Resource: The Sinking of the U.S.S. Indianapolis
Media Type:
QuickTime Video
Length: 2m 25s
Size: 7.1 MB
During World War II, the South Pacific Philippine Sea was not only the site of many battles but also where the United States had many ships stationed. One of the ships was the U.S.S. Indianapolis, which sank after being torpedoed by an enemy submarine. This History Detectives video segment chronicles that attack from the perspective of one survivor, L.D. Cox. While being interviewed about his memories of a fellow sailor, Cox describes the sinking from the instant the boat was hit to the moment he heard the engines of the rescue planes. He illustrates his furious swim away from the sinking vessel, surviving extreme dehydration and floating for days in shark-infested waters.
Teachers' Domain, The Sinking of the U.S.S. Indianapolis, published August 26, 2008, retrieved on ,
http://www.teachersdomain.org/resource/vtl07.la.rv.genre.ussindian/
- Frame and Focus
- Follow Up
- Connections
- Standards
Print Frame and FocusThe following suggestions are best suited for middle school students using this video in an English language arts or social studies lesson. Be sure to modify the questions to meet your students' instructional needs.
Frame (ELA) What is a flashback? How can it be used to tell a story?
Focus (ELA) As you watch the video, think of various settings where a flashback could be used to tell L.D. Cox’s story of survival.
Frame (SS) What do you know about World War II? Why was the United States fighting a war in the South Pacific? Why did the United States have ships stationed there?
Focus (SS) As you watch the video, think of the other areas of the world where battles were being fought during World War II. What effect could these other battles have had on sending out a rescue party for the U.S.S. Indianapolis?
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Source: History Detectives: "U.S.S. Indianapolis"
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Funding for the VITAL/Ready to Teach collection was secured through the United States Department of Education under the Ready to Teach Program.