15. Conway, Thomas M., Lt, USNR
201102

1628 Opechee Way
Glendale 8, Calif.
October 18, 1945

Dear Captain McVay:

Thank you very much for your kind letter concerning my brother, Father Conway. I have been trying for some time to obtain some of details, particularly from some of the survivors, but your letter was the first to throw any light on them.

I am still quite confused, however, since you did not give the date of his death and you did say he received a Christian burial at sea. Tom's record also states that he received the PURPLE HEART. Does this mean he was wounded and died shortly after the ship sunk? If so, this isn't consistent with the report given by the news, nor a letter forwarded by the Military Ordinariate which gave his death as Aug. 2, from drowning.

Tom, wasn't just my brother, he was much more than that. Through every stage of my life he has been there sharing the joy and carrying most of the burdens. It is difficult to imagine that his physical presence is gone. It is more difficult to sustain the manner in which the Bureau of Naval Personnel handled the whole situation. Although Tom never cared to be a hero, and cared less to have me make him one. I do believe that he deserved a little more timely recognition than a nameless "Catholic Chaplain." The fact that the "Catholic Chaplain" had died was public knowledge two weeks before I had received any word other than he was missing. The fact that our greatest Naval Catastrophe came along with the announcement of VJ day indicates that the Navy is most anxious to cover up.

It isn't Tom's death that hurts so much, for I know that death must eventually come to all of us, and there couldn't be a more fitting way for a priest to die than along with those for whom he had been ordained to serve. I believe I have a right to know more of the facts leading up to his death after the ship sunk. So please, as soon as you have the time available, will you give them to me.

I have another favor to ask and I hope you will grant it. The last time Tom was here he mentioned a letter you had written to the Bureau regarding the trip he made to the next of kin of the casualties of the Kamikaze attack. Would you please send me a copy of that letter if it is available?

I am enclosing some of Tom's memorial cards which I would like for you to pass on to his fellow Officers (and to yourself of course), since I don't know how I can reach them. I have many more of them and will gladly send them to any of the enlisted men that would like one. I would very much appreciate hearing from any of the men.

Thanks again for your kind letter, and I hope that you have completely recovered from your ordeal. I am

Very sincerely,
William J Conway

Pers-8249-LK

November 2, 1945

My dear Mr. Conway,

Your letter of October 18th in which you ask for certain information concerning your brother, Chaplain Conway, reached me a few days ago. I will attempt to shed what further light I can from the facts as I know them. First let me thank you for the Memorial Cards which I will forward on to the surviving officers as you suggested.

From what several of the survivors who were in the same group with your brother have said, it was concluded that he died from exhaustion, in his sleep, on the second day of August and the group said prayers as his body was committed to the seas. Commander L. L. Haynes (MC), United States Navy, our senior doctor whose home address is 72 Fairfield Beach, Fairfield, Connecticut, was in the group with your brother and may be able to give you further details.

Concerning the award of the Purple Heart. It is the policy of the Navy Department that the Purple Heart will be awarded posthoumously [sic] by the Secretary of the Navy in the name of the President to any person who, while serving in any capacity with the United States Navy, since December 6, 1941 is killed in action or dies as the direct result of wounds received in action with an enemy of the United States or as a result of an act of such enemy. The underlined phrase would cover your brother's death.

I believe I can explain the coincidence of the announcement of the sinking of the INDIANAPOLIS on V-J Day. When the ship went down all of our records went with her, to my knowledge we did not save even a scrap of paper. Thus a ship's muster roll of the crew had to be made up at Pearl Harbor. T. H., a long with a roster of the ship's officers. This was done and the completed lists were handed to an officer who was flown to the forward area where he checked the lists with the survivors at the hospital on Samar, P.I.

He then flew to Palau[sic] and checked the survivors there thence to Guam where I went over the list with him.

This officer immediately left Guam by air for Washington where he arrived late Saturday, August 11th. The casualty section then prepared all of the telegrams completing them Sunday August 12th when they were sent out. To be certain that the next of kin had received official notification that their loved ones were missing prior to learning through the press that the ship to which they were attached had been sunk thus leaving them in complete ignorance, forty-eight hours was allowed to elapse prior to releasing the story to the press. Thus it was I believe merely an unfortunate coincidence that caused the release to the press of the sinking of the INDIANAPOLIS to fall in V-J Day and not an attempt on the part of the Navy to cover up.

I have not been able to locate the letter you asked for and do not wish to wait any longer so will mail this to you and continue a search for the other letter which when found I will have copied and forwarded on to you.

With renewed sympathy.
Very sincerely,

CHAS. B. McVay, III
Captain, U. S. Navy

Mr. William J. Conway
1628 Opechee Way
Glendale 8, California