Historians resolve how many died on USS Indianapolis

INDIANAPOLIS – Accounts of how many people died in the sinking of the USS Indianapolis during World War II have long varied by one. Were there 1,195 sailors and Marines aboard the ill-fated ship — or 1,196? Did 879 men perish in the attack, in the water or after rescue — or 880?

Now two historians have collaborated on a paper that helps explain the discrepancy: One young man, sometimes included on the ship’s roster, did not sail on that fateful journey in July 1945 because of a last-minute change of plans.

However, the paper finds, a recordkeeping error led his name to appear on some versions of the passenger roster but not on the list of survivors, leading history to erroneously add a name to the roll of those whose lives were lost.

Co-authors Richard Hulver, a naval historian, and Sara Vladic, a filmmaker and historian, cross-checked all the names associated with the Indianapolis to sort out the misunderstanding. They published their findings March 20 in an issue of the U.S. Naval Institute’s Proceedings Today.

In the paper, the two report that a Michigan couple was among the heartbroken who received news in mid-August 1945 that they had lost a son in the Japanese torpedo attack on the heavy cruiser.

But Charles and Ruth Donnor had spoken with their son, Clarence, since that date and knew he was alive, well and in training in the U.S. Although they informed the Navy of its mistake immediately, the paper recounts, the clerical error persisted in some accounts, resulting in the confusion.

So what did happen to young Donnor more than seven decades ago?

Turns out the radio technician second class had reported to duty on the ship before it sailed. He had been on board for about half an hour when his Pacific deployment was canceled, and he was sent to an officer training program in New York.

His Navy career continued until a year after the war ended while he was stationed aboard the USS Chimariko.