On July 30th, members of the USS Indianapolis family held our 9th Annual USS Indianapolis CA-35 Honor Watch at the CA-35 Memorial by the canal in downtown Indianapolis. The event honored the 79th anniversary of Indy’s tragic sinking.
The following thank you note is from Michael William Emery, who helps coordinate the event every year. Michael is the newphew of William Friend Emery, who was lost at sea in the sinking of Indianapolis.
I wanted to post a heartfelt thanks to all who participated in our 9th Annual USS Indianapolis Honor Watch at our CA-35 Memorial on the 79th anniversary of Indy’s torpedoing and tragic sinking on July 30, 1945.
I want to thank (Brig.) General J. Stewart Goodwin (USAF ret.) Executive Director of the Indiana War Memorial Commission, Debby Bartley, Director of Administration at the IWM, Mike Clark and the Indianapolis Rolling Thunder Chapter 1: Jeff Thatcher, Terry Sanderson, Ed Newbill, David Brewer, and Jessica Clark for helping to honor Indy’s 31 Lost At Sea Hoosier Heroes, Elko Perchyshyn and his wonderful family, for allowing us to fly his K.I.A. Uncle Earl Procai’s 79 year old 48 star American flag over our CA-35 Memorial, Indianapolis Fire Department Company 35, Doug Hardwick, with the Indianapolis 500 Gordon Bagpipers, and Indiana Spirit of ‘45 Buglers Bruce E. McKee and Zondra Kale-Griffin.
I am grateful to stand watch with many friends, family, and Honorary Survivors, as we recognized the final sailing crew of Indianapolis. This includes Jim and Sandi Belcher, Earl and Marilyn Henry, Deb Polise, Peggy Campo, Skip McCall, Dawn Ott Bollhoefer, Ted Ott, Peg Esparanza, Doug and Kim Sinclair, Karen Corby, Bill and Cathy Drayton, Kim Roller, Michael Hussey, Ken and Jeannine McNamara, and their adorable son Liam, Maggie Mikus, Trevor Vandal, Ryan and Tatiana Dacko, Atsuko Iida, Jahn Jaeyen Pak, and their daughter Alisa, Izumi Harris, Mitra Anne Parsapour, Sandra Rigdon and her husband Clyde, Jodi Pisula, Fred and Teresa Rudder, Bob Rainville, all active and veteran military service men and women, and the citizens of the great city of Indianapolis, Indiana who visited our 9th Annual USS Indianapolis CA-35 Honor Watch on Tuesday.
Please consider joining us for next year’s 10th Annual USS Indianapolis Honor Watch at our CA-35 Memorial by the canal on Wednesday July 30, 2025. Our 10th Annual USS Indianapolis CA-35 Honor Watch will be held in conjunction with the 80th anniversary reunion and gathering of Indy’s family and friends, to honor and remember a historic ship, whose shipmates and Gold Star Heroes helped ensure peace for future generations.
