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USS Indianapolis KIA (CA-35) Heavy Cruiser KIA Purple Heart


kcmo
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Sharing to honor the sacrifice of FC2C Joseph W. Consiglio who was another unfortunate loss from the sinking of the USS Indianapolis. He was born in St. Louis, Missouri and later moved right across the Mississippi River to Granite City, Illinois which is where he enlisted in the Navy. Those not familiar with the sinking of the Indy the ship was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine and sunk within minutes in shark-infested waters on 30 July 1945. Only 316 of the 1,196 men on board survived after hundreds died from sharks, dehydration, exposure while awaiting rescue.

 

I have been unable at this point to find out if he was lost during the sinking or survived to be lost while waiting to be rescued.

 

RIP FC2C Consiglio.

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A side note. I looked in Dave's book on Purple Hearts and couldn't locate another one engraved the same way with the flourish above the first and last name as the Type IIa he shows on Page 545.  

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The Indianapolis Muster Roll for Oct 17 1945 on Ancestry lists the entire crew. They are either listed as dead or wounded (no exceptions). None are listed as missing. So there probably is no way to answer the question about who initially survived the sinking.

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10 minutes ago, ww1collector said:

The Indianapolis Muster Roll for Oct 17 1945 on Ancestry lists the entire crew. They are either listed as dead or wounded (no exceptions). None are listed as missing. So there probably is no way to answer the question about who initially survived the sinking.

Your guy is on the list S/N 3380174

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I thought maybe in one of the books on the USS Indy, he might have been listed in one of the accounts since many unfortunately perished after the intiial sinking. 

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Great medal for a sacrifice that probably could have been either avoided or, at least, mitigated,

if the dice rolled a different way.

Beautiful engraving. Thanks for sharing Shawn.

Jim 

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Brian Dentino

In one phrase:  stunning and humbling all at the same time.  An amazing PH medal to a brave seaman who perished on one of the most important and pivotal missions of the 20th century.  Thanks for sharing it here with us......

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