USS Indianapolis CA-35 HonorWatch

07/22/2025

(This is our 10h Annual Honor Watch press release that was released today to Indianapolis media and through social media. Please feel free to share. Our Honor Watch is open to the public. Please stop by! Thank you.) ⚓️🇺🇸

Wednesday July 30: The 80th anniversary of the tragic sinking of USS Indianapolis CA-35.


 ***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE***

879 Heroes aboard the USS Indianapolis CA-35 were killed in action and lost at sea on July 30, 1945. It was the greatest loss of life from a Navy combatant ship during World War ll.

Families of those Heroes lost at sea, survivor family members, Honorary Survivors, and friends will be gathering on Wednesday morning July 30th at our USS Indianapolis CA-35 Memorial located at 692 Ellsworth street by the canal. Our USS Indianapolis Annual Honor Watch will begin at sunrise. We will stand down late in the afternoon.

There will be USS Indianapolis lost at sea and survivor historical items on view including: photos, black and white and color videos of a lost at sea hero, models of the Indy, a Western Union MIA telegram, a Navy MIA telex, Captain McVay’s handwritten note to the Navy father whose son was lost at sea, Secretary of the Navy James Forestal letter confirming that a Indy crewman was officially lost at sea, and a Purple Heart presented to a lost at sea family, and other historical family heirlooms honoring the USS Indianapolis and her final sailing crew.

*Ceremony honoring Indy’s 31 Lost At Sea Hoosier Heroes Sunday at our CA-35 Memorial.*

EVENT: Time: 12:15 pm

Doug Hardwick will play his bagpipes at the beginning and end of our ceremony.

Michael William Emery, Honorary Survivor and USS Indianapolis lost at sea family member, will share opening remarks about the history of our annual Honor Watch. A special letter written by Harold Bray, the last survivor of the USS Indianapolis tragic sinking, will also be read. Harold Bray is currently 98 years young.

Brigadier General J. Stewart Goodwin (USAF ret.), Executive Director of the Indiana War Memorial Commission, and Honorary USS Indianapolis Survivor, will be our special guest speaker. General Goodwin cofounded our annual USS Indianapolis CA-35 Honor Watch 10 years ago.

Mike Clark, President of the Indianapolis Rolling Thunder Chapter 1, and fellow members, will be performing a Honor and Remembrance Ceremony for the 31 USS Indianapolis Hoosier Heroes who were lost at sea. Family members of these Hoosier Heroes will be in attendance.

Earl Procai, Bugler Second Class, was one of nine USS Indianapolis crew members killed in action on March 31, 1945, when a kamikaze hit the Indy just prior to the Okinawa Gunto Campaign. The 48 star 80 year old American flag, which was flown over the USS Indianapolis and presented to Earl Procai’s family, will be raised and flown over our CA-35 Memorial.

Sandi Belcher, Daughter in law to USS Indianapolis Survivor James Belcher, will sing God Bless America.

Bruce McKee and Zondra Kale Griffin of the Spirit of 45 Organization will perform Echo Taps after the last Hoosier Hero’s name is honored.

Indianapolis Fire Station Ladder 35 will also be in attendance at our Honor Watch.

We also will be having special guests stop by throughout the day.

We are extremely grateful for the support of Honorary Survivor (Brig.,) General J. Stewart Goodwin, Executive Director of the Indiana War Memorial, and his staff, as well as the support of the local Indianapolis media and community during the past ten years.

Please join us to remind the citizens of Indianapolis, and the great state of Indiana, that on July 30, 1945, 879 brave Indy Heroes paid the ultimate sacrifice for the precious freedoms we cherish today. We will never ever forget them. To be remembered, is to live forever. ⚓️ 🇺🇸

CONTACT:

Michael William Emery
Nephew + Namesake
William Friend Emery
Seaman First Class/
Quartermaster Striker
Navigation Division
Missing In Action/ Lost At Sea
Gone But Never Forgotten

Email: [email protected]

08/02/2024

Concord, Mass. I am starting to write and send out thank you notes, as well as writing down suggestions and reminders for next years 10th Annual USS Indianapolis CA-35 Honor Watch. 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. When I’m with my USS Indianapolis family, I am always so happy. 😊 The bonds of love and friendship are so strong! My Indy CA-35 family inspire me to be a better person. ❤️ ⚓️🇺🇸

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 (who was kind enough to show us how to start the Facebook live on my cell phone!) 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 McKee and Zondra Kale-Griffin, Tim O’Brien @ Fox 59 and CBS4 Indy and other local media who stopped by to cover our 9th annual
USS Indianapolis CA-35 Honor Watch.

