Gries, Richard E. Fireman 2/c

Grant Center, Iowa.
December 7th, 1945,

Dear Captain McVay,

I have been following all the news reports in the papers on you & the sinking of the USS Indianapolis. So I am writing you and maybe you can tell me some things I would like to know. as (sic) you will know, I am the wife of Richard C Gries F2/c who is reported lost on the Indianapolis.
Would you please tell me if there was a lot of wreckage from the explosion and did you yourself see around 800 men off the ship when it went down and could there possibly be any survivors drifted to different islands on wreckage.
Would you please get me some names and addresses of some survivors there. Some that testified at your trial, or some firemen, if it is at all possible.

Yours very truly,
Mrs. Richard C. Gries

Grant Center, Iowa.
PS. Please be sure and write back.

Pers-8249-LK

December 13th, 1945

My dear Mrs. Gries,

Your letter of December 7th, 1945 concerning your husband Richard E Gries, Fireman second class, reached me several days ago.
I am enclosing a complete list of survivors as you have requested.
When it is remembered the ship sank in such a short time in the middle of the night and the nearest island was over three-hundred miles from where the ship was sunk, I do not believe it possible for anyone to have reached land as the distance was too great.
Trusting that this is the information that you desire, I remain

Very sincerely,
CHAS. B. McVAY, III
Captain, U.S. Navy.

Mrs. Richard C. Gries
Grant Center, Iowa.