Sadly, today marks the 67th anniversary of one of the worst disasters in the history of the US Navy, the sinking of the USS Indianapolis. It was a tragedy and the greatest loss of life at sea the Navy has ever had to endure.

On July 30, 1945, a Japanese sub torpedoed the Indianapolis in the Philippine Sea. The Indianapolis sank in mere minutes. Of a crew of 1,196, approximately 300 went down with the ship. The remaining men, numbering at around 900, were left to fend for themselves in shark-infested waters. Of that number, only 316 men survived.

Today, take a moment to read a survivor’s account of this tragedy and remember these brave men that were lost.