Special thank you to Michael Hussey, Ryan Dacko, Deb Polise, and Mitra Anne
Parsapour, for raising 23 American flags for our USS Indianapolis lost at sea families, Jim Belcher for the the historical artifacts, Indy bracelets, stickers, tarps, fold out chairs, and other supplies, Sandi Floyd Belcher
for her beautiful angelic singing of God Bless America, Jennifer and Brad Bailey, who let us use her late father and father in laws (Honorary Survivor) John Duncan’s bell during the ceremony honoring the 31 USS Indianapolis Hoosier Heroes, Diana Ebling for being our official Honor Watch Facebook Live videographer this year, Kim Roller
for surprising (!) us when she flew in from in from Seattle (on 2.5 hours of sleep), my dear friend Scott, who has been faithfully attending our Honor Watch over the years, and even now in a wheelchair with his health challenges, and McNamara Florist for creating another beautiful memorial flower arrangement. 💐

I am grateful to stand watch with Honorary Survivors Earl Henry, Marilyn Northcutt Henry, Deb Polise, Peggy Campo, her brother Skip McCall, Dawn Ott Bollhoefer, Ted Ott, Peg Esparanza, Doug and Kim Sinclair, Karen Corby, Bill and Cathy Drayton, Ken and Jeannine McNamara,and their adorable son Liam, Maggie Mikus, Trevor Mehoff, and Tatiana Dacko, Atsuko Iida, Jahn Jaeyen Pak, and their daughter Alisa,
Izumi Harris, 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.

It was great to see Kevin Jowitt, and USS Indianapolis Honorary Survivors
Susan Ankrom and Dale Ankrom at the Weber Grill for dinner. It was also wonderful meeting Izumi Harris twin children Sean and Alicia at a cookout at Jim Belcher’s Air B + B.

Valerie Osbourn: It was a pleasure meeting you at the Hyatt hotel. Thank you for letting me share the story of the USS Indianapolis, as well as share who my uncle, namesake, and personal hero was. ⚓️🇺🇸

Thank you to our wonderful friends at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in downtown Indianapolis: Ferdielyn Rasay, Lovely, Amela, Scott, Vicky, Lein, Kishor, and Renee. Fifi: Please extend my gratefulness at their warm welcome and friendship. I look forward to seeing you all again when I return to Indianapolis in September for the National POW/MIA Recognition Day at the Indiana War Memorial.

I also want to thank all of our USS Indianapolis family members and friends of Indy’s story who watched us live on Facebook. We hope you heard our personal long distance Honor Watch shout outs to: Steph Curran and her wonderful family in Plymouth, Massachusetts, Leighton Rolley in Stirling, Scotland, Mark Burress in Tokyo, Japan, and Rory Latimer in Cape Town, South Africa! If I have left anyone out, or if I have misspelled anyone’s name, please text me. Thanks! 😊

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 part of 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.⚓️🇺🇸 🙏 ✝️ (Photo courtesy of Honorary USS Indianapolis Survivor Michael Hussey.) 📸

07/24/2024

(This is our 9h Annual Honor Watch press release that was released today to Indianapolis media and through social media. Please feel free to share. Our Honor Watch is open to the public. Please stop by! Thank you.) ⚓️🇺🇸

Tuesday July 30: The 79th anniversary of the tragic sinking of USS Indianapolis CA-35.

***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE***

879 heroes aboard the Indy were killed in action and lost at sea on July 30, 1945. It was the greatest loss of life from a combatant ship during World War ll.

Families of those heroes lost at sea, survivor family members, Honorary Survivors, and friends will be gathering on Tuesday morning July 30th at our USS Indianapolis CA-35 Memorial located at 692 Ellsworth street by the canal. The 9th Annual USS Indianapolis Honor Watch will begin at sunrise. We will stand down late in the afternoon.

There will be USS Indianapolis lost at sea and survivor historical items on view including: photos, black and white and color videos of a lost at sea hero, models of the Indy, a Western Union MIA telegram, a Navy MIA telex, Captain McVay’s handwritten note to the Navy father whose son was lost at sea, Secretary of the Navy James Forestal letter confirming that a Indy crewman was officially lost at sea, and a Purple Heart presented to a lost at sea family, and other historical family heirlooms honoring the USS Indianapolis and her final sailing crew.

*Ceremony honoring Indy’s Lost At Sea Hoosier Heroes Tuesday at our CA-35 Memorial.

