Today In History:  02 August  [1945]   --  U.S. Navy PV-1 Ventura patrol plane discovers USS Indianapolis survivors

A U.S. Navy PV-1 Ventura patrol plane discovers survivors of the heavy cruiser USS Indianapolis, the first indication that Indianapolis is even missing, 84 hours after she had been sunk by the Japanese submarine I-58 in the Philippine Sea. A large air-sea rescue operation lasts until August 8, but saves only 316 of her crew of 1,199.

PHOTO: Lockheed PV-1 "Ventura" patrol bomber.

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Photo Attribution:  Public Domain  via Wikimedia.