Seldom since the advent of steam has anyone had the privilege of witnessing such an exhibition of high sustained speed and sea-keeping qualities as was given by the U.S.S. Indianapolis during the cruise of President Roosevelt to the Pan-American Peace Conference. This cruise was followed by many, with keen interests varying from Pan-Americanism and the glamour of the unprecedented visit of our Commander in Chief to a foreign Republic, to the reliability of a modern man-of-war to maintain a schedule requiring high sustained speed with practically no opportunity to obtain services from ashore other than fuel oil. The Indianapolis and her escort, the U.S.S. Chester, another heavy cruiser, steamed 16,707 miles during a period of 6 weeks and during this period only two consecutive days were available in port for overhauling, repairing, or adjusting machinery. No repairs or adjustments of main Propelling machinery were found necessary during this 2-day period.
The Indianapolis, authorized by Congress after the Washington conference, was built by the New York Shipbuilding Company and commissioned November 15 1932. It was fortunate that she had just completed a scheduled overhaul at the New York Navy Yard and was available on the Atlantic coast when President Roosevelt decided to attend the Peace Conference in Buenos Aires. Sufficient notice was given to make minor preliminary Preparations and a full load of provisions was taken on board about the middle of November.
On the afternoon of November 17, 1936, the Indianapolis went alongside the Union Pier at Charleston, South Carolina, and President Franklin D. Roosevelt and his staff came on board at 8:30 the following morning. At this time the rail was manned and a 21-gun salute was fired when his flag was broken at the main. Concurrently with this activity all the baggage was brought on board, lines were singled up, and the ship was in all respects made ready for departing on what was to be a very memorable cruise. At 8:58 the Indianapolis steamed out of the harbor at 15 knots followed by the Chester, which acted as an escort throughout the entire cruise. At 9:58 speed was increased to 26 knots to insure arrival at Trinidad at six o’clock the morning of the 21st. Distance on this leg of the cruise was 1,682 miles. Elapsed time 68.15 hours. Average speed, 24.681 knots.
At 5:30 the morning of the 21st we arrived at Trinidad and the Indianapolis and Chester went alongside the Navy tanker Salinas to refuel, while the President indulged in his favorite sport, fishing. At 2:08 p.m. we completed fueling, cleared the tanker, and at 3:00 p.m. increased speed to 26 knots to arrive at Rio de Janeiro at 10:00 a.m. the 27th. This leg of the cruise had hardly been started when it became very apparent that there were certain people (Pollywogs) on board who were not welcome in the realm adjacent to the equator, mythically and traditionally referred to as the Realm of King Neptunus Rex, Ruler of the Raging Main. However, proper steps were taken by the Shellbacks (trusty cohorts of King Neptunus Rex) to insure that there would be no mutinous actions on board. Drastic action was necessary, requiring the use of stocks, leg and hand irons, or any space suitable to serve in lieu of the brig, which was already overcrowded with Pollywogs.
On Tuesday, November 22, at 12:30 p.m., we crossed the equator and, all Pollywogs having now been duly initiated into the Mysteries of the Order of the Royal Deep, we sped on to Rio. By this time the burden of the cruise commenced to fall on the engineers. Six of the eight boilers were steaming, making it necessary for the engineers to stand a 4-hour watch every 12 hours in firerooms which were certainly far from air-conditioned. The days were getting longer, however, so that everyone indulged very languidly, as opportunity permitted, in obtaining a Palm Beach tan to show the folk back home. We were given a most unusual contact with the outside world on the evening of November 25, when the Graf Zeppelin hovered low and circled over us several times in tribute to President Roosevelt. Our continued high speed had by this time worn the gray paint off the sides of the ship, leaving them a brilliant red, the color of the preservative paint underneath. At 5:00 a.m. of the 27th we anchored off the entrance to Rio de Janeiro and partially succeeded in painting the ship’s sides. The water was so rough that several men were nearly washed off the stages while painting, so this venture was reluctantly abandoned. Distance from Trinidad to the entrance to Rio de Janeiro 3,147 miles. Elapsed time 133.9 hours. Average speed 23.503 knots.
While we were entering the harbor of Rio de Janeiro the rail was continuously manned to render honors to Brazilian men-of-war, mooring lines were led out, and all preparations made for docking at 10:00 a.m. on the 27th. The reception accorded President Roosevelt as we docked was most impressive. The stay in Rio de Janeiro was all too brief and we departed at ten the same evening for Buenos Aires, Argentina, delaying in clearing the harbor to witness a spectacular display of fireworks which lasted nearly an hour. A few minutes before midnight we cleared the harbor, increased speed to 22 knots, and set a course for Buenos Aires.