EVENT: Time: 10:00 am 🕙

Earl Procai, Bugler Second Class, was one of nine USS Indianapolis crew members killed in action on March 31, 1945, when a kamikaze hit the Indy just prior to the Okinawa Gunto Campaign. The 48 star 79 year old American flag, that was flown over the USS Indianapolis and presented to Earl Procai’s family, will be raised and flown over our CA-35 Memorial.

Sandi Belcher, daughter in law to USS Indianapolis Survivor James Belcher, will sing God Bless America.

Michael William Emery, USS Indianapolis lost at sea family member, will share opening remarks and the history of our annual Honor Watch. A special letter written by Harold Bray, the last survivor of the USS Indianapolis tragic sinking, will also be read.

Mike Clark, President of the Indianapolis Rolling Thunder Chapter 1, and fellow members, will be performing a Honor and Remembrance Ceremony for the 31 USS Indianapolis Hoosier Heroes who were lost at sea. Family members of these Hoosier heroes will be in attendance.

Bruce McKee and Zondra Kale Griffin of the Spirit of 45 Organization will perform Echo Taps after the last Hoosier Hero’s name is honored.

We are extremely grateful for the support of Honorary USS Indianapolis Survivor (Brig.,) General J. Stewart Goodwin, Executive Director of the Indiana War Memorial, and his staff, as well as the support of the local Indianapolis media and community during the past eight years.

Please join us to remind the residents of Indianapolis, and the great state of Indiana, that 879 brave heroes paid the ultimate sacrifice for the precious freedoms we cherish today. To be remembered, is to live forever. ⚓️ 🇺🇸

CONTACT:

Michael William Emery
Nephew + Namesake
William Friend Emery
Seaman First Class/
Quartermaster Striker
Navigation Division
Missing In Action/ Lost At Sea
Gone But Never Forgotten

Cell # 978-505-7707
Email: [email protected]

08/01/2023

Here is one more Japanese article and photos to share from our 8th Annual USS Indianapolis Honor Watch. Jim Belcher: Perhaps since your beloved mother was Japanese, you can translate the articles and video I posted this morning. Many thanks to our special Honor Watch family member Izumi Harris for sharing a link to this article. 🇺🇸❤️🇯🇵

　1945年7月30日に旧日本海軍の潜水艦「伊号第58潜水艦」の魚雷を受けて沈没した米巡洋艦「インディアナポリス」乗組員らの慰霊祭が7月30日、米インディアナ州インディアナポリスであった。両艦とも残る生存者は1人ずつ.....

08/01/2023

Here is a NHK article written in Japanese, but has photos from our 8th Annual Watch you may enjoy. 🇺🇸❤️🇯🇵

【NHK】かつて太平洋戦争を敵として戦った2人。1人は旧日本海軍の潜水艦の元乗組員。そして、もう1人はその潜水艦に沈められたアメリ…

07/24/2023

When we originally had the idea of our first USS Indianapolis CA-35 Honor Watch eight years ago, we shared our vision with USS Indianapolis Honorary Survivor Brigadier General J. Stewart Goodwin (retired USAF) Executive Director of the Indiana War Memorial Commission. General Goodwin supported our Honor Watch ideas, and sent out a mass email to the Indianapolis community, and to local media. General Goodwin was interviewed by WISH TV. A brief article is still available, which I am posting.

Over the years, General Goodwin has become a good friend and mentor to me. General Goodwin has been the uncle I’ve never had in my life. During the 2021 POW/MIA Remembrance Day on September 18 in Indianapolis, General Goodwin introduced me before I gave our keynote address. But much to my pleasant surprise, General Goodwin went off script to share about our special friendship, and my relationship with the Indiana War Memorial Commission. After my emotional speech, General Goodwin stood up and opened his arms, and gave me a bear hug. There is nothing better than getting a bear hug by a Brigadier General! If there’s anything I can do to support you General Goodwin, and the Indiana War Memorial Commission, I am at your service, sir.

