(2020) Medal U.S. Mint, 1.5" Bronze USS Indianapolis CA-35

Coin Details

Description

This 1.5-inch bronze medal from 2020, produced by the U.S. Mint, honors the USS Indianapolis (CA-35), one of the most storied and tragic warships in American naval history. The Portland-class heavy cruiser completed a secret mission delivering components of the atomic bomb to Tinian Island on July 26, 1945, and was then torpedoed by a Japanese submarine on July 30. Of the approximately 1,195 crew members, about 900 survived the sinking but were stranded in the open ocean for four days, suffering from exposure, dehydration, and shark attacks. Only 316 men were rescued. The Indianapolis story became one of the most famous survival narratives of the war, popularized by the monologue in the 1975 film "Jaws." The 1.5-inch bronze format is the standard Congressional medal duplicate size. This medal provides long-overdue recognition of the Indianapolis crew's sacrifice and the survivors' decades-long campaign for official acknowledgment.

Rarity Notes

Common. U.S. Mint 1.5-inch bronze medal. Standard production for public sale commemorating the USS Indianapolis.

Cross References

PCGS #853373; USS Indianapolis CA-35; U.S. Mint; 1.5" Bronze; 2020