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From The Observer News
(www.observernews.net) Top Stories ■ By Peny Fletcher
“Our ship had been chosen to deliver two atomic bombs that the Army Air Force would then take to Hiroshimaand Nagasaki.
We had just delivered our mysterious cargo, and were 29 hours out of Guam when we were hit,” Twible said. “I was due to be relieved at midnight, and when my relief didn’t show up, I went below an while I was down there, I heard an explosion, and then another. Without thinking I reached down and felt blood. There was no time to think about myself. I had otherresponsibilities to think of. I rememberrunning and bumping intowounded and burned men, most of whom were beyond help. I asked my Commander what I should do and he said to get the men on the high side of the ship, which was leaning starboard now. There was no way to get to the starboard side. People were holding onto anything they could find as the ship turned.”
He looked around, and saw how fast the ship was going down. “Then, I saw no more senior officers,” he said. “So I said, ‘follow me’ to whoever could hear. Weworked our way down the slanted deck and hit the water. It was breaking the rules, going down the side. But we were spared as the ship turned we weren’t hit and covered by it.” When they hit water, he yelled for the men to get away from the ship knowing anyone too near would be sucked under as it sank. “Where were we?” he wondered. “Does anyone even know we’vebeen sunk?” After awhile, Twible said he realized he was with (what turned out to be) the largest group of survivors- a total of 325 men. He knew they had to count off, which they did. “When I realized I was the senior officer, at first there was some grumbling, but then a 49-year-old man, the oldest one there I think because most were in the 18 to 20 age group- said ‘do what he says’ and I was grateful he was supporting me.” As they counted off the minutes, and later the hours and days, sharks circled; dead bodies floated by; men were eaten or drownedor dehydrated before their eyes. “It was gruesome,” Twible said. “We wondered if anyone knew we were there. It was not pleasant to tell the men over and over to hang on when I wasn’t sure help was even going to come. I prayed for those who died. We took off their life jackets and let them float out to sea.” Twible thanks prayer and faith in God for keeping him and the other survivors alive. “We prayed and we sang the Navy hymn. Every hour there were new problems. We knew only divine providence could see us through.” At last, four days and fivenights after sinking, they were spotted by men on a bomber plane that flew over them. Not knowing if the plane held friend or foe, still, they wanted to be sure the men on it saw them. “A Catalina boat was soon dispersed to rescue us,” Twible said. By then, we were down to 151 men. I had gone from 155 pounds to 129. The fact I was even alive was a miracle, because I had shrapnel go straight through me and out the other side without hitting any major organ. The USS Bassett came and took us to a hospital where we recuperated for several weeks. We were told ours was the worst disaster in the history of the Navy.” Twible says he will never forget the heroism of his fellow survivors. “Men holding up other men while they themselves were dying. I truly witnessed man’s love of his fellow man.” Later Twible learned that his ship had delivered the bombs to keep from having to invade Japan. “If we had had to do that, there would have been tremendous casualty numbers,” he said. “They had a two-phase plan, that included two landings. And we knew the Japanese were prepared to fight until the last man was dead. More than a million casualties were expected from the invasion. That’s why our President decided to use the atomic bombs.” Twible’s message began and ended with the same theme: “Free-dom is never free. There are always naysayers, and those others who harbor thoughts that we have the right to things without anyone paying a price. Back then we were in a state of euphoria, just coming out of the Great Depression. There was a continuing drumbeat, like there is now, and has been many times since, that we should do nothing and our life will just continue on. Some feel that the problems in other parts of the world have no affect on us. But when we are negligent, the tests come and then the real Americans always must come forward and protect our freedoms. I have seen them fight, and I have seen them die.” Twible looked around the room as he ended his talk. “The statistics of the men who died from that ship would be as though four out of every five people in this room died,” USS Indianapolis he said. “Perished by an enemy you never even saw.” No one spoke; no one asked him any questions. There wasn’t a sound in the room. Some of those who were listening were obviously recalling their own memories of that war and others. The ANA has 67 squadrons located in the United States and around the world, and serves to educate and encourage an interest among the general public as to the importance of Naval defense as well as foster pride and unity between all branches of the military and the civilians who care about them. © Copyright 2008 by The Observer News Publications and M&M Printing |
