U.S. Navy Archive: The USS IndianapolisMaterials for the second bomb, "Little Boy," are transported to San Fransisco and are loaded onto a Cleveland Class destroyer, the USS Indianapolis. The ship departed on July 16th, the same day as the test bomb detonation in White Sands.
The Indianapolis headed out at full speed for Tinian Island in the Marianas, ignoring the usual zig-zag protocol. The 5000 mile trip was made in a record ten days, arriving in Tinian on July 26th.
The materials for the bomb are delivered to the docks in a small boat. They are assembled in preparation for the first target. The USS Indianapolis immediately departed for Guam, arriving the same day. On July 28th, it departed for the Asian continent. On July 29th, the USS Indianapolis was targeted and torpedoed by the Japanes submarine I-58 and sunk. The mission was so secret, that ship was not located for several days.
Only 316 out of 1,196 survived the 4-5 days in shark infested waters.
