Looking for United States Navy Warships - Paintings and Prints? U.S.S. Bassett APD-73 on patrol in the Pacific Ocean U.S.S. INDIANAPOLIS Sunk By Japanese Submarine - RESCUE AT SEA - 'JAWS' 1945 Naval History Giclee Art Prints By Mark Churms WWII United States Navy Crew face shark attacks in Pacific Ocean USS Bassett APD73 launches LCVPS to rescue 150 crew members of USS Indianapolis CA-35, sunk by a Japanese submarine, having delivered components of the Atomic Bomb. Of nearly 1200 crew aboard the Indianapolis, only 317 survived five days at the mercy of the sharks and the Pacific Ocean! U.S.S. INDIANAPOLIS SINKS, KILLER SHARKS ATTACK CREW! On August 2nd, 1945 the USS Bassett APD-73 was on Anti-submarine patrol offthe coast of Leyte Island. The Bassett received orders to investigate a groupof men in the water some 200 miles away. The ship set course and steamed tothe scene. The ship and crew had no idea that the men they were about torescue were all that remained of the USS Indianapolis CA-35. The Indianapolis had been sunk by the Imperial Japanese submarine I-58 on the evening of July 30th, 1945 while returning from Tinian Island after delivering the components of the Atomic Bomb. The crew of the Indy was leftto the oil polluted and shark infested waters. Little did the survivors know it would be almost 5 days before help would arrive. USS Bassett Rescues 150 Survivors The USS Bassett began the rescue just after midnight on August 3. TwoLCVP landing crafts were launched into the dark rough waters to retrieve thesurvivors. The rescue continued throughout the night and into the dawn hours of morning. Of the nearly 1200 men aboard the Indianapolis, only 317 survived. The USS Bassett was responsible for saving 150 of these crew men. Text By Thomas Hines Dedicated to the crew of U.S.S. Indaianapolis CA35 and U.S.S. Bassett APD73 With special thanks to USS Bassett LCVP veteran Peter Wren TWILIGHT OF PERSEVERANCE U.S.N - World War II, Naval History Limited Edition Giclee Art Print By Mark Churms. Only 317 Canvas Reproductions and Art Prints available CLICK HERE CUSTOMER QUOTES "Congratulations on a wonderful historic action painting of USS Indianapolis rescue mission. When I first saw it, my heart leaped, and I could literally hear the groans of the men in the water and their cries for help. My eyes teared up and I swallowed hard to gain composure. My wife sensed my emotional state immediately and offered me a tissue. With the painting before me I was transposed to the rescue site on an early morning in August 1945. Whatever else is out there representing the tragedy pales in the sight of this work. You are to be congratulated on this outstanding scene. The sky and the masthead light, as well as the cargo light on the fantail of the ship and running lights are realistic as I can recall. The floater net, the survivors with the water level at their chins, the shark on his search for a lone sailor, and the battle lantern on my next recovery say it all. It is a composite painting in that one of the USS Bassett crew is swimming to aid a survivor. A Bassett shipmate is pointing out to one about to drown because he can't untie his water drenched life vest. The Bassett had three LCVP's in action and are conveyed by one unloading survivors at the cargo net, one enroute to the ship and one pulling them from the water. A wounded survivor is on top of the floater net and the mate, high in the water has changed his lifejacket for a more buoyant one. Those whose life jackets have lost their buoyancy are lying on their backs to keep the salt water from tempting them to drink. One survivor has tied his life jacket cords to the floater net so he won't drift away and become shark bait. If not rescued soon he will succumb to a watery death. The size of the waves is nicely depicted as I wrote in my book I had to use the rising wave power to help me lift the survivor aboard. Mark, you have captured the scene and this work should sell well. Thank you for making it available for my new book "We Were There". L. PETER WREN "I found your site when I was searching on the Internet for the USS Bassett.......my father was on the ship when they picked up the Indianapolis survivors....I was very impressed with the painting - TWILIGHT OF PERSVERANCE (USS Indianapolis rescue, 1945 AD)" R. REESE
	JAWS MOVIE & USS INDIANAPOLIS In the 1975 Classic Stephen Spielberg Movie JAWS, the rough captain of the ORCA, 'Quint' (played by Robert Shaw) was sent to catch the killer shark. In the story the character was a veteran of the crew of the USS Indianapolis who had survived the shark infested waters, only to be devoured by JAWS at the end of the movie! For more JAWS Trivia click here
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