USS Indianapolis Lost At Sea

USS Indianapolis CA-35

Lost At Sea

Alvin Wilder RAHN

Name: Alvin Wilder RAHN

Rank / Rating: SK3-Storekeeper Third Class
Service #: 931 80 58
DOB: Sep 26, 1910
From: Savannah, GA
Parents: Jacob I, Jr. and Missouri A. Rich Rahn
Went Aboard: May 07, 1944
Age When Ship Went Down: 34 years, 10 months, 4 days
Spouse: Clara Hunt Rahn
Children:
Grandchildren:
Bio Submitted By: Carl Fahnestock and Patricia Stephens - Admins
Date Posted:

Alvin Wilder RAHN, SK3-Storekeeper Third Class

RAHN, Alvin W

Alvin was born in Savannah, Chatham Co., GA. He registered for the draft at Mark's Creek precinct, Hamlet, Richmond Co., NC. He was 30 years old. He listed his wife as his primary contact. Alvin, 29 yo and his wife, 26 yo, were living in Hamlet, Richmond Co., NC according to the 1940 census. He was working as a clerk in the Seaboard Railway auditor's office. In April 1, 1935 they were living in Savannah, Chatham Co., GA Enlisted Feb 25, 1944 at Spartanburg, SC. Began basic training Feb 26, 1944 at Naval Training Station, Great Lakes, IL. Apr 7, 1944 rate advanced from AS to S2c. Transferred to Receiving Station, Shoemaker, CA where he arrived on April 25, 1944. Five days later he boarded USS Cambria APA-36 for transport to Receiving Station, Pearl Harbor where he arrived May 7, 1944. Transferred aboard USS Indianapolis CA-35 the same day. A cenotaph was placed in the Laurel Grove Cemetery North, Savannah, Chatham Co., GA. Alvin's wife never remarried and died at age 84 on Dec 20, 1998. She is buried in Laurel Grove Cemetery.

Alvin Wilder Rahn, SK3-Store Keeper Third Class was one of 879 crew members of USS Indianapolis, (CA-35) who “Lost Their Lives At Sea” as a direct casualty of the July 30, 1945 sinking of USS Indianapolis. All of these 879 men plus 9 others who also lost their lives at sea as a direct outcome of a March 31, 1945 kamikaze attack in Okinawa, have been recorded as having been “Lost at Sea” (LAS) while aboard USS Indianapolis (CA-35) in 1945. Seventy-six years after the ship’s sinking (in 2021), a thorough investigation of available historic records culminated in the identification of thirteen (13) sailors on that fateful last voyage whose names were subsequently placed on an “Accounted For” list. Alvin Wilder Rahn was one of these thirteen (13) sailors who was “Buried At Sea”. The Rick Stone and Family Charitable Foundation researchers “poured through dozens of books and articles published on the sinking of USS Indianapolis, analyzed all of the seven recovery ship’s Deck Logs, recovery ship’s War Diaries, and the recovery ship’s commanding officer’s After Action Reports. In addition, Foundation investigators obtained the 'Individual Deceased Personnel Files and other documents from the National Archives to determine possible biometric matches to unknown sailors recovered at the sinking site.” While each of these 13 sailors “Lost Their Lives At Sea”, they were each “Buried at Sea”. The 13 men who by clear and convincing evidence gathered at the time of the Rescue and Recovery process resulted in their being “Buried at Sea” are: George Stanley Abbott, S1- Seaman First Class Eugene Clifford Batson, S2- Seaman Second Class William Alexander Haynes, S1- Seaman First Class Albert Raymond Kelly, S2- Seaman Second Class Albert Davis Lundgren, S1- Seaman First Class Ollie McHone, F1- Fireman First Class George David Payne, S2- Seaman Second Class Alvin Wilder Rahn, SK3- Storekeeper Third Class Jose Antonio Saenz, SC3- Ship’s Cook Third Class Joseph Mason Strain, S2- Seaman Second Class Angelo Anthony Sudano, SSML3- Ship’s Service Man (Laundryman) Third Class Floyd Ralph Wolfe, GM3- Gunner’s Mate Third Class Charles Byrd Sparks, COX- Coxswain Burial at Sea Alvin was one of the three crew members picked up and identified by USS Madison Friday August 3, 1945. It not being possible to bring Alvin aboard for the official Burial at Sea Ceremony he was placed in a sea bag, weighted with two 5" shells and "committed to the deep" by his fellow seamen.

Source Credits

1920 US Census, GA, Chatham, Fort Screven, Militia Dist. 6. Enumerated Jan 22-23, 1920. HH # 118; citing J. I. Rahn, Jr. 1930 US Census, GA, Chatham, Savannah, Dist. 12. Enumerated April 10, 1930. HH # 1020; citing James I. Rahn, Jr. 1940 US Census, NC, Richmond, Hamlet. Enumerated April 15, 1940. HH #507, Lackey Street; citing Alvin W. Rahn Navy Department, Casualty Section, Office of Public Information (1946): Combat Connected Naval Casualties, WWII, by States; Vol. AL-MO; GA, p. 11; citing Rahn, Alvin Wilder, SK3c. Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/86879744/eleanor-rahn: accessed June 26, 2025), memorial page for Eleanor Hunt Rahn (31 Dec 1913-20 Dec 1998), Find a Grave Memorial ID 86879744, citing Laurel Grove Cemetery North, Savannah, Chatham County, Georgia. The CHIEF RICK STONE And FAMILY CHARITABLE FOUNDATION, USS Indianapolis Burial at Sea Project, ChiefRickStone.com, 2025

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