Hartrick, Willis Boomer, M.M. 1/c

Champaign, Illinois
September 17th, 1945.

Capt. Charles B. McVay-

My dear sir-

I am writing to you as I am in terrible anxiety, to try to find out anything you may know pertaining to our son - Willis Boomer Hartrick, M.M. 1/c. He is in "Div A."
Sunday evening August 12th we received a message from the Navy that Willis is missing in action. This came to us as a thunderbolt - We thought that the "Indianapolis" always had some escort for protection.
As Willis has been on the "Indianapolis" since the first of December '42, it seems probable that you knew him. He has been in charge of the machine shop and always has been so proud of the ship.
Could you tell me where he was when this terrible thing happened? -Whatever it was that sunk the ship.
Do you know whether he was on watch then or asleep - and if asleep, where he was sleeping - or give me any information about him that mile- (sic)
His name is among those in the list of missing men in the Navy and yesterday's "Chicago Tribune" again.

Could there be a possibility that he is not recognized or has had a lapse of memory and does not get identified. I have tried to think of every possibility.
As he is our only son, you may understand perhaps our pain and anxiety. We can think of nothing else since this has happened. For us the war will never be over until Willis comes home.
May I please hear from you soon?
Hoping that you and the other survivors will have a speedy recovery.

Very sincerely, Mrs. V. O. Hartrick. 203 W. Healey. Champaign, Ill.

Pers-8249-adc

October 19th, 1945.

My dear Mrs. Hartrick,

Your letter of September 17th, 1945, which you addressed to Fleet Hospital #114, was forwarded and just reached me here in the Bureau of Naval Personnel.
I trust that you have received my letter of September 25th, giving you all the known details of the disaster. All the records, watch lists, etc., were lost with the ship, so we are unable to determine just where everyone was at the time of the sinking.
None of the survivors stated that they saw any type of ship either before the ship sank or afterwards, so I do not believe Willis was taken prisoner. The nearest land was over 300 miles and I do not believe anyone could have reached it.
I know how inadequate the information I can supply must seem, but when it is realized it happened at night and was all over in such a short time, this may explain how difficult it is to piece together a coherent story.

Again, please accept my heartfelt sympathy.

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

Mrs. V. O. Hartrick
203 W. Healey
Champaign, Illinois