Posted on Jul 12, 2015
GySgt Wayne A. Ekblad
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As the flag ripples in the breeze, John Cadwallader and his sister, Donna Hyland, are silent, lost in thought.

They are on the Downtown Canal, watching as the Stars and Stripes are lowered at the USS Indianapolis Memorial, folded with precision and presented to them in honor of their father, John J. Cadwallader, gone 70 years now.

The elder Cadwallader left home on July 4, 1945, to join the crew of the USS Indianapolis in San Francisco, leaving behind his wife, 3-year-old son and 18-month-old daughter. Four weeks later, he and nearly 900 others would die in the worst naval disaster in U.S. history.

For every new American flag raised daily atop the USS Indianapolis Memorial for the past several weeks, there is a story. A heartbreaking story of how a family was shattered by the death of a sailor. Their sailor.

As the 70th anniversary of the ship's sinking nears and plans for this year's reunion of USS Indianapolis survivors and families (July 23-26) are finalized, Bullard has been coordinating the flag program from 600 miles away. She's had help from the USS Indianapolis CA-35 Second Watch Organization, the Indiana War Memorial Commission and FedEx in buying, flying and shipping flags to families around the country.

http://www.militarytimes.com/longform/life/2015/07/03/men-uss-indianapolis-lost-sea-remembered-home/29666313/
Posted in these groups: A98c666b Naval/Maritime History
Edited >1 y ago
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Sgt Ken Prescott
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My Dad (God rest his soul) once said that, while the enemy was SOMETIMES trying to kill you, the sea was ALWAYS trying to kill you.

We are intruders when we venture forth into Poseidon's domain.
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GySgt Wayne A. Ekblad
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LTC Self Employed
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I read that book and I saw the movie with Stacy Keach as the captain. This is the documentary from A and Ehttps://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3Ujk79c-Go
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CSM William Payne
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My father CPO Paul Payne served proudly on the USS Indianapolis from 1937 until 1943. He retired in 1967 after thirty years and passed away in 1997. We had a picture of her hanging in our family room. It wasn't until Jaws came out that I realized that was the same ship my dad had served on. While he was healthy he would attend their reunions, the only ship he did that for.
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CSM William Payne
CSM William Payne
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My dad, dad's favorite hat, picture of the Indy.
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GySgt Wayne A. Ekblad
GySgt Wayne A. Ekblad
9 y
Thanks for sharing CSM William Payne ... much appreciated!
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