One of the most dramatic moments from the movie "Jaws" comes when "Quint," the fisherman played by actor Robert Shaw, becomes drunk and explains why he despises sharks.
In a brilliant soliloquy contributed by John Milius, Quint tells his story about surviving four days afloat in the Pacific Ocean after a Japanese torpedo attack sank the USS Indianapolis. The cruiser was on a secret mission in the last weeks of the war, having delivered the critical pieces of the Hiroshima atomic bomb to the B-29 base on the island of Tinian. Since nearly no one in the entire U.S. Navy knew anything about the ship's mission or where it had gone, no one even missed the Indianapolis when it slipped beneath the surface in only seven minutes on July 30, 1945 just past midnight.
Today was the 70th anniversary of the discovery of the Indianapolis's survivors when a Navy patrol bomber spotted an unknown oil slick almost by accident and came across over 300 sailors bobbing in kapok life jackets in the middle of the vast Pacific Ocean. With 880 fatalities, it was the greatest U.S. Navy tragedy in World War II. After four days of exposure to the elements and shark packs, only 317 came out of the water alive, and it was an extreme honor for SpartanPlates to host one of the last of these special gentlemen -- Seaman 2nd Class Richard P. Thelen -- at our annual luncheon today at Reno's East.
Mr. Thelen is a retired truck driver who lives in Lansing. He was accompanied by his son (and Spartan alum) Dave. He joined the U.S. Navy following his 18th birthday in March of 1945 and joined the Indianapolis while it was in dry dock receiving a thorough overhaul. The high-speed dash to Tinian was his first time at sea. Although he said he never discussed his experiences prior to 1958, he is very active in the survivors' organization today and also with the museum located in the ship's namesake city.
Although he and his son only brought 30 copies of the book self-published by the USS Indianapolis Survivors Assn., I was able to purchase a copy and Mr. Thelen was gracious enough to sign it. A truly memorable day!
The Thelens -- father and son -- can be seen holding the SpartanPlates sign at the group's 37th annual picture, taken this year at Summer Circle Theatre's new outdoor facility in the courtyard between Kresge Art Center and Fairchild Theatre: http://www.cqql.net/msu-full.htm
In a brilliant soliloquy contributed by John Milius, Quint tells his story about surviving four days afloat in the Pacific Ocean after a Japanese torpedo attack sank the USS Indianapolis. The cruiser was on a secret mission in the last weeks of the war, having delivered the critical pieces of the Hiroshima atomic bomb to the B-29 base on the island of Tinian. Since nearly no one in the entire U.S. Navy knew anything about the ship's mission or where it had gone, no one even missed the Indianapolis when it slipped beneath the surface in only seven minutes on July 30, 1945 just past midnight.
Today was the 70th anniversary of the discovery of the Indianapolis's survivors when a Navy patrol bomber spotted an unknown oil slick almost by accident and came across over 300 sailors bobbing in kapok life jackets in the middle of the vast Pacific Ocean. With 880 fatalities, it was the greatest U.S. Navy tragedy in World War II. After four days of exposure to the elements and shark packs, only 317 came out of the water alive, and it was an extreme honor for SpartanPlates to host one of the last of these special gentlemen -- Seaman 2nd Class Richard P. Thelen -- at our annual luncheon today at Reno's East.
Mr. Thelen is a retired truck driver who lives in Lansing. He was accompanied by his son (and Spartan alum) Dave. He joined the U.S. Navy following his 18th birthday in March of 1945 and joined the Indianapolis while it was in dry dock receiving a thorough overhaul. The high-speed dash to Tinian was his first time at sea. Although he said he never discussed his experiences prior to 1958, he is very active in the survivors' organization today and also with the museum located in the ship's namesake city.
Although he and his son only brought 30 copies of the book self-published by the USS Indianapolis Survivors Assn., I was able to purchase a copy and Mr. Thelen was gracious enough to sign it. A truly memorable day!
The Thelens -- father and son -- can be seen holding the SpartanPlates sign at the group's 37th annual picture, taken this year at Summer Circle Theatre's new outdoor facility in the courtyard between Kresge Art Center and Fairchild Theatre: http://www.cqql.net/msu-full.htm
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