Status - John Skinner - USS St. Croix
The St. Croix had again boarded troops in New Guinea and was carrying them to the Philippines.
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On July 16th, the first nuclear weapon was detonated in New Mexico in the test codenamed Trinity. Word of the successful test was passed to President Truman, who was just about to begin the Potsdam Conference. Truman informed Stalin of a large new weapon (not mentioning further details), but Stalin showed little reaction.
On the 26th, the Potsdam Declaration, demanding Japan's unconditional surrender, was issued.
Heavy Cruiser USS Indianapolis left San Francisco on the 16th with all the components of the first atomic bomb. These were delivered to the US base on Tinian Island in the Marianas on the 26th. The bomb was fully assembled by the end of the month.
On the return voyage, Indianapolis was torpedoed on the 30th; most of the crew was left adrift for days, and dozens are believed to have been killed by sharks.
More Information:
- Official Navy Chronology, pp. 714-725.
- The Liberation of the Philippines, Samuel Eliot Morison, pp. 228-302.
- Victory in the Pacific, Samuel Eliot Morison, pp. 317-344.
- USS_Saint_Croix
- Events of July, 1945
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