Personal Narrative Film, Video Manuscript/Mixed Material Photo, Print, Drawing Louis Harold Erwin Collection
Veterans History Project Service Summary:
- War or Conflict: World War, 1939-1945
- Branch of Service: Navy
- Unit of Service: USS Indianapolis (CA 354)
- Location of Service: Pacific Theater; Gilbert Islands; Marshall Islands; Mariana Islands; Western Caroline Islands; Iwo Jima; Okinawa Island (Ryukyu Islands)
- Highest Rank: Coxswain
- Collection Number: AFC/2001/001/6006
Louis Erwin spent four days and five nights at sea after the USS Indianapolis went down, floating in a kapok life jacket. He lost hundreds of shipmates during those harrowing days and nights-to sharks, to madness from drinking salt water, and from a loss of hope for rescue. Erwin survived, only to see their captain court-martialed for the sinking. For Erwin, the tragedy is that Leyte did not alert anyone to the fact that the Indianapolis never arrived.
Interview / Recording
Transcript
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Interview / Recording
Transcript
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About this Item
Title
- Louis Harold Erwin Collection
Names
- Willie, Michael Lloyd
- WRCB-TV Channel 3
- Erwin, Louis Harold
- Bowen, Sarah
Home State
- Tennessee
Headings
- - Erwin, Louis Harold
- - World War, 1939-1945 -- Personal Narratives
- - United States. Navy.
Repository
- Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress
Gender
- Male
Status
- veteran
Service History
-
World War, 1939-1945
- Branch of Service: Navy
- Unit of Service: USS Indianapolis (CA 354)
- Location of Service: Pacific Theater; Gilbert Islands; Marshall Islands; Mariana Islands; Western Caroline Islands; Iwo Jima; Okinawa Island (Ryukyu Islands)
- Highest Rank: Coxswain
- Dates of Service: 1943-1946
- Military Status: veteran
Materials
- Video: Betacam SP [3 items] -- Oral history interview (collected 2003-03-13)
- Manuscript: Transcript [1 item] -- Transcription of video recording (collected 2012-01-30)
Collection Number
- AFC/2001/001/6006
Cite as
- Louis Harold Erwin Collection (AFC/2001/001/6006), Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress
Online Format
- image
- online text
- video
Additional Metadata Formats
Wars & Conflicts
Service Branch
Location of Service
- Gilbert Islands
- Iwo Jima
- Mariana Islands
- Marshall Islands
- Okinawa Island (Ryukyu Islands)
- Pacific Theater
- Western Caroline Islands