FIRST LETTER

Barton, George Steward Y3c
381 57 82

August 16th 1945
Los Angeles, California

Capt. Charles B. McVay
Late USS Indianapolis

Dear Sir, - [sic] I am writing you these few lines as an anxious Mother to try & ascertain f2ts about my Son, George S. Barton Y 2/c is his name & he was among the personnel of your late ship, The Indianapolis.

I have received a wire from Washington advising me he is "missing" in action but what I would like to know is, was he among the survivors or did he meet death.

An early reply will be greatly appreciated as the suspense of waiting to hear something definite is about all I can stand, as he was my only child. Have written the following pals of his on the Indianapolis
Homer Stone Y1c
Jack L. Waters Y1c
Richard C. McVay S2c
Thinking maybe they could give me some work of Son.

Yours Truly
Mrs. John A. Clark
8274 Wall St
Los Angeles, Calif
George S. Barton y2c (Mother)

REPLY TO FIRST LETTER

(No Personel Number for First Letter)

DATED AUGUST 16, 1945
26 August 1945

Mrs. John A. Clark,
8274 Wall Street
Los Angeles, Calif.

Dear Mrs. Clark:

I have received your letter and it is with regret that I have to inform you that your son, George S. Barton, Y3c, is not among the survivors and is missing in action. I cannot hold out much hope for his survival as I believe he went down with the ship. His shipmates and I share with you your grief and sorrow.

If any new information becomes available to the Navy Department I feel certain that it will be passed on to you by that Department.

Very Sincerely yours,
CHAS. B. McVay III.,
Captain U.S. Navy.

September 7th, 1945
To Captain Charles B. McVay
Captain of the late
U.S.S. Indianapolis

Dear Sir,-[sic]

Your letter in reply to mine requesting information relative to my son- George S. Barton y2/c received [sic] and I want to thank you for same.

If it isn't presuming too much I would like to know if Son was a Yeoman under your direct supervision or worked under another officer and his name and address.

When ever[sic] he was home he always stated he worked in his Captain's office & at night he was so tired would curl up on the desk & go to sleep. Wouldn't his position on ship have a great deal to do with him getting off!

Further more [sic] the several communications I have received lately mention Son Yeoman 3rd class.

The last time he was home was when the "Indianapolis" was at Mare Island under going [sic]repairs after her experience at Okinawa.

At that time Son told us he had received a new rating; Yeoman 2nd and wore that insignia on the sleeve of his blouse.

Any further information you might give me will be greatly appreciated. Captain McVay for it is over a month & we have received no details from the Navy Personnel, only "missing".

One cannot give up hope when all you receive is "missing"

In reading the press accounts of the tragedy it was mentioned that you were among the wounded survivors and I do wish you a speedy recovery

Sincerely
Mrs. John A. Clark
8274 Wall St.
Los Angeles, Cali.
Zone 3

Pers-8249-LK
November 2, 1945

My Dear Mrs. Clark,

Your kind letter of September 7th concerning your son, George Stewart Barton, Yeoman third class, United States Navy, has just reached me here in the Bureau of Naval Personnel where I have been on temporary duty since my return from Guam in middle of last month.

Your son was not under my direct supervision and I have no way of determining to which office he was assigned as all our records were lost with the ship.

There was an Aviation Machinist's Mate third class, one of the survivors, who may be able to furnish information regarding your son. His name is Jay R. Glenn and his address is 5233 Monte Vista Street, Los Angeles, California.

It is difficult I know for you to understand why we can not[sic] furnish more information. However, when it is realized the ship sank in the middle of the night in a very short time and that no records whatsoever were saved that may explain our difficulty in piecing together a coherent story.

You wrote of your son having spoken of an advancement in rating. I believe he meant that he was eligible for Yeoman second class having completed the necessary rating course, however, he was not actually advanced to that rate at the time the ship sank.

May I again express my heartfelt sympathy,

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

Mrs. John A. Clark
8274 Wall St.
Los Angeles 3, California