logo
episode-header-image
Sep 2024
43m 54s

Encore: USS Indianapolis: Disaster at Se...

Wondery
About this episode

In the final weeks of World War II, the Navy cruiser U.S.S. Indianapolis was attacked and sunk by a Japanese submarine in the middle of the Philippine Sea. The nine hundred survivors found themselves stranded in the middle of the open ocean, many without rafts or life vests, wondering when – or if – help was coming.

This is the story of the greatest sea disaster in U.S. naval history, and the courageous men who survived it.

Listen to Against The Odds on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. Experience all episodes ad-free and be the first to binge the newest season. Unlock exclusive early access by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial today by visiting http://wondery.com/links/against-the-odds/ now.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Up next
Oct 7
The Big Burn | The Blow-Up | 2
As the fires spread, ranger Ed Pulaski tries to lead his men on a last-ditch effort to save the town of Wallace. Meanwhile, the Buffalo Soldiers race to build firebreaks around Avery, and head ranger Bill Weigle realizes he’s made a terrible mistake. Order your copy of the new Ag ... Show More
38m 11s
Sep 30
The Big Burn | The Driest Summer | 1
In the summer of 1910, a severe drought turned Idaho’s Coeur d’Alene National Forest into a tinderbox. Spot fires cropped up around the mining towns of Wallace and Avery and it was the job of forest rangers like Ed Pulaski to put them out. But when a massive windstorm swept throu ... Show More
41m 24s
Sep 23
Siula Grande: Over the Edge | Making Peace With It, With Simon Yates | 4
In 1985, high on Peru’s Siula Grande, everything went wrong, and two climbers made choices that became mountaineering lore. Simon Yates joins host Cassie De Pecol to talk about risk, survival, and being known as “the guy who cut the rope.”If you’d like to learn more about Simon's ... Show More
33m 50s
Recommended Episodes
Mar 2025
Episode 655: The Sinking of the USS Indianapolis
A little past midnight on July 30, 1945, the USS Indianapolis, a US Navy cruiser, had just delivered the uranium that would be used in the first nuclear bomb dropped on Japan, and was returning to the Philippines when it was struck by a Japanese torpedo. The ship was badly damage ... Show More
1h 27m
Sep 2024
The Titanic | Orphans of the Deep | 3
On April 16, 1912, shocked survivors of the Titanic made their way to New York aboard the rescue ship, RMS Carpathia, and news of the tragedy began to spread around the world. Congress and the British Board of Trade both launched investigations into maritime safety regulations, s ... Show More
36m 50s
May 2024
History Daily: A B-24 Crash Survivor Begins a Fight for Survival
May 27, 1943: A B-24 bomber crashes in the Pacific Ocean, beginning a two year ordeal at sea and in Japanese captivity for former Olympic athlete Louis Zamperini.You can listen ad-free in the Wondery or Amazon Music app. Or for all that and more, go to IntoHistory.comHistory Dail ... Show More
15m 15s
Feb 2025
282: The Port Chicago Disaster. Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial.
On July 17th, 1944 the worst home front disaster of WWII unfolded in an instant when a munitions base exploded with the force of 5,000 lbs of TNT just outside of San Fransisco. The catastrophic incident killed 320 people instantly and injured hundreds more. The event resulted in ... Show More
48m 2s
Sep 2024
9/11: Rescue on the Water (Replay)
HISTORY This Week returns with new episodes starting September 16th! In the meantime, listen to a favorite classic from the archives. September 11, 2001. On a clear and sunny day, Captain Richard Thornton is piloting his ferry boat back and forth between New Jersey and New York C ... Show More
34m 7s
Oct 2024
Jamestown | The Starving Time | 3
In the summer of 1609, a hurricane struck a large English fleet bound for Virginia on a rescue mission. Some of the battered survivors safely landed in Jamestown, but the flagship Sea Venture and the provisions it carried were lost. The already hungry colonists were forced to fac ... Show More
38m 27s
Aug 29
Disaster Favours the Daring: Shipwreck at Honda Point
In 1923, legendary navigator Captain Dolly Hunter led a squadron of warships into America’s worst peacetime naval catastrophe. The mission was supposed to be a speed trial, a display of the squadron’s skill. But it ended in a maritime pile-up, with some destroyers stranded on roc ... Show More
39m 57s
Feb 2025
CLASSIC: The WWII Naval Battle Won Using Potatoes
The U.S.S. O'Bannon was a Fletcher-class navy destroyer with an impressive array of weaponry and a solid track record in conflicts in WWII. However, even the most experienced sailors aren't perfect -- and when the O'Bannon happened upon a hapless Japanese submarine, both crew eng ... Show More
33m 34s
Feb 2025
Cyclone in the English Channel: Search & Rescue Go
In 2007 a once-in-a-lifetime cyclone approaches the UK. Royal Navy search & rescue diver, Jay O’Donnell, finds himself in the eye of the storm. A tiny lifeboat stuffed with crewmen is at the mercy of the furious sea. As Jay flies in to help, it soon becomes clear this mission is ... Show More
53m 12s
Jan 2025
The Mystery of The Confederate Sub
Submarines are the silent hunters of the deep. From the large nuclear-powered boats of today’s navies, to the German U-Boats of the First and Second World Wars, these machines hidden beneath the waves can change the course of history. In the United States, the first submersible w ... Show More
35m 18s