Later on, the newspapers and records would crow about our ship, how we set a speed record.
The USS Indianapolis had traveled from Mare Island to Pearl Harbor in 74 and a half hours. This had not been done before. Accomplishing such a goal, trivial as it may seem in war time, brought a sense of pride to my crew. Of course, they didn't know about this achievement until after the war had ended, but I knew. And I was proud.
When we reached Pearl Harbor, the decks grew quiet. The only sound was the rumbling of the engines and the stamp of many feet rushing onto the top deck. Everyone who could leave their station wanted to see the infamous harbor. It had been almost four years since the attack, but it was still fresh on my crew's mind. Here was the reason why some of them had joined. Here was the reason why so many of them hated the Japanese.
Here was the reason why we had to win.
The men stood on the deck, mouths agape as they looked at the harbor. Even Captain McVay was watching, his white jacket gleaming in the sun. It seemed too bright and cheery for a thing to be in the face of such a disaster.
All of the wreckage had been cleared away by now, all except for one ship.
The USS Arizona was still sitting on the bottom of the harbor, leaking oil like black tears.
Mixed in the oil were the actual tears of her Maiden, still weeping over the corpses of her crew. I could hear her sobbing beneath the water. A shiver ran up my spine as we drew near to the sunken ship. The area that the Arizona lay in was covered with oil, and although most of the ship was covered, we could still make out some defining features as we gave her a wide berth.
I pushed my hair behind my ear as I stood among the crew. I gripped the railing, my knuckles turning white. An unearthly silence hovered over the Arizona, and the Indianapolis skirted the oil patch, afraid to disturb the quiet.
The only sound I could hear, even as we moved past the oil, was the weeping of her Maiden.
My tears slid down my cheeks.
They landed in the water with an inaudible plop and joined the tears of my sister.
YOU ARE READING
Maiden of the USS Indianapolis
Historical FictionEver wonder why ships are reffered to with female pronouns? Well, way back at the christening of the first ship, it was named after a girl who was no longer alive. It was said that her ghost haunted the ship. Ever since then, a spirit has been assig...
