WW II crew honored with Congressional Gold Medal

In a virtual ceremony, the U.S. Congress bestowed the Congressional Gold Medal, its highest honor to the crew of the USS Indianapolis that was sunk by a Japanese submarine in July 30, 1945 while returning from delivering key components for the Hiroshima atomic bomb.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Navy officials and dignitaries of Indiana recognized the USS Indianapolis - marking the 75th anniversary of its sinking in shark-infested waters. Only 317 of its nearly 1,200 crewmen survived.

"For their indispensable contributions to the advancement of freedom and democracy. The USS Indianapolis- its 1195 crewmen are worthy of our greatest esteem," Pelosi said.

Kenneth Braithwaite, U. S. Secretary of the Navy said: "If it wasn't for you and your shipmates, history may have turned out very differently."

The Portland class heavy cruiser earned 10 battle stars, including the Battle of Iwo Jima and the Battle of Okinawa, before it was hit by Japanese torpedoes during the Second World War. There remain eight survivors of Indianapolis.