days of the war in the pacific. It is a tale of unimaginable horrors and incredible bravery. Helm's narrative can be rather choppy, but the variety of first-hand accounts in the book are a valuable contribution to the historical record.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Hauntingly vivid, October 18, 2001

By 

J. Taylor (Florida) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Ordeal by the Sea : The Tragedy of the U.S.S Indianapolis (Paperback)

For history and naval enthusiasts, reading doesn't get much better than "Ordeal by Sea." The sinking of the USS Indianapolis was a tragic event, considering that the war was practically days away from its termination. Thomas Helm's description of the ship, its final minutes and the five-day ordeal that sailors endured after the sinking is hauntingly vivid. With the turn of each page, I found myself wanting to know more and more. Helm writes with a superior knowledge of the ship, having served on her before the war. He also provides a fascinating description of survivor accounts. That anyone could survive the sinking, five days under a scorching sun without food and fresh water, and the numerous shark attacks is amazing enough. Helm brings all this up and close to the reader.

Though Helm spends much time describing the ship, its sinking and the story of survival and the rescue, he brushes over the investigation and the court martial of Captain McVay. This area could have used more text. The foreword and afterword by Captain Toti put the book in a modern context by explaining what has become of survivors' efforts to clear McVay's name. All in all, "Ordeal by Sea" is a must read for those interested in history and naval matters.