January 16, 1943 0004 This force disposed (arranged) on scouting line, attempting to intercept Japanese convoy en route to Kiska.

January 17, 1943 1129 "MAN OVERBOARD!"Dowling, J. J. SK1/c was washed

overboard from fantail while engaged in loading drill on after twin.

1130 Changed course to 030(T).

1131 Changes speed to 10 knots.

1140 U.S.S. INDIANAPOLIS recovered man who had fallen overboard.

1141 Secured from man overboard.

January 17, 1943, while on patrol in the North Pacific, (Position:

179-18-00 E., 50-58-00 N., (Approximately 100 miles south of Kiska

Island.)the USS INDIANAPOLIS, a heavy cruiser, was with the DETROIT. The

DETROIT, as flagship, led the column by three thousand yards. The zigzag

plan called for a right turn. The DETROIT began the turn, but the

INDIANAPOLIS was required to wait until she was in the exact spot where the

DETROIT began hers, before Indianapolis would start her turn.

As the DETROIT went into the turn, a wave broke over the fantail. An

unsuspecting seaman was washed overboard.

At the time, says John McGoran, I was standing on the starboard side of

the signal bridge watching the INDIANAPOLIS.

Suddenly, I saw a man's head bobbing in our wake. It was shocking. Alert,

I became! It was a wake-up call! But I knew exactly what I had to do. I

yelled, "MAN OVERBOARD!", in the direction of the pilothouse. Mr Cushman was

OOD; he took appropriate action for maneuvering the ship. Then, I ran to the

center of the bridge, and yanked on the halyard, breaking open a bundled FIVE

FLAG, indicating man-overboard to all ships present. Then, I ran to the

signal lamp on the starboard wing of the bridge, where I repeatedly flashed

"five dots" to the USS INDIANAPOLIS, which in Morse Code is the

man-over-board alert message.

The INDIANAPOLIS's crew worked fast. They had our unlucky sailor aboard

their ship in record time. It was believed then that 15 minutes in the Bering

Sea's extremely cold water was sure death. After a few days he was

transferred back to the DETROIT. Later, after he reported back on board, he

came to the signal bridge to thank me for my part in his rescue.

Fast forward to: April 30, 1997

7:30 p.m.: John McGoran received a telephone call from John J. Dowling.

Dowling related the following:

"I was at loading drill at the after-twin when I was washed overboard. In

the water with the large waves I couldn't see the INDIANAPOLIS. I thought I

was finished.

The INDIANAPOLIS fired a line (with a line-throwing gun)over me and I

grabbed onto it. They pulled me in toward the ship where they tossed a larger

line down to me. I wrapped it around me and they lifted me aboard. When I got

on deck, I was so cold I couldn't stand on my feet.

I spent four days on the USS INDIANAPOLIS. Afterward, they transferred me

to the USS TAPPAHANOCK(an oil tanker)for about five days. Then I was

transferred back to the DETROIT."