McCorkle, Ray Ralph S1
828 13 93

Chesapeake O 10-1-45
Captain Chas. B. McVay 3rd
Wash. DC

Dear sir
My son Ray R McCorkle Seamen 1c lost his life when the USS Indianapolis sank July 30th.
He was a fuse setter in a gun crew on a 40 mm anti aircraft gun. Could you please give me the name of the officer In Command of the anti aircraft guns. Or if he was lost with the Ship. Is their anyone that could tell me if my son went down with the ship, or if he got off the ship and drownded between when the ship sank and when the men was rescued.
Sir please give me some Information on my son If you can.
Yours very truly

George W McCorkle
417-2nd Ave.
Chesapeake
Ohio

Pers-8249-adc

October 5, 1945

My dear Mr. McCorkle,

Your letter of October 1, 1945, reached me yesterday. I regret that there is nothing I can add to the information contained in my letter of September 26th concerning the manner in which your son lost his life.

The officer in charge of the anti-aircraft guns was lost, and I have found no other person who saw Roy just before or after the ship went down. All the survivors have been questioned to determine who did get off the ship and no one saw your son. It can therefore only be assumed that he went down with his ship.

In closing, may I again express my deepest sympathy.

Very sincerely,

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

Mr. George W. McCorkle
417 2nd. Avenue
Chesapeake, Chio