USS Indianapolis CA-35
Lost At Sea

Name: Carl Lloyd ARNOLD
Rank / Rating: S1-Seaman First Class
Service #: 962 37 88
DOB: Nov 05, 1925
From: Lima, OH
Parents: Mr and Mrs Walter Arnold
Went Aboard: May 12, 1944
Age When Ship Went Down: 19 years, 8 months, 25 days
Spouse:
Children:
Grandchildren:
Bio Submitted By: Patricia Stephens (Admin)
Date Posted: Jul 30, 2025

Carl was born November 5, 1925 in Lafayette, OH. He graduated from South high school in Lima, Allen Co., OH. He registered for the draft in Lima on November 5, 1943 when he was 18 years old. He was living in Lima at the same address as his father, Walter. Carl was employed by the Westinghouse Electric Mfg. Company in his hometown of Lima.

Carl enlisted in the Navy on January 19, 1944 at Toledo, OH. On January 26, 1944 he arrived at Great Lakes, IL., for basic training. While training there he was advanced to S2c (Seaman second class) on March 29, 1944. On April 8, 1944, Carl was transferred from Great Lakes to COM5 Norfolk, VA. He was noted as V6S. He received additional training in aviation, likely in maintenance. After training in Norfolk, Arnold boarded USS Storm King for the receiving station at Pearl Harbor, T.H. He arrived May 1, 1944 and was transferred four days later to COMAIRPAC (Commander Air Pacific) for assignment. On May 12, 1944, Carl was received aboard USS Indianapolis CA-35 from Carrier Aircraft Service Unit on authority from COMAIRPAC. On board Indianapolis he was a crew member of the Aviation Unit VCS-4. His rate remained S2c. By September 1, 1944, his rate advanced to S1c. The specific job he performed with the aviation unit is unknown. Carl continued to served in the aviation unit and his name last appears in the records on July 1, 1945. He was on board on July 16, 1945 when Indianapolis departed Hunter's Point, San Francisco Naval Base, transporting components of the atomic bomb to Tinian in the Northern Mariana Islands. Carl was one of the nine members of the aviation unit who were lost at sea when Indianapolis was sunk by Japanese submarine I-58 on July 30, 1945. Otha Alton Havins, a survivor of the sinking, was best friends with Carl. He told the following story about Carl. "My best friend was having trouble with his life belt. I assisted in inflating it, helped him through the lifelines and told him to jump. I never saw him again. Reports from survivors in his group said he disappeared the third night." His name is inscribed on the Tablets of the Missing in the Manila American Cemetery, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig, Philippines. Carl, you are not forgotten. Note: In the photo, above right, Carl is wearing a "Aircrew" pin above two ribbons on the left chest of his uniform. This was primarily an enlisted award. The circumstances for Carl's award of this insignia are not known. Note: Some publications list Carl as a Machinist's Mate 3rd class at the time of his death. The official USN records record he was a Seaman 1st class. This researcher found no record of his advance to MM3c, but it is possible. Further research of his IDPF is needed to resolve this issue.