It’s the story of a man who will be celebrating his uncle this weekend. But this uncle is no ordinary man. Michael Emery lives in Boston and will be flying to Indianapolis on Friday to honor his uncle, who was one of the fallen veterans aboard the USS Indianapolis on July 30th, 1945. He will […]

07/23/2023

Invasion of the Segways at our USS Indianapolis CA-35 Memorial. In 2016, during our very first Honor Watch, I was standing watch with fellow Indy Honorary Survivors Jim Belcher and Michael Hussey. A large group of Segways approached us, and the tour guide Britney started sharing the Indy story. We moved aside, and Jim said: “I wonder how much of the story they’ll get wrong.” They did. At the end of the tour guide’s speech, Britney looked at our Honor and Remembrance wreath, then looked at us wearing our Indy gear, and said: “Is today the day?” We nodded yes. She then asked: “Do you have anything you would like to share”? I replied: “How much time do you have?” Jim and I then proceeded to share our lost at sea and survivor family stories. Surreal, but memorable. ⚓️🇺🇸 (Photo courtesy of Jim Belcher.)

USS Indianapolis CA-35 Honor Watch honoring the 879 heroes who were lost at sea on July 30, 1945. �

07/22/2023

2016: This is our very first media interview with local Indianapolis ABC news station RTV6 during our First Honor Watch at our CA-35 Memorial. I was proud to stand watch for 16 hours with USS Indianapolis Honorary Survivors and Indy brothers Jim Belcher and Michael Hussey. ⚓️🇺🇸

"I feel this passion and fire to share this."◂RTV6 News brings you the best breaking news coverage in Indiana. News, information & entertainment from RTV6 - ...

07/21/2023

I wanted to create an Honor and Remembrance Memorial bracelet for my uncle and namesake and my personal hero, who inspired the creation of our annual USS Indianapolis CA-35 Honor Watch. (Thank you Band of Heroes.) 🙏⚓️🇺🇸

07/20/2023

(This is our 8th Annual Honor Watch press release that will be soon released to Indianapolis media and through social media. Updates will be forthcoming. Please feel free to share. Our Honor Watch is open to the public. Please stop by! Thank you.) ⚓️🇺🇸

Sunday July 30: The 78th anniversary of the tragic sinking of USS Indianapolis CA-35.

***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE***

879 heroes aboard the Indy were killed in action and lost at sea on July 30, 1945. It was the greatest loss of life from a combatant ship during World War ll.

Families of those heroes lost at sea, and survivor family members, will be gathering on Sunday morning at our USS Indianapolis CA-35 Memorial located at 692 Ellsworth street by the canal. The 8th Annual Honor Watch will begin at sunrise. We will stand down late in the afternoon.

There will be USS Indianapolis historical items on view including: photos, black and white and color videos of a lost at sea hero, Western Union MIA telegram, Navy MIA telex, Captain McVay handwritten note to the Navy father whose son was lost at sea, Secretary of the Navy James Forestal letter confirming that a Indy crewman was officially lost at sea, and a Purple Heart presented to a lost at sea family, and other historical family heirlooms honoring the USS Indianapolis and her final sailing crew.

*Ceremony honoring Indy’s Lost At Sea Hoosier Heroes Sunday at our CA-35 Memorial.

EVENT: Time: 10:00 am 🕙

Earl Procai, Bugler Second Class, was one of nine USS Indianapolis crew members killed in action on March 31, 1945., when a kamikaze hit the Indy just prior to the Okinawa Gunto Campaign. The 48 star 78 year old American flag, that was flown over the USS Indianapolis and presented to Earl Procai’s family, will be raised and flown over our CA-35 Memorial.

Harold Bray is our last USS Indianapolis living survivor. Kunshirou Kiyozumi, crew member of the I-58, the Japanese submarine which sank the Indy, is the last living survivor. Mr. Bray wrote a letter of peace to Mr. Kiyozumi. Several USS Indianapolis lost at sea family members, and a survivor family member wrote letters to Mr. Kiyozumi as well, including the granddaughter of the captain of the l-58. These letters, including Mr. Kiyozumi’s replies, will be read at our ceremony, including sharing the journey of presenting Mr. Bray’s letter personally to Mr. Kiyozumi in Japan.

Mike Clark, President of the Indianapolis Rolling Thunder Chapter 1, and fellow members, will be performing a Honor and Remembrance Ceremony for the 31 USS Indianapolis Hoosier Heroes who were lost at sea. Family members of these Hoosier heroes will be in attendance.

We are extremely grateful for your support during the past seven years. Please join us to remind the residents of Indianapolis, and the great state of Indiana, that 879 brave heroes paid the ultimate sacrifice for the precious freedoms we cherish today. To be remembered, is to live forever. ⚓️ 🇺🇸

CONTACT:

Michael William Emery
Nephew + Namesake
William Friend Emery
Seaman First Class/
Quartermaster Striker
Navigation Division
Missing In Action/ Lost At Sea
Gone But Never Forgotten

Cell # 978-505-7707
Email: [email protected]