On the afternoon of November 29, we were met at sea by a squadron of cruisers and destroyers of the Argentine Navy and early the morning of the 30th we stopped and picked up a river pilot and proceeded up the La Plata River to Buenos Aires. About noon we were literally swamped with boats of all descriptions accompanying us to our berth. As we approached we again manned the rail and performed the necessary evolutions for docking. By this time every visible spot on the water front was lined with Argentinians eager to see President Roosevelt and manifesting the spirit of good-will which pervaded our entire stay in this great metropolis of the south. Distance from Rio de Janeiro to the entrance to La Plata River, 1,080 miles. Elapsed time 49.8 hours. Average speed 21.69 knots.
Immediately after docking President Roosevelt left the Indianapolis and established his headquarters at the American Embassy. After his departure the Indianapolis shifted berth to a slip near the Argentine men-of war, who did everything possible to make our stay enjoyable and instructive.
On the morning of December 2, we shifted berth again and made ready to embark the Commander in Chief for his homeward voyage. At 3:00 p.m. President Roosevelt, President Justo of the Republic of Argentina, and various state and diplomatic officials came on board, “farewells” were exchanged, and at 3:30 we departed for Montevideo, Uruguay, where we docked at 9:15 the following morning, leaving for Trinidad at 5:00 p.m.
During the' cruise north everyone was happy to be homeward bound and had Excerpts from the Log of the U.S.S. “Indianapolis” nothing but pleasant memories of the cruise thus far. The President, frustrated in his first fishing venture, tried a recommended Brazilian locality off Cape Frio on the afternoon of December 5. Results were futile from three to six that afternoon so we sped on to Trinidad arriving there at four o’clock the morning of December 11 and immediately went alongside the Navy tanker Salinas. Distance from Montevideo to Trinidad 4,184 miles. Elapsed time 180.2. Average speed 23.22 knots.
We departed Trinidad at 4:30 p.m. of December 11 and stopped at Aves Island from 6:30 to 10:30 a.m. of the 12th. Off the coast of this low patch of land, commonly called Bird Island because of the large number of birds which literally cover its surface, President Roosevelt was rewarded with a large catch of barracuda, pompanos, and skipjacks. The following afternoon he fished for nearly four hours off West Caicos Island and enjoyed an almost equally large catch.
Charleston, South Carolina, was reached at 7:00 a.m. on December 15, and the President disembarked at 8:30 that morning, a 21-gun salute being fired as we hauled down his flag on the completion of a successful and memorable cruise. To attest his consideration of the fact that the Indianapolis and Chester would be away from their home port and families during Christmas, the following dispatch is quoted:
From: The President.
To: The Secretary of the Navy.
0005 Expect to land Charleston Nine O’clock Tuesday Fifteenth hope such permission will be granted “Indianapolis” and “Chester” make necessary arrangements depart afternoon of fifteenth for west coast believe they can make destination before Christmas Day strongly recommend this even if have to maintain excessive speed 1415
After departure of the President much Work remained to be accomplished to permit departure for our home port as quickly as possible. There was special equipment to be sent to the Navy Yard, Charleston, and to the U.S.S. Potomac, and since no provisions had been taken on board since November 11, it was necessary to load about 20 tons of fresh provisions. The hour of departure was set for noon, and within three hours after the departure of the President 20 tons of provisions were on board, special boats, furniture, and equipment had been transferred, mail received and sent, and even Christmas trees had been obtained.
We departed Charleston, South Carolina, at noon, December 15, and set a speed of 26 knots for Colon, in order to make the first transit of the Canal the morning of the 18th. Four planes were catapulted at dawn that morning so that all decks would be clear in order that the ship could be thoroughly scrubbed and cleaned when we entered the fresh waters of Gatun Lake. This was accomplished while passing through the lake and then stages were rigged so that the ship’s sides could be painted while fueling ship. We secured to the dock at Balboa at 1:15 p.m. of the 18th and immediately started fueling and painting ship. In less than six hours the ship had been completely fueled and painted, and at 7:00 p.m. we departed for Long Beach, California, loaded with Panama mail for the United States.
The trip north was made at 23 knots with occasional reductions in speed to exercise aircraft. Both ships arrived at Long Beach, California at 7:30 a.m., December 24, and leave and liberty parties were on their way ashore by 9:30 that morning to enjoy Christmas holidays after an absence of eight months from the home port.
Total miles steamed—16,707
Average speed—23.539 knots
Total hours under way—713.58
Total hours moored to dock, anchored, and lying to—137.65.