In Harm's Way, Young Readers Edition: The Sinking of the USS Indianapolis and the Story of Its Survivors

by Doug Stanton, Michael J. Tougias

Overview

A young readers edition of Doug Stanton and Michael J. Tougias' New York Times bestseller In Harm’s Way—a riveting World War II account of the greatest maritime disaster in US naval history.

"A masterful account of one of history's most poignant and tragic secrets." —#1 New York Times-bestelling author Lee Child

On July 30, 1945, the U.S.S. Indianapolis was torpedoed in the South Pacific by a Japanese submarine. An estimated 300 men were killed upon impact; close to 900 sailors were cast into the Pacific Ocean, where they remained undetected by the navy for nearly four days and nights. Battered by a savage sea, they struggled to stay alive, fighting off sharks, hypothermia, and hallucinations.

By the time rescue arrived, all but 316 men had died. The captain's subsequent court-martial left many questions unanswered: How did the navy fail to realize the Indianapolis was missing? And how did these 316 men manage to survive against all odds?

New York Times bestselling author Michael J. Tougias adapts his histories of real life stories for young readers in his True Rescue Series, capturing the heroism and humanity of people on life-saving missions during maritime disasters.

More Thrilling True Rescue Books:
The Finest Hours (Young Readers Edition)
A Storm Too Soon (Young Readers Edition)
Into the Blizzard (Young Readers Edition)
Attacked at Sea (Young Readers Edition)
Rescue on the Bounty (Young Readers Edition)

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250909343
Publisher:	Square Fish
Publication date:	08/29/2023
Series:	True Rescue Series
Pages:	240
Sales rank:	278,461
Product dimensions:	5.20(w) x 7.50(h) x 0.70(d)
Age Range:	9 - 14 Years

About the Author

Doug Stanton is a #1 New York Times bestselling author whose writing has appeared in Esquire, The New York Times, TIME, The Washington Post, and other national publications. The bestselling In Harm’s Way was included in the US Navy’s required reading list for naval officers. His book Horse Soldiers is the basis for the movie 12 Strong, starring Chris Hemsworth. Stanton lectures nationally and has appeared on national TV and radio. He and Anne Stanton provided an initial donation for the publication of Only 316 Survived, and founded a scholarship program benefiting grandchildren of the USS Indianapolis crew.

Michael J. Tougias is the author of many award-winning true rescue stories, including the New York Times-bestseller The Finest Hours, A Storm Too Soon, Into the Blizzard, and Attacked at Sea. He also published The Waters Between Us: A Boy, A Father, Outdoor Misadventures and the Healing Power of Nature. A frequent lecturer on his work, Tougias splits his time between Massachusetts and Florida.

Table of Contents

Introduction: Crew Members, Rescuers ix

Part I

1 The USS Indianapolis and Her Secret Cargo 1

2 Information Withheld 9

3 Torpedoes Fired 20

Part II

4 Fires Spreading 35

5 Abandon Ship! 44

6 Radio Messages Ignored 55

7 Survivors, Drifting Apart 66

8 Is There a Doctor? 75

9 Bumps in the Water 84

10 Shark Attacks 94

11 Deadly Assumptions and a Deadly Temptation 101

12 Delirium Ignites Violence 111

13 Hallucinations in Full Boil 118

14 Father Conway and Captain Parke 128

Part III

15 Peleliu Island and Hope From Above 139

16 Supplies Falling From the Sky 147

17 The First Rescue 156

18 Ships Arrive 165

19 From One Kind of Fear to Another 173

20 Recovery 181

Epilogue 191

A Note From Doug Stanton 207

The USS Indianapolis/Gwinn "Angel" Scholarship 215

Glossary 217

Michael Tougias's Books 223

Bibliography 225

Editorial Reviews

A 2023-2024 Florida Teens Reads Award Nominee
An Oklahoma Sequoyah Book Award

"A masterful account of one of history's most poignant and tragic secrets." —#1 New York Times-bestselling author Lee Child

"An enthralling tale of survival." —Booklist

"A nail-biting account of World War II heroism and survival." —Kirkus Reviews

Praise for the original edition of In Harm's Way:

A New York Times Bestseller
Massachusetts Book Award Winner
Michigan Notable Books Winner

“Stellar . . . A gut-wrenching story of everyday heroes.” —New York Post

“A stunning book…one of the most harrowing tales of World War II…Doug Stanton takes you through every terrifying moment in a vivid and utterly memorable account.”—Tom Brokaw, author of The Greatest Generation

“Infuriating, mesmerizing, and heartbreaking . . . Impossible to put down.” —Rick Atkinson

“The most frightening book I've ever read.” —Stephen Ambrose

“Stanton has created a war story that is part Titanic, part Stephen King nightmare.” —Minneapolis Star-Tribune

From the Publisher

2022-03-29
A nail-biting account of World War II heroism and survival.

In the summer of 1945, veteran Navy captain Charles McVay undertook a secret mission on the USS Indianapolis. With more than 1,000 inexperienced sailors aboard, the cruiser headed for the island of Tinian, near Guam, delivering parts of the atomic bomb destined to end the war. But with no sonar, the ship’s ability to elude attacks was compromised, and a Japanese submarine torpedoed the Indy, triggering a deadly fire. The men were forced to abandon ship, and most found themselves in one of two groups—one led by clergyman Father Conway and physician Dr. Haynes, the other by Ensign Harlan Twible and Chief Engineer Richard Redmayne. McVay was in a separate small group with eight other crew members. There was a scramble for rafts and danger from shark attacks; the men battled hunger, thirst, exposure to the tropical sun, and extreme cold at night. Many perished. Stanton and Tougias keep the suspense high with short sections that cut from one embattled group to another. Rescue eventually came but not without glitches, and McVay faced a different fight for survival back home—court-martialed and later dying by suicide. This is a riveting, well-researched young readers’ adaptation of Stanton’s 2001 original.

Authentic detail and a brisk pace make this real-life adventure a page-turner. (map, note by Stanton, glossary, books by Tougias, bibliography) (Nonfiction. 10-14)

Kirkus Reviews