There are 59 or 60 estimated remaining survivors of the USS Indianapolis. Some of them will gather this weekend in Indianapolis for the 65th anniversary of the explosion that sunk the rig in just 12 minutes.
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Japanese torpedoes struck the ship on July 30, 1945, sending about 900 of nearly 1,200 passengers into the water. Out of those who survived the initial explosion, only 317 survived almost five days directly exposed to the elements of the South Pacific.
Glenn Morgan of Texas is one of the 317.
"I can't remember what happened yesterday, but I can remember what happened those 60-some years ago just as clear as a bell," Morgan said.
It's a harrowing experience that formed an unspoken bond when the men were thrown into oil and shark-infested water for nearly five days.
Some were killed by sharks. Others drowned or died from the effects of drinking salt water.
Exposure to the elements caused some men to hallucinate and turn on each other, stabbing others who they thought at the time were Japanese.
"It was just a nightmare," said L.D. Cox, USS Indianapolis survivor.
The group uses the reunions as a forum to recount memories from that period and to share them with family members and friends. They say it's important to perserve their story of survival for future generations.
"History is kind of an indicator of what is going to happen," Morgan said.